How Much Force To Prime Oil Pump?

I have the motor (SBF) in the frame on my 32 and I am getting ready to start it. Tonight I went to prime the oil pump and at first it turned really easy and smooth but then took some real force. It is giving oil pressure to the gauge but it is smoking my little drill.

Is this normal for it to take that much effort or is something wrong?

Thanks!

 

nope, sounds about right. My Dewalt 3/8" drill will start smoking after about 30 seconds of priming my 383. See if you can get a harder-core drill to prime the pump. or do it in spurts. It's good that you have oil pressure, now you want to flow enough oil to lubricate the lifters and valvetrain. Oddly enough a speed-wrench works well for me too

 

when you pirme the pump you should turn the engine 90% and prime some more,then another 90% etc.etc. to make sure you get oil going through all the p***ages.

 

Thanks a lot! This was a little nerve racking until I took apart an old pump and realize that there is not much that can go wrong.

I think I am about ready to fire this thing. I little more wiring and then a test fire.

 

you drill must be a piece of ****, it should turn it and build pressure.....but when it got hard to turn, is when it started to build pressure, make sure your gage goes up!

 

You are correct. I am using a little POS one. My good one is in my 5th wheel at storage. Oh well. It worked... built up 60 - 70 lbs of pressure each time.

 

I've used a 3/8" drive speed wrench on a couple of Fords.
Not as hard as it sounds, doesn't take long.

A 1/2" drill on a couple of 455 Buicks, even better.

Rotate the engine by hand so you get pressure to all the lifters.
If the engine sits in one place, some of the lifter oil holes are masked.

Just pump up pressure, stop, turn engine, pump up pressure.
Repeat until oil flows from all rockers.

It helps to adapt a mechanical oil pressure gauge to the engine so you can see it while you build oil pressure.

 

if it turns easy you are probable spinning it in the wrong rotation

 

Take an old dist. and weld a big nut on the top. Remove the cam driven gears and turn it with a 3/8 drive air ratchet.

 

I turn the pump with a drill with one hand while turning the engine over with a brakeover and socket on the harmonic ballancer with the other hand. It helps to leave the sparkplugs out. I have a milwalkee 1/4" drill i use and it loads it up pretty good.

 

Once I put the oil pressure relief piston in backwards. Just about broke my arm with my 1/2" Milwaukee HD drill. It did break the SBC oil filter mount !!!!

 

And if you can't get pressure at first, rotate the engine and she'll eventually pick up if everything is right. I made a primer for Chevy out of an old point housing and stuck a 3/8 stub out of the rotor stem. Then took a piece of stiff hose and clamped it on and then another stub on the other end to attach drill to. That gives you a flex fitting if your drill will not go straight down cause of the firewall or something. Gas hose will wrap up if you don't creep up on the power slowly.

 

The speed handle or even a ratchet will do the job just fine...surprisingly little speed is needed. And do turn the engine several times...I believe valve train oiling is metered by lifter and rocker position like on a SBC.

 

OUCH- I believe all 1/2 inch drills are evil and lookin for a chance to kill.

 

I always used an 1/2 inch drill. Once you start picking up oil its a strain. Think about how much work the rod has to deliver.

 

That's it. Now, have someone rotate the motor while priming it to get oil everywhere