Remanufactured Engine Virgin Start-Up

[Antelope]

Hi guys,
I installed a remanufactured engine and I'm ready to fire it up. Is there any good lessons learned or things I should double check before I turn the key. Should I use starting fluid or should I fire it up under it's own natural aspiration. EtC, Etc....
TIA

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Never use starting fluid. I would recomend driving the oil pump with a driver on a drill. then put distributor back in. However if engine was assembled with assembly lube this is not really neccessary anyhow, unless it has sat for a long period of time. If it has sat, at the very least I would squirt some light motor oil in each cylinder, to prevent a dry start on the Cylinders at least. Good luck ;)

[Don S]

To me this is the most critical thing for long engine life. PRIME the OIL first...not the carb......Some folks pull the dist. and run oil pump with a drill.....At least pull coil-wire and crank for alittl pressure ....see what the other guys have to offer.. :cool: ........... ;) ...ds..

[Gladi8r]

I have taken a spade type drill bit and ground it down smooth(removed the points) and installed it into an extension. Pull the Distributor and turn the oil pump with the bit and drill. Make sure you do this enough to allow for proper lubrication prior to startup. Then install the dist and pull the coil wire and crank it over a couple times to allow the motor to be thoroughly lubricated. Re-install coil wire and crank it up :D Your motor will thank you for your efforts!

p.s. even if the engine has been pre-lubed during assembly, that motor may have been sitting in a warehouse for months prior to you receiving it :eek:

[ February 27, 2002: Message edited by: Gladi8r ]</p>

[Marvin Gates]

The most important thing for the life of the cam is after you have started the motor, set the idle up to between 1800 and 2000 rpms and don't rev it up and don't let it idle, just let it run continuosly at that rpm for at least 30 minutes "THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT" after that change the oil, run it 500 miles and change the oil again and after that "HAPPY MOTORING" :D :D :D
M.G.

[ February 27, 2002: Message edited by: Marvin Gates ]

[ February 27, 2002: Message edited by: Marvin Gates ]</p>

[joe]

All of the above will work fine but I would also re-torque the heads and manifolds after 500 miles.

[oldyellowwagoneer]

First off, do NOT crank a fresh engine over untill you have pressure.You need to prime it first.Second, you need to get it to start immediately after cranking to maintain that vital oil supply by static timing the engine, and priming the carburetor. To static time you need to get the engine on TDC #1 fire and line up the timing mark where you want the timing set (ie:10 degrees ).Now prime the engine with a screwdriver or priming tool.Before you install the distributor put a gob of white grease on the distributor drive gear(very important),and line up the rotor so its pointing where # 1 is supposed to be. Make sure that its seated all the way down onto the oil pump shaft. DO NOT TURN THE ENGINE TO DO SO!! Next install your distributor cap and wires leaving the #1 plug off.Hook this wire to an old spark plug and ground it on the engine(I use vice-grips) so you can see the electrode while holding the distributor cap.Turn on the ignition,and quickly twist the distributor back and forth watching for a spark at the plug.Narrow the swings down till you get the exact point of fire.Shut off the ignition and lock the distributor down.Timing is now set very close to spec and will be fine for the cam break-in.Befor you start the engine prime the carb by filling the float bowl through the vent pipes with gas. I use a turky baster.pump the gas a couple three times and start 'er up.This is the best way I've seen to do this and it works every time on any engine.DENNIS

[64Trvlr]

The only thing I can add is to make sure the battery is fully charged so you get a smooth clean start.
:cool:

[Marvin Gates]

I wonder if he fired it off yet?

[billyrb]

ALright, gotta ask....priming the oil pump through the distributor hole with a drill & bit? Anyone care to explain this a little further?

~ryan

[J20 project]

Billy, That is prelubing the engine throughout. By running the oil pump this way you set the engine up just like a motor in use which has just been shut off. Right now all of your oil passages are empty, none of the lifters have oil on them and most importantly your main bearings and pistons are dry. With a decent size drill you can build 50-60lbs oil pressure. I like scoutgrl's method, looks pretty complete and most importantly had the timing set up well and you won't be cranking a dry engine forever. With minor differences this is how I started my new 401 about two months ago and it was running within about 10 revolutions w/ great oil pressure right off the bat. J20

[redneckd out]

You posted:

"ALright, gotta ask....priming the oil pump through the distributor hole with a drill & bit? Anyone care to explain this a little further?
~ryan"

I made a special tool for this when we were building Blake's engine...it's a long, big flat tip screwdriver with handle ground off. You stick it into the hole in oil pump cover where distributor goes. Look down there, and you'll see a slotted shaft that the distributor turns off the camshaft. That shaft is what drives your oil pump. So when you turn the shaft by itself, it pumps oil through the entire entine, without having to crank your engine and without trashing your precious bearings, seals, lifters, etc, etc.

CR

[billyrb]

I believe I'll be borrowing that tool soon, CR.....

~ryan

[Banks]

CR,one more trick.I have the same screwdriver with no handle,but if you slide a piece of 3/8" fuel hose over it and leave a little overhang it'll slip over the oil pump shaft and it keeps the screwdriver tip from jumping off the shaft. :D Marc :cool:

[Crazy_Jeepman]

I have a old Distributor I removed the drive gear from, it works great. No worries about running off the pump shaft or trying to hold the drill steady. ;)

[Bob Barry]

I made a little more sophisticated tool, since the screwdiver trick caused the tangs on my oil-pump shaft to splay. I bought some 1/2" steel rod at ACE hardware, and a 1/2"i.d. copper pipe coupler, then ground the tip of the rod to mate securely with the oil-pump driveshaft, and used the coupler as a collar to positively locate it on the driveshaft. I then ground three flats on the other end of the rod to lock it securely in the drill chuck jaws. In a 1/2" drill, I had oil shooting out the pushrods in no time. Cost about $4 in materials, but there's no danger of damage to the oil-pump shaft.

It's also a good idea to rotate the engine by hand a bit at a time as you do this to expose all the oil galleys and passages.

[WINGO]

Can you prelube an engine just by removing the spark coil wire and just running the engine with the starter for 60 seconds?

[Crazy_Jeepman]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Can you prelube an engine just by removing the spark coil wire and just running the engine with the starter for 60 seconds?<hr></blockquote>
This would not be considered a prelube. The motor still turns over and is still subject to metal to metal contact. The true Prelube is to spin the pump as mentioned, or buy a high $$$$ prelube unit. ;)

[Lugnut]

Possibly not as effective but close is pulling all the spark plugs, and the coil wire of course, spinning the engine with the starter which is not causing a compression load on the components and it's also spinning the engine fast enough to where you can actually see the oil pressure guage start to move up. You probably only have to run the starter 15-20 seconds and it doesn't really hurt the starter to do this in a no-load situation. I've used this method a few times and I've never had a problem. I just didn't have one of them screwdriver thingys. I might have done it that way if I had.

[Rogue]

i do it the same way as LUGNUT, been doing it professionally this way for 10 years - WHY? not all oil pumps can be externally driven so this method is the next best thing. Jeff