First start-up
First start-up What's a good procedure for first starting a motor that's been sitting for about a year? I know I need to crank it without fuel till there is oil pressure but what's the best way to find out if there's oil pressure? I know on the 4cyl motors I've built I cranked it until I saw oil squirting into the valve cover by looking down the oil fill hole. Will that work? thanks in advance
I drilled and tapped the boss on the cap down by the oil filter for 1/8" pipe and installed a pressre gauge. Not sure if you motor has this "boss". I used poly tube on a hose barb and quick fittings to get it where I could see the gauge.
I had a hard time getting pressure by cranking. I took the risk and fired it up and there was pressure right away. I assume the poly tube isn't good for much temp so I didn't let the motor get hot, only verified things were working. I'll next install a oil pressure switch to my idiot light.
Eric 68 Cutlass LS1/4A
I had a hard time getting pressure by cranking. I took the risk and fired it up and there was pressure right away. I assume the poly tube isn't good for much temp so I didn't let the motor get hot, only verified things were working. I'll next install a oil pressure switch to my idiot light.
Eric 68 Cutlass LS1/4A
On my 2002 LS1 there was a little cap held on with two bolts right above the oil filter, part of the oil pan.
There was a boss partially drilled but not to the oil passage. I drilled thru and tapped. The earlier motor may have been different.
There was a boss partially drilled but not to the oil passage. I drilled thru and tapped. The earlier motor may have been different.
11 Second Club
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
you can crank it all day and you're not going to get pressure like drilling the old style smallblock. Just fire it up... if it doesn't make pressure immediately, shut it down. When I did my conversion, I put a new improved oil pump in it, so when I was ready to fire it up, I thought, like you, that I needed to build pressure first. I cranked mine and cranked mine and never got pressure at the gauge. I thought something was wrong and someone on here told me to just start it, so I fired it up, and it's been fine ever since.
Wow, thanks I had no idea it worked like that. How will I know when I have pressure though? I would just crank it over and wing it but I put a new oil pan/windage/pickup in there and I'm a little weary.
11 Second Club
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 155
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
with an oil pressure gauge. Drill and tap the little peice above the oil filter and run a line (copper, not plastic) to a gauge inside the car. Like this guy did with an electrical gauge. 
The sticky on top of the section that says Hall of Fame threads shows you how to do all of this.
The sticky on top of the section that says Hall of Fame threads shows you how to do all of this.
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Thanks 70LS1Nova!
I got the car started but I only let it run for a couple seconds since I'm not 100% sure on the oil pressure thing. Before I started it the oil was brand new and now the dipstick is a little brown so I'm guessing it cycled through? I pulled the valve cover off but I can't tell if oil has made it up there or not. Is there any way to tell besides taping that piece? I will if I have to but I'd rather not buy an oil pressure gauge and tap just to test it for 10 seconds
I got the car started but I only let it run for a couple seconds since I'm not 100% sure on the oil pressure thing. Before I started it the oil was brand new and now the dipstick is a little brown so I'm guessing it cycled through? I pulled the valve cover off but I can't tell if oil has made it up there or not. Is there any way to tell besides taping that piece? I will if I have to but I'd rather not buy an oil pressure gauge and tap just to test it for 10 seconds
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I get 55psi oil pressure just cranking, no run, with an aftermarket oil pump. What type of oil pressure gauge are you going to be running? That was the first thing i had hooked up even before my intake/carb were even ordered.
I don't have a gauge yet. If I need to I'll just buy whatever Checker or Autozone has. I'll get a set of nice gauges later. I just need to get this car running ASAP since I'm headed to Korea in less than two months (USAF).
If oil is getting to the top of the heads then you have circulation, but the best thing to do is to get some kind of gauge on it. My factory gauge worked with the ls1's signal off of one of the connectors that go inside of the car (f-body). I can do some digging and find the pin for the exact wire if you want. And a cheap aftermarket gauge should do just fine if your car only has a dummy light for the oil pressue.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Just wire up your dash fuel pressure gauge & start it up. No big deal. For the initial start-up, hold the gas pedal to the floor, which tells the computer not to fire the coils, buts allows the motor to turn over. Crank it over this way for 15 seconds & then take your foot off the gas & hit the key again. It will start right up & idle smoothly after a minute of running.