CCATLETT1984
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There has always been some sort of mystique about what the best way to start up a new engine is.
I will give the run down on how I do it. I was taught this procedure many years ago by several old mechanics who had been in the racing business many many years.
Once the engine is fully assembled,or nearly so. (leave the valve covers off)
(and with a diesel also the injector lines)
Fill the crankcase with your favorite lube and install the filter.
If the engine has oil cooler provisions,connect the two lines together with a suitable jumper hose that can handle 100 PSI.
Install a manual pressure gauge on the engine at the normal sender location.
Now we are going to manually PRIME the engine.
I will detail the task for a 6.2/6.5 engine and others will just be obvious.
Scrounge up and old rear mount vacuum pump and tear it apart.
The pump can be tossed.
Remove the soft plug type thing in the top of the unit and then press the shaft out and down to free it from the accentric cam.
Once the shaft is free of the housing, wash the thing up in a suitable solvent.
Be careful not to lose the bearing needles in the housing as some times they can fall out.
Saw the top area that housed the cam unit off the thing and clean things up.
The shaft can be left long. (saw just above the top bearing)
You need to remove the teeth from the drive gear, I did it in the lathe but a grinder will work, just be sure to clean it up well so there is no crud left anywhere on the gear that might fall into the engine later.
Removing the teeth flush with the body of the gear assembly is all thats needed.
Now with this done you need to look at the housing where it plugs into the block.
The area that has the groove around it that permits oil to pass the gallery area has a small hole in it that was used to lube the pump drive.
Clean it well and plug it with a bit of JB weld or tap it and install a set screw.
This will stop oil under pressure from flowing out the top of the shaft area and making a BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG mess. ( ask me how I know this)
Reinstall the shaft into the housing and fit an appropriate hex nut onto the top of the shaft. Press the nut on (if you need to drill the nut a little do so
Place a brass washer on the shaft followed by a steel washer then press on the nut.
Leave about 1/32" slack so the shaft will not bind.
Be sure to grease the bearings well with some molly grease before you button it up because this is all it going to get.
Tack weld the nut to the shaft.
Poof you now have a perfect preoiler primer tool for your Little Diesel Rat motor.
Install the unit in the engine and clamp with the standard clamp and bolt.
Using an electric drill ( 3/8 or 1/2 inch medium speed) drive the oil pump .
Run the unit and check for oil leaks at the filter and cooler hose. Watch the gauge from time to time (should read about 50 PSI)
IMPORTANT
Do the priming process untill you have oil coming out of EVERY rocker arm lube hole.
Turning the engine with a bar every 2-3 minutes will help with expelling air as the lifters will be in different positions.
This is not a 30 second quicky.
I had to spend 30 minutes on my 94 6.5 before I had oil to the last lifter.
Once this is done and all the rockers have oil you can stand down and button up the rocker covers and finish things up.
I plug off the turbo line and prefill the turbo just before fireup as it will drain off anyway.
In doing this the engine is fully primed with oil and you dont need to worry about a dry rocker or any other parts not having oil during the initial start up.
Another plus is the fact that the engine is out on a stand and you can get at it easy.
Its easier on the starter too. All you need to do is prime the fuel system and spin the engine with the glow plugs out until you get fuel mist coming out the glow plug holes ( 15 -20 seconds usually)
Install the glow plugs and fire up normally.
I will give the run down on how I do it. I was taught this procedure many years ago by several old mechanics who had been in the racing business many many years.
Once the engine is fully assembled,or nearly so. (leave the valve covers off)
(and with a diesel also the injector lines)
Fill the crankcase with your favorite lube and install the filter.
If the engine has oil cooler provisions,connect the two lines together with a suitable jumper hose that can handle 100 PSI.
Install a manual pressure gauge on the engine at the normal sender location.
Now we are going to manually PRIME the engine.
I will detail the task for a 6.2/6.5 engine and others will just be obvious.
Scrounge up and old rear mount vacuum pump and tear it apart.
The pump can be tossed.
Remove the soft plug type thing in the top of the unit and then press the shaft out and down to free it from the accentric cam.
Once the shaft is free of the housing, wash the thing up in a suitable solvent.
Be careful not to lose the bearing needles in the housing as some times they can fall out.
Saw the top area that housed the cam unit off the thing and clean things up.
The shaft can be left long. (saw just above the top bearing)
You need to remove the teeth from the drive gear, I did it in the lathe but a grinder will work, just be sure to clean it up well so there is no crud left anywhere on the gear that might fall into the engine later.
Removing the teeth flush with the body of the gear assembly is all thats needed.
Now with this done you need to look at the housing where it plugs into the block.
The area that has the groove around it that permits oil to pass the gallery area has a small hole in it that was used to lube the pump drive.
Clean it well and plug it with a bit of JB weld or tap it and install a set screw.
This will stop oil under pressure from flowing out the top of the shaft area and making a BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG mess. ( ask me how I know this)
Reinstall the shaft into the housing and fit an appropriate hex nut onto the top of the shaft. Press the nut on (if you need to drill the nut a little do so
Place a brass washer on the shaft followed by a steel washer then press on the nut.
Leave about 1/32" slack so the shaft will not bind.
Be sure to grease the bearings well with some molly grease before you button it up because this is all it going to get.
Tack weld the nut to the shaft.
Poof you now have a perfect preoiler primer tool for your Little Diesel Rat motor.
Install the unit in the engine and clamp with the standard clamp and bolt.
Using an electric drill ( 3/8 or 1/2 inch medium speed) drive the oil pump .
Run the unit and check for oil leaks at the filter and cooler hose. Watch the gauge from time to time (should read about 50 PSI)
IMPORTANT
Do the priming process untill you have oil coming out of EVERY rocker arm lube hole.
Turning the engine with a bar every 2-3 minutes will help with expelling air as the lifters will be in different positions.
This is not a 30 second quicky.
I had to spend 30 minutes on my 94 6.5 before I had oil to the last lifter.
Once this is done and all the rockers have oil you can stand down and button up the rocker covers and finish things up.
I plug off the turbo line and prefill the turbo just before fireup as it will drain off anyway.
In doing this the engine is fully primed with oil and you dont need to worry about a dry rocker or any other parts not having oil during the initial start up.
Another plus is the fact that the engine is out on a stand and you can get at it easy.
Its easier on the starter too. All you need to do is prime the fuel system and spin the engine with the glow plugs out until you get fuel mist coming out the glow plug holes ( 15 -20 seconds usually)
Install the glow plugs and fire up normally.