Thread: Priming oil taking a long time?

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I have a 555 merlin block that has been sitting without oil for a while so I tried priming it and it took a good 15 minutes for it to pump up to the left side of the valve train (using a 1/2 inch good drill). The right side is still dry, is this common? I have 20/50 in it and the gauge is showing pressure now. Is it OK to start without oil coming up the right side valve train yet?
thanks
Scott

dist run thru the pass side oil gally so you need more them just a shaft is for getting prime that along time

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

dist run thru the pass side oil gally so you need more them just a shaft is for getting prime that along time

you been drinking pat ?

From my engine machine shop earlier today, spin the pump and rotate the crank manually to ensure all oil passages are open, and continue until you see oil through all pushrods, maybe 1/2 hour or more. Once oil pressure is good and you see oil through all pushrods you are good to go for starting, but not before.

Originally Posted by HOSS429

you been drinking pat ?

the dist run thru the back of the oil gally pass side or left side i your looking at the front of the engine so just a primer with out any thing to block to big hole you not going to get any oil now is that better for you

I think that Pat is saying that the distributor housing runs thru the passenger oil galley....meaning that without the distributor housing to plug the galley, you can pump all night and may not see any oil on that side.

Such is why a priming tool for many engines is more than just a shaft. Many make a priming tool out of an old distributor....take off the drive gear, strip the weights off the top and make the top of the shaft semi round so the drill chuck will clamp on it. Rotate the engine slowly while priming to open all passages to the oil flow.

Mike in Tucson

Originally Posted by robot

I think that Pat is saying that the distributor housing runs thru the passenger oil galley....meaning that without the distributor housing to plug the galley, you can pump all night and may not see any oil on that side.

Such is why a priming tool for many engines is more than just a shaft. Many make a priming tool out of an old distributor....take off the drive gear, strip the weights off the top and make the top of the shaft semi round so the drill chuck will clamp on it. Rotate the engine slowly while priming to open all passages to the oil flow.

Mike in Tucson

Thanks mike i am not drinking and i build and machine engines for a liven not try to help you guys so spelling is not were i make my liven... not to spell out every thing

I have always rotated the crankshaft about a half a turn and it will prime the remaining pushrods.

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

Thanks mike i am not drinking and i build and machine engines for a liven not try to help you guys so spelling is not were i make my liven... not to spell out every thing

Hey Pat, glad you edited out the part about not posting here any more. I am on this site to learn, and it would be a real shame to lose someone with your knowledge and willingness to share. I'm not particularly a BBC guy, but I still read every post you make and it is well worth reading around a few spelling errors to get at what you are saying. Knowledge takes many forms, spelling is certainly not the most important. You just keep sharing.....we'll figure out what you mean.

Here's an example of the tool you need to close off the oil galley so you can get oil to the passenger side rockers when priming. It has never taken me more than 30 seconds to get oil pressure with a tool like this one and a 3/8" drill motor. You can have a friend turn the crank slowly by hand while you prime if you want to.
http://paceperformance.com/index.asp...D&ProdID=25140

purdy fancy deal, Richard!!! Mine's just an old distributor with the teeth ground off the cam gear and a bolt welded on where the rotor should be!!!!!

Whatcha expect from a cheapskate old Norwegian, anyway??????

This forum is for car lovers not Rhodes Scholars. We all make grammatical and punctuation errors. Part of being a good member is to overlook another members little mistakes and to be smart enough to read between the lines and dig out what that member was saying.

While I respect so many people on here who know a hell of a lot more than me, Pat is right up at the top of that list, and I thank him for the information he has so freely given for so long to each and every one of us.

Don

It took me at least 15 minutes including rotating the crank and using a priming tool similar to what Tech showed on a SB Ford crate roller motor with a just few add ons.

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

This forum is for car lovers not Rhodes Scholars.

Don

Yeah, I don't like them Rhodes lifters either, much prefer rollers!!!!

I'd have Pat do all my engine work except for one thing---he always expects to be paid for it!!!! If that quality was free, you'd sure stay really busy, Pat!!!!

Thanks for the reply's I was using just a shaft style primer but I did buy one of those fancier ones so I will try that tonight. The knowledge on this site is great, thanks again.
Scott