Oil Priming an engine before first run

[MaximumMini]

Chrysler 3.8L V6.

Subject engine has had head off, oil pan off and one rod and piston removed for over a month.

Before putting the motor back together, I want to clean it inside. I will probably use Kerosene or Diesel fuel just to help remove any contaminants that may have found their way into the engine (wind blown debris, bugs etc).

Problem is, this will also remove oil from the bearings and oil galleys. What I would "Like" to do is pressurize the oil system so that clean oil fills all the passage ways and the main and rod bearings etc before I even crank the motor over.

On this engine, the oil pump is driven by the crankshaft. Which means I would have to crank the engine over to get oil flowing, which defeats the purpose. Is there any trick known to pressurize the oil system before cranking? Could I for example force oil up the sump intake pipe or would the oil pump just block the oil? As a last resort, I "could" just pour oil over the cam galley so that oil gets all over everything below, and hopefully seeps into the bearings.

Any better ways to do this?

 

[Trav]

Rent an oil pressure primer. I am sure there are some you tube videos but basically you put your oil in the can and fill the sump from the oil pressure switch or oil galley plug.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/rental-tools/rental-tools-pressurized-primer/ren3/to02

 

[Jetronic]

fill the oil feed from the block to the head with oil before mounting the head

 

[ms21043]

I used a cheap garden sprayer from Home Depot on a 5.7 Hemi. Worked well, I cut the nozzle off and attached a fitting to the hose. Started with the engine empty and put 7 quarts into it through a port above the oil filter. I rotated the engine over by hand using a socket and ratchet on the crank bolt while the oiling system was pressurized with the sprayer.

 

[Gasbuggy]

Similar threads got me.

 

[Chris142]

Before I knew better I would use this stuff. It's basically a moly grease. Never lost an engine although I did prefill the filter.

 

[stevejones]

on GM vehicles, cranking the motor with the gas pedal to the floor puts it in "clear flood mode". Shuts off the injectors.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Pull the fuel pump fuse and crank it till you’re happy.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I'd probably pull the spark plugs and just crank on it until the oil pressure light goes out. That way compression isn't causing any load on dry bearings?

That's what I did on my 5.4L when I did a head gasket and my 4.6L when I did the timing chains and tensioners.

 

[Kurtatron]

On some cars, the crank pulley can be pulled out just enough that it drives the oil pump but clears the crank nose key. My 2.4 Toyota engine is like that. I pulled out the crank pulley and drove it with a drill attached to a crank pulley puller device. I watched the oil pump flow out of the oil filter housing. I reattached the oil filter and ran that drill for 10 seconds at full blast. It took many rotations to get the oil flowing. Doing this by hand is futile in my experience.

I expect running the starter would take much longer, since my drill was running the pulley at 1000rpms.

 

[flanso]

On my Ford FE 427, I used a distributor shaft, with no drive gear, to engage the oil pump drive rod down in the hole for the distributor. I spun the bare distributor shaft with a drill until oil appeared around the rocker arms.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

On my Ford FE 427, I used a distributor shaft, with no drive gear, to engage the oil pump drive rod down in the hole for the distributor. I spun the bare distributor shaft with a drill until oil appeared around the rocker arms.

Older engines with distributor driven oil pumps are nice like that. Chop off a screwdriver and put in a drill and run the oil pump for a bit.

Well, until your distributor gear strips and it stops driving the oil pump ...

 

[PontiacHO]

Chrysler 3.8L V6.

Subject engine has had head off, oil pan off and one rod and piston removed for over a month.

Before putting the motor back together, I want to clean it inside. I will probably use Kerosene or Diesel fuel just to help remove any contaminants that may have found their way into the engine (wind blown debris, bugs etc).

Problem is, this will also remove oil from the bearings and oil galleys. What I would "Like" to do is pressurize the oil system so that clean oil fills all the passage ways and the main and rod bearings etc before I even crank the motor over.

On this engine, the oil pump is driven by the crankshaft. Which means I would have to crank the engine over to get oil flowing, which defeats the purpose. Is there any trick known to pressurize the oil system before cranking? Could I for example force oil up the sump intake pipe or would the oil pump just block the oil? As a last resort, I "could" just pour oil over the cam galley so that oil gets all over everything below, and hopefully seeps into the bearings.

Any better ways to do this?

If all the bearings are used, it won’t hurt anything to go ahead and crank-run the engine. They’re run in anyway and it takes about 1 second to flood the bearings.

 

[Cujet]

The right way:

Purchase a plastic pump for gear oil. They are available for differentials and boat outboard engine lower units. WalMart, or any auto parts store. Even Harbor Freight. WalMart is prob cheapest at less than $10

They typically screw on to the top of a gear oil bottle and discharge the oil via a clear vinyl hose.

Use the pump in a quart of oil. Zip tie the plastic hose so it stays on. Hook the hose to the oil pressure sending port in the block via a hose barb. Typically 1/8th pipe thread and 1/4 inch hose barb (plastic or brass is OK) and pump in 1 quart of oil. The pump will make about 40PSI.

Note: The pump may not screw on to your quart of oil. It won't matter. Just hold it by hand. Do this just prior to startup. Pumping in an entire quart fills your oil filter, your oil pump and your bearings. If you really want to go nuts, pump in 2 quarts and turn the crankshaft by hand while doing so. This gets oil to the rod bearings very nicely.