JB_97ws6TA

iTrader: (6)

Is it absolutely necessary to retorque heads after heat cycle with new head gaskets?? How long does it really take to prime oil pump enough to get oil to the top end and I was spinning the oil pump driveshaft counter clockwise, am I going the right way?? I am almost done with the engine build, but have a few last minute questions...this is the first time tearing down an lt1 forgive me

SoxXpupPeT

iTrader: (34)

some people i believe shut of the fuel and crank the engine over till they get pressure. which is usually enough

i could be wrong but i think you were spinning it backwards :x

http://www.boxwrench.net/specs/chevy_sb.htm

Lonnies Performance

iTrader: (16)

I'm sort of torn between priming a little vs. waiting until you have oil at the pushrods. The reason being, is you assemble a motor with assembly lube to lubricate everything on startup, but you then prelube for a long time until oil comes out the pushrods. By this time the oil has pushed all your assembly lube in to the pan.

I also do not like to crank the motor excessively as you are effectively wiping the lube off bearings etc as you crank it.

I've been lubing bearings with a thick Royal Purple asembly lube, soaking the timing chain, rockers & lifters in oil, then pumping them until full. I then use assembly lube on the pushrods & rocker tips.

I fill up the engine w/ oil by pouring it over the valve springs & lifters. I also add a bottle of GM EOS. I also fill the oil filter with oil before installing it.

I then prelube the oil system just until I see the oil pressure come up. At this time, the oil filter is completely full & you have oil at the bearings. Now when you start the car, you will have oil pressure in just a few revolutions.

If you have ever changed your oil & then started the car with an empty filter, you know how long it takes to fill the filter. Filling the filter first & you will see the pressure come up almost instantaneously when the car starts without first having to crank it excessively.

This is how I now do all my motors.


As far as retorque, unless it is a high HP forced induction or nitrous application, you are likely fine without a retorque. With a composite gasket, I've found that when you retorque, there will be a noticable difference in the position of the bolts after you retorque You can mark w/ a paint dot to compare the before & after positions.
Multi-layer gaskets do not seem to deform & lost torque as much.

Retorquing the lower bolts is nearly impossible without removing headers, but I've found the upper long bolts do seem to lose more torque than the lower ones. If you feel compelled, you can just torque these bolts under the covers. Most small blocks tend to blow gaskets between the cylinders or at the top anyway. So these uppers are the critical ones.

2XR95Z28

iTrader: (4)

So my motor is in the same stage as the OP with the heads on but not intake yet. So your saying to fill the motor with oil by pouring it in the lifter valley and over the valve springs, i got that. But when your talking about pre-lubing the oil system i'm confused on how your doing that. Could you explain that a little bit?

Thanks!

JB_97ws6TA

iTrader: (6)

By prelube I believe he is talking about priming the pump, i used on old small block distributor and a cordless drill, but I can't tell when I was getting oil pressure or if I was turning it the right way, I tried it both ways and I couldn't get oil to the top in either direction.

Lonnies Performance

iTrader: (16)

Put a gauge in the oil passage at the rear of the block where the intake sits.

Fill the filter & pour the remaining oil in the engine, then spin the oil pump shaft clockwise with a priming tool until you see some pressure.

2XR95Z28

iTrader: (4)

If i dont have a gauge can i just spin the pump a bunch to get some pressure up? Any way to tell when it's enough w/o a gauge? I just want to make sure i got everything pre oiled enought also....