What do Ya'll do to pre lube an LS before starting for the 1st time? It's "slightly" different then an old SBC. Do I pack the oil pump with petroleum jelly? I did use Lucas Assembly lube everywhere while assembling the engine but the old timer in me says it needs to see oil pressure at the rockers before I turn the key. Someone please educate me

 

I built one using a bucket and a sbc oil pump i got for like $15. Here is an article on how to do it
https://www.google.com/amp/www.hotrod.com/articles/ccrp-0906-budget-pressure-luber-build/amp/

 

Awesome Idea! I was thinking Oil pan to oil press sender port - this seems better Thanks

 

Thats what I used. Its easier to tap into the port at the back of the valley vs. the front of the drivers side. Less mess upon removal.

 

I built one using one of those stainless soda syrup kegs.
Fill it with oil, pressurize it to 40-50 lbs & rotate the crank. Watch for oil at the rockers.

 

Mine is a weed sprayer that you hand pump to pressurize !!

 

I bought a drill powered pump and some clear tubing to go over the oil filter housing threads. Clamp the tubing on oil filter threads, then to the drill pump, and the other end of clear tubing into the oil I'm pumping into the engine.

 

This is what I always do and works great. Make sure you used plenty of assembly lube on the cam, pushrod tips, and soaked the lifters and rocker arms in fresh oil, and put a dab of lube on all valve tips. Now make sure you have 4 quarts of oil in the oil pan and you filled the oil filter up with oil, then remove the oil pressure sensor and use a funnel and pour in a quart or so of oil, replace sensor.

Then I remove the oil port plug on the front drivers side of the the block at the bottom. Then I use a pump, any in-line hand pump with 1/2 hose nipples on both sides will work. Use a hose that fits tightly into the port and connect it onto the pump, take another hose and connect it onto the other end of the pump and place it into a quart jug of fresh oil that is placed higher than the oil port. Now the important part, "Pump like you never pumped before until it starts to squirt out around the tip that is placed in the hole", put the plug back in without letting the oil drain back out. This will fill up some of the oil pump and the passage back to the oil filter/barbell.

Then I disconnect the fuel injector plugs from all 8 injectors, as well as the two coil harness plugs, and turn the engine over for 30 seconds or so. Connect up the plugs for injectors and coils and start her up. I always get max oil pressure within 5-7 seconds after start up. If you don't see oil pressure after 15 seconds, don't continue to run engine.

My methods have worked well for me in the past, but if you want a simple sure fire way to prime the entire engine, Melling and others offer a Priming tank that connects to the oil port on the block. You connect it to an air compressor, fill with oil, and it will prime the entire engine. Melling's tank is around $215, but Sealed Power has one for around $100. We currently have Melling's Oil Primer tank at work and makes priming an engine very simple and quick, it can be done in 5 minutes. It will work with any engine that has a threaded oil port on the block.