Just wondering if there's any last minute things I should do or look for. I primed the oil system (granted it's been a few weeks, but I know there's oil in the motor), coolant is topped off. Any thoughts or just fire it and go?

 

I usually meditate like Nicholas Cage before he starts Eleanor

 

Make sure all your sensors are plugged in. Knock sensors and grounds are easy to forget in the back.

 

Map sensor behind intake is plugged in, radiator fans are plugged in (i missed this one and it boiled a gallon out while I was filling it lol), eye on oil pressure gauge for first second or two. Pressurize fuel system and check for leaks if you messed with it.

 

YOU TOO???? lol

 

Grab the video camera for that "first startup." Don't freak out with the bit of smoke that will come out of the engine bay after touching everything.

 

I personally like to do a heat cycle or two before driving it. But I have had engines where I didn't have time to and they were fine. Make sure your tune is pretty good before running it too long, if it's too fat you can wash the oil off the rings.

 

I like to pull the fuel pump fuse and turn it over a few times to get the oil moving. Not sure it makes any difference but it makes me feel better.

 

I do this too

 

Whelp, fired it up and it runs great! Had oil pressure almost instantaneously, runs like a champ!

Thanks guys. I'll be posting a video of it in my build thread.

 

I do this. I also fill the oil filter with oil before installing it, so oil is circulating almost immediately - no delay due to filling the filter.

 

Pre-filling your oil filters is the single most important step in this process. I fill mine at every oil change as well.

 

In my tenure working at a service/filling station (now an extinct breed...) filling the filter before startup after an oil change was SOP. You didn't think twice about it. The exception being those filters that installed open-side down, obviously.

 

Or the ones that are sideways. I will never forgive saturn for putting their oil filter in the most annoying location i've ever seen.

 

Everytime 😁

 

I also do this when eating a steak in front of a vegan. And I loudly thank Baby Jesus for the cow that gave its life to fill the plate where I don't have any mashed potatoes.