Thinking ahead of the game. I have used the prime tool for Chevys before, but is there any way to manually prime the engine oil system, in lieu of start up? My 22R has been sitting for a few years and would like to prime the whole oil system before any starvation damage can happen from it's first start up. I changed the oil and filter, but that was before I decided to do a full resto and pull the engine out.

The only other thing I can think of is to pour oil all over the valve train, spray some in the cylinders, then crank with plugs out. Not sure how far the oil pickup hangs below the rod ends. Plan to install the engine in a couple of weeks and want to make sure I can keep the system primed during the dead time. TIA

 

I just rebuilt my 22r and ran into this same thing. I went to lowes and got a drill operated water pump in the garden section, rigged a piece of water hose to the oil drum and the other end of the pumped i rigged a piece of 3/8 air hose i believe with a fitting in the oil sending unit port. It was a little crude but it worked pumped oil all the way up to the rocker arm tower after a little while.

 

[QUOTE=Lons81;51974436]Thinking ahead of the game. I have used the prime tool for Chevys before, but is there any way to manually prime the engine oil system, in lieu of start up? My 22R has been sitting for a few years and would like to prime the whole oil system before any starvation damage can happen from it's first start up. I changed the oil and filter, but that was before I decided to do a full resto and pull the engine out.

The only other thing I can think of is to pour oil all over the valve train, spray some in the cylinders, then crank with plugs out. Not sure how far the oil pickup hangs below the rod ends. Plan to install the engine in a couple of weeks and want to make sure I can keep the system primed during the dead time. TIA[/QUOTi

I done mine the same way, it will pick il very quickly. Of course. I'm sure you will get different opinions.

 

I used a new bug sprayer. Fill w some oil. Pump up the pressure. Had the line connected to a fitting where the pressure sending unit goes. Worked like a charm.

 

I used Mahle lube on my engine. Two days before I put it in the whole bottom end was lubed up and then the day of the install I used it on the valve train. Before I started my engine the first time I turned it over with the valve cover off and all the spark plugs out until the timing chain was coated in oil. After that I buttoned it up and started it. I then broke it in like I do motorcycle engines. So far only got 1k miles on it, but I have burned off no more than a quart of oil in that time.