Does anyone have a SBC priming tool that I could borrow?

[enkeivette]

Don't know where the hell mine went, it's a pretty big tool to misplace. And my motor will be ready to fire tomorrow, don't want to pay $30 to Summit and wait till Monday.

[Vettezuki]

Don't know where the hell mine went, it's a pretty big tool to misplace. And my motor will be ready to fire tomorrow, don't want to pay $30 to Summit and wait till Monday.

Uh, what's a priming tool?

[enkeivette]

Primes the oil system before first fire. Only necessary on rebuilds or new builds.

If you run the motor for 5 seconds without oil on the bearings, you're very likely to spin a bearing.

[BRUTAL64]

Primes the oil system before first fire. Only necessary on rebuilds or new builds.

If you run the motor for 5 seconds without oil on the bearings, you're very likely to spin a bearing.

Don't panic. If you don't have the priming tool, there is another way. Did you fill up the oil filter? Make sure you do that.

Make sure the plugs are out of the engine and dizzy is in place. Spin the motor with the starter and it will oil prime the engine.

If this makes you nervous, then it may be possible to find you an oil primer.:drink:

Answers this before my lunch at 1:45.

[enkeivette]

If Glenn gives the A OK, then I'm cool with it. I was actually thinking about prefilling the oil filter last night. Hadn't thought about taking the spark plugs out though, bonne idea.

[enkeivette]

And I'm so lazy, if I did spin a rod bearing, I'd do it with the heads on. But I put so much f'n silicone on my oil pan, I don't know that it will ever come off again. :D

[BRUTAL64]

And I'm so lazy, if I did spin a rod bearing, I'd do it with the heads on. But I put so much f'n silicone on my oil pan, I don't know that it will ever come off again. :D

You have the engine together?? Right?. Heads and intake and rockers with valves adjusted close?

Just spin it with the starter in short spins of a few seconds each. Look for oil coming out the rockers. Once that shows up you are primed.:thumbs_up:

Watch the oil pressure gauge. It'll show pressure before oil comes out of the rockers.
I've always done it this way when I didn't have a priming tool.

[94cobra69ss396]

You can also use an old screwdriver. I took one of mine and drilled a hole in the top of the handle and then tapped it. Then I installed a bolt and bottomed it out. I just use my drill with a socket on the end and it's worked great.

[BRUTAL64]

You can also use an old screwdriver. I took one of mine and drilled a hole in the top of the handle and then tapped it. Then I installed a bolt and bottomed it out. I just use my drill with a socket on the end and it's worked great.

That works for some of oil passages in the SBC, but you need the dizzy bottom section to redirect oil to all oil passages.

[enkeivette]

It's ALIVE! It's ALIHI HI HI HIVE!!!

Autozone rents the tool with the bushing at the bottom, cost me all of nothing. Motor fired, no coolant leaks from the head that I can see, let it get to operating temp and the oil looks untainted. So I'm thinking success.

Need to put the blower on and exhaust on tomorrow. Fired it open headers today, sounded like Nascar.

[BRUTAL64]

It's ALIVE! It's ALIHI HI HI HIVE!!!

Autozone rents the tool with the bushing at the bottom, cost me all of nothing. Motor fired, no coolant leaks from the head that I can see, let it get to operating temp and the oil looks untainted. So I'm thinking success.

Need to put the blower on and exhaust on tomorrow. Fired it open headers today, sounded like Nascar.

Good to hear it. Keep us up-dated.:bigthumbsup:

[enkeivette]

Ran fine for twenty mins, then as I drove to get gas started leaking oil. Prob just out of the rocker covers. Pulled over to check it out, then, fired it back up and now the exhuast sounds funny. Too loud, too poppy. Checked timing, it's steady. Going to rent a compression guage today. The crankcase doesn't puff air, so I think the rings and pistons are ok...???