Decided last week to fab up a pre-oiler to use on the first start-up on my C59A. Hoping to start it for the first time in a couple of weeks. Some background. Engine was rebuilt (short block) back in 2019 IIRC. I didn’t get around to doing the final assembly until 2023-2024. I used Permatex Ultra Slick engine assembly lube on stuff I assembled like oil pan pump and cam gear. Has 5 quarts of Lucas 5W-30 Hot Rod oil in the pan. Since it’s been sitting for so long, thought it would be a good idea to somehow pre-pressurize the internal passages. My understanding with flatheads this is impossible due to the distributor drive config (I put a helmet style on). So, the idea of a pre-oiler. Got this old air tank and modded it. Tank has crude/rust inside so added the Ford style remote oil filter. Now wondering does this make sense. Will the filter trap all the crude inside the tank?
Bought a small cheap ( forget $ ) pump to be driven by hand held drill. Good enough to attach rubber hose in oil pan, outlet into fitting for oil gauge. Let it run for couple minutes, oil everywhere. Easy Peesy & cheap
When I assemble an engine I make sure everything internal is well oiled, I typically don't use assembly lube. Before I fire the engine, I remove the spark plugs, dissable the ignition, and crank it over with the starter until I get good oil pressure. Then I put it back together and fire it off. It has always worked for me. I should mention that I don't assemble and engine and let it set for a long time before starting it up.
I posted the same thread on the barn. Got some good feedback as well. Seems that the stk Ford filter hsg/filter is not full-flow. So ordered a remote filter hsg. Will adapt it to the tank. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2384713#post2384713
Was the assembly lube a grease or a oil? Grease will still be where you put it, oil will be in the pan.
I have to ask. Why would you consider using something with known crud in it, filter or not, as part of your first start up? Seems like the potential to self sabotage.
Good question. Impulse decision/buy. Had more crud it in than I expected after I drilled out the casing to add some threaded bosses. Agree, not really the best idea (the bad & ugly). A filter will work down to the micron level, so should be no issues (I hope).
Ditch that oil tank! Don't sabotage your plan with contaminated components! Refer to @AmishMike 's post above. Good luck!
Plug the oil fill hole and roll it over to coat the insides, that would be a better option then using dirty pre-oiler.
A sbc chev oil pump with a plate & hose on the mounting flange, dipped in a bucket of oil, and spun by a 1/2" drill along with a remote start switch to crank the motor makes a good oiler.
I bought a Melling M-55 oil pump from O'Rielly's ($40.00) and bent metal brake lines and fittings from the pump to where the oil pressure fitting on the back of the is. I bought a gallon of engine oil and ran a clear plastic hose into the gallon of engine oil to the pump. I pumped the oil from the gallon jug throughout the engine with a cordless drill turning the pump. Search (starting an 8BA after 36 years) Pics included. Hope this helps.
X2 I made my flathead pre-oiler from an old aluminum fire extinguisher tank that holds about 3 quarts of oil. Replaced the original top fitting with a custom made, easily removeable, TEE that positions a 1/2" pickup tube close to the bottom that's coupled to a ball valve with a -8 JIC/AN fitting on top for a hose connection to the engine block. Then I ported a Schrader valve into the TEE to charge the unit with air pressure above the oil. The aluminum housing is easy to clean out and the oil can also plumbed through a filter if desired.
After some reflection, I’ll follow the advice, and start fresh with a clean “pressure tank”. Thinking of this.
I did a full build on my flatty then pondered the same thing ,,saw a fella online somewhere do this and it worked for me , went to home depot , bought 20 buck pump up garden sprayer, whacked up the hose and screwed it onto the oil pressure fitting on the block , threw a couple quarts in it and pumped the crap out of it , then waited 20-50 took a few minutes to all get in there but it did the trick , had plenty of lucas assembly lube on everything , and plenty of cam paste on the cam lifters and valve tips , VH-1 high zinc and a bottle of lucas break in lube , so my only real reason for priming was to fill the oil pump and get the air out of the galleys for the inital hit so oil pressure would come faster , and spun it on no plugs first before firing and made like 50 psi on the starter! , worked like a champ was uncomplicated and cheap !! fabricator john miss you dad
So, picked this thing up yesterday for CAN$25 thinking easy peasy. Been to a couple places and cannot find the correct fitting to attach to the end of the wand. Really don’t want to cut the tube. Nothing I touch is just plug and play…
No issues IF you have a filter with no bypass. If the filter has a bypass and you pump enough crud into the filter, or excess flow into it the bypass might open and then your cruddy oil is going directly into the engine.
I'd also like to suggest that people check out these carbide hole saws on Amazon. Look under Hole Saw Kit........... They have a lot of sizes and cut much better than typical hole saws. Much rounder and very useful for fabbing the kind of stuff we fab..........like a pre lube. I think its one of the better choices I have made and think they will be very useful in our hobby. No, I don't have any affiliation or stock in the company. Bout $125
My Makita cordless drill died this morning, so back into town as today is the last day for a sales promotion at the local fastener place. Found a fitting (female nut) that fit the threads. Says it was for an airbrake system. Decided to get some brass NPT fittings with a hose barb. Will cut tube if I use this setup and use the brass nipple. Will also look further into using the other setup with tank. I’m a little confused since IIRC someone stated that the Ford filter was not full-flow. Not exactly sure what that means. I always thought it was the internal factory oil passages that led it to being not a full-flow system. Got my hands full with my DD and other OT project right now.
So, for $hit$ and giggles, I added about a quart of fresh Mobil 1 5W-30 syn to the HomeDepot sprayer. Was about 60F outside. Pumped it up to about as far as I dared thinking the handle would bend/twist if I continued. Seemed the pressure relief valve was far from popping. Removed the nozzle from the tip of the wand. Oil just squirted out about 3” - 4”. Could hold back the flow no problem with my index finger blocking the opening at the end of the wand. I have no experience priming a freshly built engine, but seems to me that this would have a hard time forcing oil throughout all the passages.
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