How to Prime a Gen 3 6.4

[retroron]

So I'm talking with my engine guy who has built several late model non distributor engines. This is how he says he primes the engines. He modified an old style chevy oil pump so he can plumb it to the engine he is priming. He puts the oil pump into a bucket with 6 quarts of oil and powers up the pump with a drill motor. He says he watches the oil pressure on the gage to see pressure and fires the engine when all the oil has transferred to the oil pan. He says its never failed. Just food for thought. I'm about 3 months out before I fire mine 6.4, I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[Chuckbizkits]

Plumbs it where? Into the sensor port?

 

[retroron]

He said it didn't matter, but my guess is the lower hole adjacent to the oil filter (at least it is on my 6.4)

 

[Johnny Mac]

It sometimes takes several hand rotations of the crank, and 20 mins to get oil to the top end of both heads, and thats using a pressure tank. just making sure the pan fills is not the same as priming through the port connected through the oil pump, and strategically rotating the engine over to make sure every lifter/valve gets oil. And "it does matter" what oil port you pick. The top one fills straight to the pcv valve, and will blow it clean off at 60 psi.

The ls and the hemi have long oil pick ups. Its best to tank pressure prime, and then still crank the engine over several times w/o spark to ensure everything is lubed.

Just my opinion and procedure of course.

 

[retroron]

Johnny, Your comment is well made and received. My plan is to rotate the engine along with the bucket /oil pump pressure priming and to watch for oil pressure on the gage.

 

[retroron]

So, theoretically speaking, using an external oil pump along with rotating the engine would be similar to pressure priming don't you think? My engine was a factory line engine (gen 3 6.4) and came with oil in the pan, but since I had to change the pick up I'm leery of just cranking it and hoping for the best. I'd be interested in you opinion.

 

[Johnny Mac]

So, theoretically speaking, using an external oil pump along with rotating the engine would be similar to pressure priming don't you think? My engine was a factory line engine (gen 3 6.4) and came with oil in the pan, but since I had to change the pick up I'm leery of just cranking it and hoping for the best. I'd be interested in you opinion.

I would think any engine shop would have a pressure tank at their disposal, but i suppose cranking a SBC oil pump with a drill, in a bucket, and attaching it to the oil port would be the same thing. You'd be forcing oil into orifices of the engine, and coating the bearing surfaces. You don't have to hand crank the engine continuously while also running the drill. You just want to spin it several times so you get oil to all cam journals. remember the oil holes aren't lined up 100% of the time.

with the valve covers off, and running that "priming tool" you should (after probably 15-20 mins) be able to see oil flowing through all of the rocker arms. At that point, you're pretty much done.

As a final step, before starting it. Remove the SBC apparatus and re-plug the port. Then crank the engine over with the actual starter motor (and no spark plugs in it) for a few 20 second intervals to ensure the pickup tube is full. You're beyond good to go at that point.

 

[retroron]

Johnny, One (hopefully) last question/comment. Much has been said about turning the engine backwards to prime the engine, which I don't get. what's your take on this?

 

[Johnny Mac]

Johnny, One (hopefully) last question/comment. Much has been said about turning the engine backwards to prime the engine, which I don't get. what's your take on this?

thats a new one to me. I know the torque spec on the balancer bolt is 900000 Ft lbs...but i surely wouldn't be spinning it backwards against that. feel free to post wherever that came from. Maybe someone knows more than me.

 

[retroron]

I found that comment in the tread on how to prime a Gen III semi. It doesn't make any sense to me either.

 

[superfragl]

After I built my 5.7 I primed it with a home-made pressure tank. I used one port to prime the oil system (heads, cam, etc) and second port to fill the oil pump.