Oil priming question
09-11-2013, 08:12 PM
#1
Staging Lane
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Oil priming question Getting ready to fire up a turbo 5.3 swap that I've been working on. The short block was never disassembled so no assembly lube on the bearings. It's been sitting for almost 2 years and has new lifters in it so I'm not real big on the bump the starter method of priming the oil pump.
I have built a pressure luber and was thinking instead of hooking it to the oil pressure sender hole (a major PITA to get to) I could use the turbo oil feed line that runs from the block above the oil filter.
I tried a search but didn't find anything. Has anyone tried this successfully? I don't see why it wouldn't work....
I have built a pressure luber and was thinking instead of hooking it to the oil pressure sender hole (a major PITA to get to) I could use the turbo oil feed line that runs from the block above the oil filter.
I tried a search but didn't find anything. Has anyone tried this successfully? I don't see why it wouldn't work....
09-11-2013, 08:27 PM
#2
Getting ready to fire up a turbo 5.3 swap that I've been working on. The short block was never disassembled so no assembly lube on the bearings. It's been sitting for almost 2 years and has new lifters in it so I'm not real big on the bump the starter method of priming the oil pump.
I have built a pressure luber and was thinking instead of hooking it to the oil pressure sender hole (a major PITA to get to) I could use the turbo oil feed line that runs from the block above the oil filter.
I tried a search but didn't find anything. Has anyone tried this successfully? I don't see why it wouldn't work....
I have built a pressure luber and was thinking instead of hooking it to the oil pressure sender hole (a major PITA to get to) I could use the turbo oil feed line that runs from the block above the oil filter.
I tried a search but didn't find anything. Has anyone tried this successfully? I don't see why it wouldn't work....
09-11-2013, 08:49 PM
#3
Staging Lane
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It wouldn't bother me too much to bypass the oil filter. I plan on getting a few gallons of cheap oil and flushing it through the motor, draining it then filling the motor with fresh cheap oil. After a couple minutes at idle then changing it to valvoline vr1 before driving it.
I was just not sure if pumping the oil in through the port above the filter would make it the whole way to the top of the motor?
I was just not sure if pumping the oil in through the port above the filter would make it the whole way to the top of the motor?
09-11-2013, 09:04 PM
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I have always done what you said you don't like to do in priming the engine with the starter motor. Just do it in little increments, 5 seconds, and you will be fine.
09-11-2013, 09:14 PM
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I've done that before a couple times. Both on cam swaps that were only down for a couple days so I had no worries of dry bearings... I'd feel a whole lot better this time around if I knew there was oil there.
Also I am aware of the recommended plug on the driver side but don't have a fitting with the right thread for it. I was hoping to fire this thing up this weekend and won't be able to get one before then.
Also I am aware of the recommended plug on the driver side but don't have a fitting with the right thread for it. I was hoping to fire this thing up this weekend and won't be able to get one before then.
09-13-2013, 06:24 PM
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09-14-2013, 12:34 PM
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Thanks for all the responses. Decided to try out my original idea...
What i built was a section of 3" PVC pipe with caps on bothe ends with 1/4 npt holes threaded in them. A valve on each end and a -4an adapter on one end and an air hose fitting at the other. Cost me a total of 7 bucks not includung stuff i already had laying around.
Filled the pipe with oil, attached the turbo oil feed to one end and an air compressor regulated down to 30 psi. With it all hooked up and the valves open I had 25psi oil pressure and had oil to the top of the motor within the first 2 quarts. Cranked it over and had no lifter noise etc...
Unfortunately my computer didn't arrive from the tuner when they said it would so no start up this weekend
What i built was a section of 3" PVC pipe with caps on bothe ends with 1/4 npt holes threaded in them. A valve on each end and a -4an adapter on one end and an air hose fitting at the other. Cost me a total of 7 bucks not includung stuff i already had laying around.
Filled the pipe with oil, attached the turbo oil feed to one end and an air compressor regulated down to 30 psi. With it all hooked up and the valves open I had 25psi oil pressure and had oil to the top of the motor within the first 2 quarts. Cranked it over and had no lifter noise etc...
Unfortunately my computer didn't arrive from the tuner when they said it would so no start up this weekend
09-15-2013, 01:10 PM
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It takes more than 2 quarts of oil to get the motor properly primed, and using compressed air is a really bad idea. You will have air pockets that just push air into the engine and then after your pvc contraption is close to being out of oil, you will just send air directly into the gallies and be no better off, not to mention the oil will be aerated. And there is no way you can hear lifter chatter simply by cranking the motor over. It takes several minutes of oil pushing oil to get the lifters fully primed. Why bother asking for advice if you are just going to go with your original idea anyway...
09-15-2013, 01:16 PM
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09-15-2013, 04:10 PM
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It takes more than 2 quarts of oil to get the motor properly primed, and using compressed air is a really bad idea. You will have air pockets that just push air into the engine and then after your pvc contraption is close to being out of oil, you will just send air directly into the gallies and be no better off, not to mention the oil will be aerated. And there is no way you can hear lifter chatter simply by cranking the motor over. It takes several minutes of oil pushing oil to get the lifters fully primed. Why bother asking for advice if you are just going to go with your original idea anyway...
First off it uses this thing called gravity. All the oil was at the bottom with the air pressure being applied on top of the oil. I checked the oil level a couple times and never ran it dry so i did not push any air into the motor. There was not one bubble in the oil so that shoots your aeration theory all to hell...
Second I said within the first 2 quarts as in the first 2 of 8 quarts- 2 gallons- that I used. And I saw oil coming from the pushrods...
Anything else?
09-16-2013, 11:09 AM
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Well I guess you got everything all figured out then, seems like a lot of trouble to go through instead of just getting the right tool for the job. Just kinda makes me wonder what other work arounds you did, Like a buddy of mine who wonders why he is always breaking bolts using German Specs....Goodntight....instead of a torque wrench. Oh well, it's your motor do what you want.
