Engine: Flat six oil pump priming

[wdills]

We have been putting all the "bolt on stuff" onto the new engine for Dad's 50 Champion. While fiddling with the oil pump last night, it suddenly dawned on me that I can't prime this oil pump with a drill the way I did my V8. Yea, I'm a little slow. So I did a little research today and came up with this thing.



Is a device like this the accepted "best method" for priming the oil system in one of these engines, or does someone know a better method or mouse trap to use?

[FleetMaster68]

Am i correct the device is essentially a vessel to fill with oil, use a screw fitting to connect to oil gallery, add air hose to vessel, pressurize, open valve to allow oil from vessel to fill the gallery and hopefully reach most bearings etc? Would you fill and repeat until oil pan capacity met or just one vessel charge? Rotate assembly , maybe partially, between vessel fills? Trying to educate myself on what i believe is planned to happen.

[unclemiltie]

I generally remove the line coming out of the top of the pump going to the oil filter and prime thru there. If you do not have an oil filter than there should be a plug there I use a pump oil can with a long flexible snout.

[Dwain G.]

That tool should be able to push oil throughout the engine and even move the oil pressure gauge.
I wouldn't try to take it on an airplane though.

[jackb]

pack the oil pump with vaseline

[nvonada]

pack the oil pump with vaseline

Are you trying to prime the pump or prelube the engine? Vaseline is the way to go for priming the pump.

[wdills]

Both. I want the pump primed and all the engine passages full of oil before I fire the engine for the first time.

[RadioRoy]

If you pack the pump with Vaseline, fill the oil pan, leave out the spark plugs, and rotate the engine with the starter for a few minutes, will that do the job?

[jclary]

Just don't become stymied by over thinking the task. Fortunately, on the six cylinder engines, the oil pump is external on the engine. It is also oriented so that once primed, a portion of oil remains in the pump. Another thing about the design, oil pumps are theoretically positive displacement gear pumps. Tolerances are so close, that there is very little "slip" by the impellers(gears/vanes) and therefore, what ever the fluid capacity, once primed, each rotation dispenses an equal volume of oil.

If, during the build process, the engine components were coated with an appropriate lubricant, simply loading the pump cavity with oil (Vaseline) or whatever lube you like, rotating the engine will begin the process of sending oil through the engine. I have always patiently gravity fed oil into the pump from the small fitting on top.

[wdills]

Cranking the engine with the plugs out is the other option I am considering. I was just wondering what the accepted "best practice" is on a six cylinder.

It seems that like most tasks, everyone has their own way of doing it and each of those ways work. On a V8 the "best practice" seems to be commonly agreed on. Perhaps their is no agreed on "best practice" for this little six cylinder.