Thread: priming with slow drill

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I took the valve covers off my chevy 402 bb last night and ran a priming shaft to make sure everything was working right. My drill goes up to 550rpm's, it's pretty powerful so I imagine it was around 450 while spinning the pump.
Either way, it took a long while (probably a minute and a half) for oil to make it's way up to the rockers. Eventually I got oil to all the rockers, but it wasn't coming out too fast.
I have hydraulic lifters and roller rockers by the way.
I'm just trying to get an idea if the oiling system is working correctly as I've never done that before?
Also, is the correct take-off for oil pressure right above the filter? I've heard that tap isn't the one to use.

I just plugged the tap above the filter, I guess I'll leave it plugged. I didn't even know there was another tap behind the distributer on the block.
Since I was turning the pump at close to 1000 engine rpm's, should it take almost 2 minutes for oil to get to the rockers? I didn't think it should have taken that long.
Also, I can wiggle my rockers side to side a little bit when they are on the cam base circle. They are rock solid once they start pushing the valve, but should they have that slack in them when they are at zero lift?
It makes sense that they should to allow for pump up and warm up, but some of them were real loose.
I've also heard mixed opinions of whether or not to adjust them with the lifters pumped up. Some say that if they are pumped they can act "solid," and that if you leave them dry they will spring to their relaxed state and allow for adjustment.

uh oh.
I followed a book on bb chevy's when I put the top half together because I had no prior knowledge. I used an oil squirter can and squirted it in the lifter side holes before dropping them down. then I tightened the rocker nut until the pushrod wouldn't spin anymore. The book said that after it wouldn't freely spin you should then put one full turn on the nut.
That's what I did.
Maybe mine are overadjusted.
It's tough for a new guy like me to find out how to do this kind of stuff because every time I start a new task I'll ask two or three different guys what the best way is. . . . and I always get two or three different answers.

hmmmm
I gave those suckers a full turn. Maybe I should re-do them after the engine has been sitting for a while to let them drain out. Then go through one at a time and start over with the adjusting nut.
I'd rather be a little underadjusted I guess. The cam in my engine is a little more than I'd like. It's a 255/255 @ .050.
Thanks guys.

not at all, but I got the engine from some guy with this cam already in it. I didn't want to just yank it out without even trying it.