Thread: First Fire Plans

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I'm thinking ahead to first fire of my engine (347 stroker, Edelbrock EFI) and realized that since my intake hangs over the distributor, my assembly order must be 1) set distributor, 2) install intake, 3) install and connect the wiring harness from the firewall ECU plug to the engine, and finally 4) apply power, check the ECU readouts and hit "Start". I do have an oil pump shaft to spin the pump with a drill, but once I spin it there will at least be a delay time to get things installed. I'm thinking that I need to spin the pump, and at the same time rotate the engine with a breaker bar to get the internals well coated with oil, then set it at #1 TDC compression. How long is this "drill prime" good, in your mind?

I never liked to turn a (flat tappet?) engine over any more that necessary before the first firing. I figure the assembly lube "sticks" better than oil, which might get washed away by over priming and rotating the assembly, especially the cam lube, that gets wiped off the lifter base. anyway... I just prime with a drill until presure is achieved, then fire at will. I've gone several days or more after pre lube, and before firing, without problems by doing it this way. JMO.

Russ

Originally Posted by lotsatoys

I never liked to turn a (flat tappet?) engine over any more that necessary before the first firing. I figure the assembly lube "sticks" better than oil, which might get washed away by over priming and rotating the assembly, especially the cam lube, that gets wiped off the lifter base. anyway... I just prime with a drill until presure is achieved, then fire at will. I've gone several days or more after pre lube, and before firing, without problems by doing it this way. JMO.

Russ

I should have mentioned mine is a roller cam, which takes away most (all?) of the cam break in concern.

Roger - hopefully you have either the SVT or ARP heavy duty oil pump drive shaft, first of all. Next, I hope the engine builder used a good moly based assembly lube to reduce chance of premature wear as well. I used at least a tube on the cam bearings - to the point I had trouble holding on to it

With a roller cam you have virtually no worry about wiping the lobes as they are steel vs a flat tappet cast iron or steel. In my case, I just primed the heck out of the engine with a primer shaft and using a variable speed drill that has 'balls' - recall that it is primed counter clockwise looking down. You will need to run that primer shaft for several minutes if the engine has never had the oil passages filled. Some say up to 30 minutes, but I do it with the valve covers off so I can see oil coming out of all the push rods. You might need to bar the engine over a couple times to obtain that oil. I then dropped the distributor back in and fired it up. Sounds like you might have a slight delay - I wouldn't worry about that. Oil - I just use the Motorcraft Semi Synthetic, 10W-30 with my 'E' roller cam and 1.7 Crane rockers. Mobil 1, Amsoil, Valvoline or similar are also good. I will NOT use Castrol - every Ford that I've tried it on will use 1 to 3 quarts between changes. The others - none. Other folks have good luck with it so I can't say it's bad oil

Russ/Dave,
Thanks for the responses. I do have a message in to my engine guy to see what he did in the way of assembly lube, and any specific instructions he likes to see, but with the holiday will not hear from him until probably Tuesday next week. My oil pump driver is a Summit model that is a 7/16" shaft stepped down to 1/4" at the top for the drill, and has a billet insert to fit into the block to keep it centered. Hopefully that will work OK. A Makita variable speed drill will spin it. I appreciate the CCW looking down pointer - keeps me from looking it up

I think I will get everything wired to the point that I am ready to fire, then pre-oil and do the finals on the engine which should let me fire it in an hour or two.

Yeah, what other Dave said... Just prime the heck out of it til the oil shows up in the top end...


Oh yeah, one of the engines from your engine builder is just flat kickin' butt up here locally in the 360 non-winged sprint car class... If he gave you that same kind of power, hope that chassis is built strong!!!!!!

Randy, I don't know if the knowledgeable engine guys on here like it or not, but I also like to run a bottle of something like Comp Cam break in lubricant from the start and for a couple of oil changes. I also have roller cam engines but I figure it is cheap insurance and lets the moving parts get used to one another.

Don

Rog,
Get yer self sum "Lucas engine break in additive"
Has a zinc additive in in.
1 pint runs around $12 (cheep protection)
Good luck with the fire-up
Don

I don't care how long you do this stuff, that first fire of a new engine still gets the jucies flowing doesn't it.

Russ

when priming the oil system always rotate the crank 90 degrees every 10=20= seconds.