New Engine Oil Priming

[cv2065]

What’s the consensus on oil priming a new engine? Is it better to pull the spark plugs and use the starter to turn the engine over or pull the distributor and spin the pump with a drill? Or does it matter?

[Ducky2009]

On all new engines, I removed the distributor and spun the oil pump. What lube did you use while building? How long of time between build and first start? All factors.... Time for the lube to run out of the bearings.

[Mike.Bray]

On all new engines, I removed the distributor and spun the oil pump. What lube did you use while building? How long of time between build and first start? All factors.... Time for the lube to run out of the bearings.

^^^What he said^^^

[gbranham]

Remove dizzy and valve covers, spin oil pump shaft counterclockwise with a drill, socket and extension until oil comes out the top of each rocker. You'll need a robust drill...I've smoked a few over the years. I also like to rotate the engine about a quarter turn a few times while priming, to ensure all bearing surfaces get lubed well. I crank engine by hand clockwise with a 15/16" socket and breaker bar on the harmonic damper bolt. Easier with plugs removed

[cv2065]

On all new engines, I removed the distributor and spun the oil pump. What lube did you use while building? How long of time between build and first start? All factors.... Time for the lube to run out of the bearings.

It’s been a little less than a year. It’s a Roush built engine so I’m thinking the assembly lube has probably run off a bit. Spinning of the oil pump through the distributor sounds to be the better way to go.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Did Roush run it? If so spin it on the starter; if not pull the distributor and valve covers and prime until you have good flow through the pushrods.

Jeff

[Papa]

My engine is from BluePrint and they ran it on a dyno before shipping it to me. Their instructions were to pull the coil wire and use the starter to circulate oil before starting the first time.

[cv2065]

Did Roush run it? If so spin it on the starter; if not pull the distributor and valve covers and prime until you have good flow through the pushrods.

Jeff

They did run it and provided the HP/TQ numbers.

[cv2065]

My engine is from BluePrint and they ran it on a dyno before shipping it to me. Their instructions were to pull the coil wire and use the starter to circulate oil before starting the first time.

I did the same Dave per BPs instructions. This one has sat a little longer so wasn’t sure which method to use.

[AC Bill]

They did run it and provided the HP/TQ numbers.

Well if they actually ran it, then there is no way there is any assembly lube left.

[Mike.Bray]

If you prime it with a drill, it's important that it rotates CCW for a SBF and you use an electric drill and not a cordless model. Do not ask me how I know these things

[Dgc333]

If you have a Coyote, LS or hemi the oil pump is driven by the crank. These require you to use a pressure oiler to prime the engine. For the hemi in my 33 I used a garden sprayer that was capable of generating 50 psi. Cut the spray nozzle off and put a fitting in the port above the oil filter and pumped oil through the engine until it came out on the rockers. There was another port that lead directly to the oil pump that allowed me to prime the pump.

[gbranham]

If you prime it with a drill, it's important that it rotates CCW for a SBF and you use an electric drill and not a cordless model. Do not ask me how I know these things

Can confirm...cordless drills=no bueno. Hah!

[rich grsc]

Just spin it with the starter, oil never completely drains out of the bearings

[Avalanche325]

If it has been run before, use the starter. If not, use a drill.

[CraigS]

For me the main concern is getting the timing right after you pull the dist. If an engine was dynoed, I use the starter because I'd rather keep the timing setting vs the 'it's in the ballpark' that you get trying to set it when reinstalling the dist.

[J R Jones]

I agree with Craig and will add that without combustion there is very little load on bearings. Without spark plugs, even less load.
The oil gallerys dead end at bearing surfaces and pump pressure must push against small clearances. Without rotation, distribution of oil on the bearing and journal surfaces is very limited. On the crankshaft mains the journal passages do not align with oil gallerys without rotation. If I have an engine apart (distributor out) it is conveient to drive oil into the static engine, I have used a 3/8 drive crank (speeder) handle. By hand one will experience the free flow of oil and when the gallerys are full it gets hard to crank because the oil is dead heading.
jim

[dbo_texas]

Going to tag in on this thread as I'm getting ready for first start in the very near future (hopefully). I have a different setup....Gen2 crate Coyote from 2019, never been started. It's been sitting for ~5 years. About 6 months ago (August '24) I pumped 5 quarts of oil into the engine via the pressure sender port with a garden sprayer, then topped it off with another 4.5 quarts through the oil cap. Given that its been almost 6 months since I did that, do I need to re-prime with oil or just fire it up? I don't want to do any damage to this new engine, but the fact that its been sitting so long make me a bit nervous. I've seen a lot of other threads just say to fire it up but I don't think most of those have been sitting this long. Supposedly using the garden sprayer to pump oil through the sender port gets the oil up into all the galleys. But just wondering if that's enough lube or if it needs to be redone since its been 6 months. So for those that say to prime it, what's the best way on a Coyote specifically? Drain some of the oil and re-do the garden sprayer method? Or is there a different/better way? I'm not super knowledgeable on the Coyote (or any other engine really) so any tips here would be appreciated.

[rich grsc]

Just FIRE it up, no need to KEEP trying to "prime" it.