Prime Engine Question

[Franko]

I am going to prime my 340 before I start it. I don't want to take my original valve covers off because I painted the engine with them on and I used RTV on the gaskets because the valve cover rails on the heads were not perfectly level.

I think that each head receives oil in only 1 position of crank rotation. Is there any way I can be sure the valve train receives oil during priming?

Thanks

 

[Bad Sport]

Yes, as you are priming have someone turn it over by hand via a socket on the balancer bolt.

Pulling the plugs will make it easier to turn.

 

[Locomotion]

I can't see how you can be sure if oil is getting to both sides without removing the valve covers, unless they don't have baffles and you can shine a flashlight into the breather holes or oil cap hole. The main reason one and/or the other side wouldn't get oiled is if the cam bearing holes are not aligned properly. As for the gasket seal, chances are that the valve covers aren't "flat" as opposed to the valve cover rails on the heads.

I always prime with a shaft in the distributor hole and a gauge hooked up right there. I do it several times while rotating the engine 45*-90* each time hoping to line them up at some point. Ideally, it would be best to have someone rotate the engine while you prime it with a drill.

Once it's all assembled and distributor set, you can prime it one more time by removing the spark plugs and spinning the engine over without a load.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Yeah prime it without the valve covers.

 

[MopaR&D]

I can't see how you can be sure if oil is getting to both sides without removing the valve covers, unless they don't have baffles and you can shine a flashlight into the breather holes or oil cap hole. The main reason one and/or the other side wouldn't get oiled is if the cam bearing holes are not aligned properly. As for the gasket seal, chances are that the valve covers aren't "flat" as opposed to the valve cover rails on the heads.

I always prime with a shaft in the distributor hole and a gauge hooked up right there. I do it several times while rotating the engine 45*-90* each time hoping to line them up at some point. Ideally, it would be best to have someone rotate the engine while you prime it with a drill.

Once it's all assembled and distributor set, you can prime it one more time by removing the spark plugs and spinning the engine over without a load.

Wouldn't this be a bad idea on an engine with a fresh flat-tappet cam as it would wipe all the assembly lube off the lobes and lifter faces? Lots of 'experts' say the engine needs to fire up immediately with as little cranking as possible so the assembly lube that inevitably wipes down gets replaced by the oil slung from the crank.

To the OP I always recommend cast aluminum valve covers because they don't warp at the bolt holes like the flimsy stamped stock covers (which I personally hate). Those need to have the bolt hole areas flattened as much as possible and those small flat washer-type things (forget the name) to spread the clamping load over a wider area to keep it from warping the mating surface again and causing leaks.

 

[mderoy340]

If you use the crane cams lube (Thick paste) it does not run off with priming. On old OEM covers you can look through the oil fill cap on one cover to check for rocker oil. The other side will need to come off to be sure your getting lube.
I always use fel pro cork gaskets. Contact cement gasket to valve cover. Vaseline on cork to head to prevent sticking and they don't leak. If you don't over torque them you can remove and reinstall several times.

 

[diymirage]

I always prime with a shaft in the distributor hole and a gauge hooked up right there. I do it several times while rotating the engine 45*-90* each time hoping to line them up at some point. Ideally, it would be best to have someone rotate the engine while you prime it with a drill.

Once it's all assembled and distributor set, you can prime it one more time by removing the spark plugs and spinning the engine over without a load.

what type of pressure should you be seeing ?
I primed my junkyard 360 the otherday and got about 72 pounds on the gauge with a battery powered drill


and do you have any tips for setting the timing without a light?

 

[MopaR&D]

what type of pressure should you be seeing ?
I primed my junkyard 360 the otherday and got about 72 pounds on the gauge with a battery powered drill


and do you have any tips for setting the timing without a light?

That sounds good, most handheld power drills run around 3000 RPM max which when you consider the 1/2 ratio from cam to crank you are "simulating" the engine running at 6000 RPM. It's also a bit helpful to see how the oil pressure holds at lower speeds so you know it'll be good when the engine is brought back down to idle.

If you mean setting timing before the engine is started... you basically rotate the engine to say 10* before TDC on the compression stroke going off the timing marks, then drop in the distributor and set it up so the rotor is lined up with the #1 cylinder on the cap contacts. Make a mark with a sharpie or whatever on the distributor base lined up with the #1 cylinder contact with the cap attached, this makes it easy to see exactly where the rotor needs to point when the cap is taken off since you can't see the rotor when the cap is on #-o

 

[Rapid Robert]

turn the dampener to 90 deg before TDC #1 compression (your dampener may have 3 partial slits at 90 deg intervals in addition to the TDC full slit) & if not cut a strip of paper 5.694" to use as a ruler & preoil the pass side then turn the dampener to 20 ATDC #6 compression & preoil the drivers side (use the timing tab as a ruler to get the extra 5 deg to reach 20 deg). To confirm you are oiling you might hear the squishing of the oil or pull the drill/hex rod & stick an inspection mirror in the dist hole and a penlight to confirm oil coming down the block valley wall slope(2). Then turn the dampener to 15 BTDC #1 compression & install the dist with the can on the pass side with room to be turned and line up the magnet dead even with the nearest tooth with the rotor located forward & slightly to the pass side & I highly recommend to clock the intergear (ahead of time) WHEREVER it needs to be so at 15 BTDC #1 compression the rotor is facing forward and slightly to the pass side & plug in the #1 plug wire there then route the rest of em on around clockwise. confirm that the rotor is under or nearly under the #1 cap terminal & note that vac adv (after breakin) when running will shift rotor phasing CCW on a SB. A 7 deg can will shift it 7 deg around the circumference at full vac. Make a magic marker mark on the dampener 2&7/32" clockwise from the TDC slit & have your dist man turn the dist to that when it fires for the cam breakin. (vac adv capped). Read "breakin secrets" at www.mototuneusa.com Borrow/rent a light and DO NOT crank the eng to preoil (this is a new cam breakin)

 

[j par]

I was worried about rotating the motor too much adjusting the rockers before initial startup and talk to Ken at oregon cam grinding and he confirmed that the break in lube impregnates the metal so I was not too worry

 

[diymirage]

That sounds good, most handheld power drills run around 3000 RPM max which when you consider the 1/2 ratio from cam to crank you are "simulating" the engine running at 6000 RPM. It's also a bit helpful to see how the oil pressure holds at lower speeds so you know it'll be good when the engine is brought back down to idle.

thanks, this is some good info
after getting the drill full bore I ran her as slow as possible without stalling her and I still had 32 so I feel confident it will idle nicely