Prior to instulation I use an old distributor shaft in my drill to spin the oil pump to pre lube every thing. If you have the motor i the car and no way to do this then take out all the spark plugs so the engine will spin over without much load on the pistons and bearings. This should do it for you
Then you can remove the gear and shaft and make you a pre oiling tool. I made just about every fixture to oil all of the old motors.
You need to Pack the Oil Pump with an Oil Soluable Light Grease ... You will spin that Prime tool for Hours & never get pressure if the Pump isnt Pre Primed.
This may sound obvious but make sure if you use a drill, it is going in the right direction. I have had people call me frustrated that it would prime just to find out they were spinning it backwards.
^^ what Desoto said, pumps on the Y's have to be packed due to its external design or it will NEVER pickup oil. Pull plate and pack with lite grease or moly and it'll pick right up....
I made a real useable pre-oiling tool a few years ago...I simply took a 12 foot length of 1/4" fuel injection hose (NAPA) had it fitted with 2 swivel ends with 1/8" male pipe thread. I then removed the oil sender from my 350 engine in my F100, attached the line from it to a tee between the oil sender port and the gauge on the engine I needed to pre oil. Filled crankcase, but left it 1 quart shy for oil displacement: Started the 'donor' engine in my truck, ran it for 30 seconds. Shut engine off, disconnect line, crank fresh engine, note oil pressure. I used this system to find oil leaks, worked so well I use it for priming now. It provides a 'self-bleeding' that displaces air trapped in the oil filter and pump.
I'm sure you are using a good oil with plenty of ZDDP. Correct? If this is a '54 239 are you using the correct dizzy for the cam? If you have the early "Large journal" cam you need a thirteen tooth dizzy gear if you have the later "small journal" cam you will need fourteen teeth. If you have replaced the early engine with the late you can not use your original dizzy. count the teeth before you start and save some headaches. early oil pumps also have a slot drive like a "scrub" and the later use a 1/4" hex. (M-41 early pump, M-42 later)
since we're on the subject of Y-blocks, I have a neighbor with a 57 Ford that has not been started in years. I offered to give him a hand. This pre-oiling is just what we needed to know. He could not remember and I just didn't know, were these 12v or 6v?
If it hasn't been started in years I would suggest cleaning the fuel tank REAL good before start, good chance you will stick a valve if you don't.
Pull the rocker covers and press down each valve with a hammer handle to make sure there are non sticking. Turn the engine on eturn to close the open ones. Pull the plugs to clean and check gap, put two squirts of oil in each cylinder to help the rings seal.
great info, was a running motor when we pulled and rebuilt, forgot about the oil pump deal, will do. Has been converted to 12 volts so that should help, Thanks!
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