Trying to prime LS1 before startup
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2007
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Trying to prime LS1 before startup I rebuilt an LS1 and am almost ready to start it. I drilled and tapped the fitting above the oil filter and screwed a guage into it and then cranked the engine. I have ZERO oil pressure. I then unscrewed the guage and hooked up a fluid transfer pump to the fitting. I pumped about 1/2 quart of oil through the engine. I then reconnected the guage and cranked the engine for a few more seconds. I still have ZERO oil pressure.
Does anyone know if this is normal or if I'm missing something? I assembled the engine meticulously using the factory service manual.
Also, how long is it safe to crank the engine for? I don't want to damage a bearing.
Thanks for any help that anyone can give me.
John
Does anyone know if this is normal or if I'm missing something? I assembled the engine meticulously using the factory service manual.
Also, how long is it safe to crank the engine for? I don't want to damage a bearing.
Thanks for any help that anyone can give me.
John
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 238
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How much oil do you have in the engine? I used the same method but pumped about 4 qts into the engine, turning it over by hand when it got a little hard to pump. However, There are two holes behind the cover plate. I drilled and tapped a piece of aluminum with the hole offset so oil could be pumped into one hole and then with the adapter turned around into the second hole. This pumps oil throughout the entire engine. Perhaps you just need a little more oil in the engine.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 334
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I'm used to priming Gen 1 SBC motors using a distibutor drive priming tool. There is no such option with the LSx motors. I was pretty generous pouring oil all over everything during assembly, and doused the valvetrain again just prior to initial start-up. Then, I cranked the motor pretty throughly with the coils and injectors disabled, although it never did build enough pressure to show on the gauge. However, oil pressure did come up immediately when I fired it up. And, I didn't get any of that dry start death rattle.
Don't forget its gotta suck up oil thru that long oil tube. During a cam swap, I cranked the motor for about 15 seconds til it build oil pressure, to make sure that the oil pump o ring wasn't pinched......
Anyone ever try pushing oil down through the oil sending unit hole? If you could get oil down and fill up the galleries first, that would go a long way to getting it primed. I am going to prime mine that way before spining it over with the plugs out.
Banned
Joined: Sep 2006
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Seems to me that Lucas Oil Stabilizer would make a good engine assembly oil. It adheres to metal parts well, and will stick to the surfaces its applied to until oil pressure builds up.
Its don't reccommend it for adding to regular oil due to its tendancy to foam up, but for assembling parts, its seems like it would work very well.
Its don't reccommend it for adding to regular oil due to its tendancy to foam up, but for assembling parts, its seems like it would work very well.
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Originally Posted by TransAminal
Seems to me that Lucas Oil Stabilizer would make a good engine assembly oil. It adheres to metal parts well, and will stick to the surfaces its applied to until oil pressure builds up.
Its don't reccommend it for adding to regular oil due to its tendancy to foam up, but for assembling parts, its seems like it would work very well.
Its don't reccommend it for adding to regular oil due to its tendancy to foam up, but for assembling parts, its seems like it would work very well.
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Brett Foote Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2007
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Originally Posted by RFERG43
How much oil do you have in the engine? I used the same method but pumped about 4 qts into the engine, turning it over by hand when it got a little hard to pump. However, There are two holes behind the cover plate. I drilled and tapped a piece of aluminum with the hole offset so oil could be pumped into one hole and then with the adapter turned around into the second hole. This pumps oil throughout the entire engine. Perhaps you just need a little more oil in the engine.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2007
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Originally Posted by RAACCR
I'm used to priming Gen 1 SBC motors using a distibutor drive priming tool. There is no such option with the LSx motors. I was pretty generous pouring oil all over everything during assembly, and doused the valvetrain again just prior to initial start-up. Then, I cranked the motor pretty throughly with the coils and injectors disabled, although it never did build enough pressure to show on the gauge. However, oil pressure did come up immediately when I fired it up. And, I didn't get any of that dry start death rattle.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2007
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Originally Posted by DONAIMIAN
Were you using a mechanical gauge or electrical gauge to read pressure.
I filled the oil pump up with the motor upside down, cranked it around by hand and it sucked some in, repeated a few times.
When I got the motor in it was the same, cranked it with no plugs and could never get it to read oil pressure. When I fired it up though oil pressure came up instantly. No strange noises or anything, got 600 miles on the motor now with no problems.
When I got the motor in it was the same, cranked it with no plugs and could never get it to read oil pressure. When I fired it up though oil pressure came up instantly. No strange noises or anything, got 600 miles on the motor now with no problems.
Originally Posted by slow67
Don't forget its gotta suck up oil thru that long oil tube. During a cam swap, I cranked the motor for about 15 seconds til it build oil pressure, to make sure that the oil pump o ring wasn't pinched......
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2006
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I just started my 5.3 for the first time since sitting for a year or so. I am reading the oil off the hole behind the intake manfiold. I took about 45s to a minute for the pressure to start pumping up, turning it over with no plugs.
It got me very wooried for a while, everything seems ok now though
It got me very wooried for a while, everything seems ok now though
i always dump 1/2 a quart down the oil sending unit hole, then crank it over without the plugs in or injectors plugged in, usually takes about 15 seconds. i had around 40psi cranking on the starter.
I had similar problems on my 5.3 on the engine stand. It would not prime for anything.
Oil down stock sender hole or into adaptor above oil filter won't make it back to the pump to lube it up. Oil filter has anti-drain back in it...won't let oil go backwards. I took out the plug at front drivers side of block and fed oil in that port.
Then I cranked it and oil pressure come up almost instantly.
Oil down stock sender hole or into adaptor above oil filter won't make it back to the pump to lube it up. Oil filter has anti-drain back in it...won't let oil go backwards. I took out the plug at front drivers side of block and fed oil in that port.
Then I cranked it and oil pressure come up almost instantly.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 334
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Originally Posted by 451stroker
That's comforting to know. I literally have no movement on my guage when I crank the motor. Is that how it was with yours?
Yup...couldn't get the stock gauge to register any pressure at all while cranking. I KNEW the o-ring was okay, because I installed the pump with the front cover plate removed to make sure everything went togather perfectly, but I was still nervous about not being able to build any pressure. I was pretty generous about pouring oil all over everything during assembly, and even gave the valvetrain an extra splash of oil after torquing down the rockers. I cranked it over 4 or 5 times for about 15 seconds each time...still no pressure
Then, I hooked everything back up and fired it...my eyes were glued to the gauge and I was listening carefully for any unusual sounds. The pressure came up immediately. I never heard any dry start death rattle either...that really shocked me the most, because I was at least expecting to hear the lifters clatter a little. So, everything must have been lubed pretty well. I guess it just doesn't crank fast enough to build any pressure, but it must have moved some oil throughout the system. Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2007
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Originally Posted by RAACCR
Yup...couldn't get the stock gauge to register any pressure at all while cranking. I KNEW the o-ring was okay, because I installed the pump with the front cover plate removed to make sure everything went togather perfectly, but I was still nervous about not being able to build any pressure. I was pretty generous about pouring oil all over everything during assembly, and even gave the valvetrain an extra splash of oil after torquing down the rockers. I cranked it over 4 or 5 times for about 15 seconds each time...still no pressure Then, I hooked everything back up and fired it...my eyes were glued to the gauge and I was listening carefully for any unusual sounds. The pressure came up immediately. I never heard any dry start death rattle either...that really shocked me the most, because I was at least expecting to hear the lifters clatter a little. So, everything must have been lubed pretty well. I guess it just doesn't crank fast enough to build any pressure, but it must have moved some oil throughout the system.
Then, I hooked everything back up and fired it...my eyes were glued to the gauge and I was listening carefully for any unusual sounds. The pressure came up immediately. I never heard any dry start death rattle either...that really shocked me the most, because I was at least expecting to hear the lifters clatter a little. So, everything must have been lubed pretty well. I guess it just doesn't crank fast enough to build any pressure, but it must have moved some oil throughout the system.Thanks.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 334
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Originally Posted by 451stroker
When you say "stock guage", do you mean the dashboard guage? I read on this forum somewhere that the factory dashboard guage is disabled while the engine is cranking. I have a mechanical guage screwed into the port above the filter and I get no reading.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Yes, I was refering to the stock one in the dashboard. If it is disabled while cranking, that explains alot...wish I had known that before and I wouldn't have been so nervous.
Originally Posted by 451stroker
I put 6 quarts in the oil pan and pumped in an additional 3 through the passage above the filter. I'm going to have to drain some out before I start it.