Cry for help! Anyone from the Central Coast, CA??

[413]

@saforwardlook There is a right way to do it, prime the oil pump. Everything else is wrong, and has potential to damage parts. Many engine start up articles in the past would say “No excessive cranking, make sure it is ready to start.”

My reply was short and to the point. All the details can and did come later. I’m trying to get this silly idea of cranking to get oil pressure OUT of your heads and these threads. It’s a foolish idea that doesn’t help anything. if priming the oil pump is too hard (daunting) then find another hobby. It takes 10 minutes.

@Isaiah Estrada is a go getter and he can do this. I’ve read his articles and he is more than capable of following instructions and not afraid of hard work! I commend his attitude and efforts on his 68.

You’ve spent at minimun $3500 if you have done most of it yourself, or $6-$8000 if you had a shop do it all to get this new engine in the car, don’t cut corners now.

This is a new engine with tight clearances and valve spring pressure on the cam lobes. You don’t want to start cranking it to get oil pressure. Do everything possible to ensure it all lives without damaging things. Cranking the engine is the time when damage occurs.

Prime the oil pump with a drill and oil will be in every bearing, now rotate the engine twice with a breaker bar and oil will be in every rocker arms and both rocker shafts. Ready to start

 

[Samplingman]

I did this last year for the first time and it was nerve wracking to say the least. There is so much pre lube in that engine right now you really can’t mess it up especially if you use the drill method.

One thing I would add, is rent a mechanical oil pressure gauge that screws into the oil sending unit port in the back of the engine. As you spin the drill, it will give you more confidence when you see the gauge move up with pressure. I didn’t have pressure right away which was concerning, but a few turns of the crank shaft with the breaker bar did the trick.

 

[413]

Just buy a quality gauge, don’t spend money and waste time renting something that others have been tossing around and abusing.

 

[Ripinator]

I'm sure most of you are familiar with me and my backstory as well as the car I've been fixing up for about 2.5 years! At this point, I feel like I'm "spinning my tires" in the mud. This car has been an enormous challenge and a lot of time, money and effort to get to where it is today. So now we have the motor, trans and everything else in there ready for an initial start. Only, I've NEVER done that. I don't know exactly what to do, and don't quite trust myself to set it off. I spent good $$$ on the rebuild of my motor and trans, and I'd very much like to keep it safe and not mess anything up!

View attachment 566525

Unfortunately too, my circumstances do not allow me to keep this car. So when it's done, it will be for sale. It saddens me very much that I will have to say goodbye to my old girl, but I hope it goes to another fellow C Body enthusiast who will enjoy her and give her love for many years to come. I only wish it could have been me!

Life has been a little crazy, family death and short staff at work have my hands tied. Unfortunately this has put the car on the back burner. I am trying to get back on it, and with urgency, as it can't sit around forever. I would like to have this car on the road or at least close to it by the end of the year. Not far away, but it essentially just needs to be put together.

For now, I'm trying to see if there's anyone local to me, willing to be able to help out or guide me through an initial start / break in for this 440 engine. It was rebuilt early 2021 and has not been fired once since the rebuild. I've never heard this car run, never driven it, never enjoyed it in all of my time owning it. I would like to at least drive it around for a little bit before she leaves my possession, that way too - I can be positive she is a solid car, and will be reliable for the lucky person who gets to keep her. I appreciate any help and advice as always!

Eric: A few years ago, I was in the same place as you with preparing to start my new engine for the first time. Here is a link to the thread where I received a lot of valuable advice from FCBO members: The SAGA Begins - '66 300 Convertible

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I'm close but this is not my area of expertise, I have a guy.



Alan

 

[Samplingman]

Just buy a quality gauge, don’t spend money and waste time renting something that others have been tossing around and abusing.

Had no problems with mine, and it didn’t cost me a dime, all the parts stores rent them then refund your money when you return it. No need to buy a tool you will literally only use once, but I found it essential during the break-in.

 

[Snotty]

Send me your phone number. (As a private message if you wish.) I have a good buddy in Bakersfield, a professional mechanic and a Mopar guy, who could possibly talk you through it.

Here he is putting handmade fuel line under our Gremlin. We fired it later that day for the first time.

 

[saforwardlook]

Any engine rebuilder who doesn't lube up every bearing and lobe in an engine before releasing it to their client will be trouble no matter how you do it. All this stuff about a "dry" engine is nonsense unless the rebuilder wants lawsuits or a bad reputation. With no compression being developed in the engine when cranking briefly to get oil pressure, I believe the possibility of damage is extremely low.

My advice is simple, if you have never used the drill method to prime the engine, then get someone there to take you through it the first time and then it will be cake. Otherwise, get someone from the rebuilder shop to come over and help you get it started and pay him for his time. It will be worth it should there be an issue. Since the engine has just been sitting for some time since the rebuild, the shop might likely not take responsibility for any problem that comes up in any case unless they are involved in the first startup.

If anyone is really anxious about the first start up and isn't all that familiar with the interrelationships throughout the engine, there is a considerable likelihood he will miss something the first time on his own using a drill motor and special tool method. Given the time and expense involved, getting someone familiar with all the details there is worthwhile the first time through this.

 

[LocuMob]

Any engine rebuilder who doesn't lube up every bearing and lobe in an engine before releasing it to their client will be trouble no matter how you do it. All this stuff about a "dry" engine is nonsense unless the rebuilder wants lawsuits or a bad reputation. With no compression being developed in the engine when cranking briefly to get oil pressure, I believe the possibility of damage is extremely low.

My advice is simple, if you have never used the drill method to prime the engine, then get someone there to take you through it the first time and then it will be cake. Otherwise, get someone from the rebuilder shop to come over and help you get it started and pay him for his time. It will be worth it should there be an issue. Since the engine has just been sitting for some time since the rebuild, the shop might likely not take responsibility for any problem that comes up in any case unless they are involved in the first startup.

If anyone is really anxious about the first start up and isn't all that familiar with the interrelationships throughout the engine, there is a considerable likelihood he will miss something the first time on his own using a drill motor and special tool method. Given the time and expense involved, getting someone familiar with all the details there is worthwhile the first time through this.

Steve, you're reading way too much into Isaiah's statement, he's good to go, he already has the tool. He will be priming the engine correctly before start up.

 

[73Coupe]

PM sent.

 

[Isaiah Estrada]

Thank you everyone!! I am very thankful for everyone's tech and tips here. I should have mentioned from the get go, that I do indeed have the priming rod / tool (Mopar branded too, do I get bonus points?!) I will be running Lucas SAE 30 Break In oil also. Plenty of dinosaurs to keep my flat tappet cam happy! After the fact, I'd planned to run Valvoline VR1 10w30...

I've done plenty of research and know what goes into it, but like some have stated - I'm afraid I just might miss something that could mean life or death for this engine. Luckily, I was able to get in contact with the engine builder. He's a well respected dude from Guadalupe and is the president of a lowrider Car Club called Touch of Style. In fact, he has one of the cleanest Cadillacs around! Although he's a lowrider guy, his dad is a local racing legend - and he grew up with a huge love for racing and performance. He does great work and I know a couple guys who've had their motors rebuilt by him, all happily chugging along years after the fact. Guess I rambled on, but long story short - he said he'll stop by and help me get it going!

Tools I have on deck are a oil pressure gauge, vacuum gauge, temp gauge and timing light. Was looking to buy a trigger to crank the starter while working in the engine bay, also too - there's not dash in the car so that's pretty much the only way to crank it without busting out the screwdriver... I have the starter relay mocked up on the core support for now, and will wire up the starter and battery and make sure we have good power.

I would absolutley love to get into engine building myself, but I'd like to know firsthand the do's and don'ts of the hobby. I will be getting a Big Block Mopar engine rebuilding book soon, and studying the heck out of it. Most of this stuff, like priming with the tool and not the starter is stuff I did already know. However, there are other things mentioned that I know are no no's, but I like to know WHY it's not good to do certain things and whatnot. Really thankful for all of your guys' input and steering me onto the right path! This car as you know is my first car / project - and I want it to be a good one.

As some of you may also know, I will be taking ownership of a '62 300 sport after the New Yorker (will stay here on the forum as this is is still a great place to be with a full size / pre-c body Mopar!) I cannot wait to implement my knowledge and skill to make the 300 go from a good car to a GREAT one! Many thanks to you all as always, I truly do learn the most being here!

 

[saforwardlook]

I share your like of the 1962 Chrysler 300 Sports as well and actually along with a friend of mine we restored one together - he was an engine rebuilder and I was the one who rebuilt the automatic transmission and did most of the other detail work on much of the rest of the car. Here are some photos of that beauty. It was a car my parents bought new because of my harping on them at the time. When I went away to school many years later they gave the car to me. It was originally white with a red interior but being young I wanted a triple black one so I ended up transforming it.

 

[Loadrunner]

There's a lot more to starting a new engine than building oil pressure via drill before startup.

Personally, never done it.

It's not done in the industry, only by severely OC home builders.

You get an engine delivered, install it, start it, go through the break in steps, that's what's really important, the 1st 10 minutes, the 1st half our.

Engines are assembled with assembly lube, Lubriplate, or a molytype lube, maybe all this prelubing washes it away, at any rate it's unnecessary beyond filling hydraulic lifters.

Your oil pump is full of white grease from the factory, it's ready to suck oil and make pressure the second you crank the engine.

So crank the engine a bit with the coil wire off and you'll be fine.

Then start it, and DO NOT LET IT IDLE, DO NOT "BLIP" THE THROTTLE UP UP AND DOWN AND THEN LET IT IDLE, this is a surefire way of possibly ruining the cam.

The cam break in here is the most crucial thing, nothing else. Look at your gauges, oil pressure should be steady at over 50lbs, temp may run a little high from tightness of engine.

It needs to run for 20-30 minutes non stop before letting it idle and shutting it off.

I don't care how good it sounds, do not blip the throttle, let it run on a high idle, prob 1500-2000 RPM, watch for overheating and for leaks.

Wear eye and ear protection.


The oil in the engine should be non detergent break in oil for proper ring seating, and it should be dumped after a few hundred miles, as there lots of break in metal floating around.

Read an old car manual appropriate for your car and they will tell you how to break the engine in by driving it correctly, and for how long. It is my belief that a Chrysler big block takes almost 100,000 miles to break in, and should go over 300,000 miles easily if cared for properly.

Use the idle speed screw on the carburator or the fast idle cam for the choke to get your steady high idle speed, not your foot, hand, assistant's foot, etc.

 

[413]

You crank with the coil wire off guys are wrong here. Just accept that fact. direct connection and mopar performance have sold these priming shafts for decades. Why do they sell these? What are these oil pump priming tools made for?

Yes they are made for other makes of engines also. Or pressurize through an external oil plug or gauge port.

Then these accumulators sold today that prime the system. What is it all for?

protect your investment, or cover your ***. With so many cam failures these days why play against yourself?

Wouldn’t it be good to know your engine makes 70 puonds of pressure before you start it up and it has zero? or that it’s is pumping oil on the floor?

I like to have the valve covers off while priming to see all the rocker shafts are getting proper oil. Like all 4 on a hemi Engine.

So may reasons to prime it, and the only ones for not:
”I think you will be fine”
”it too daunting”
or just plain laziness.

Are these are the same guys that start with a dry carburetor, one gallon of gas, and have the timing 180 off. Good luck fellas!

 

[LocuMob]

Your oil pump is full of white grease from the factory, it's ready to suck oil and make pressure the second you crank the engine.

Except this engine isn't from the factory, it's from a machine shop. And it's been sitting for a year. The machine shops I worked in would tell customers to prime the engine before firing, they never put grease in an oil pump, ever. Bearing surfaces and the cam. Yes, the lifters are a concern when priming, I like to know I have oil everywhere it should be before a break in starts, easy way to know, and cheap insurance to boot.

 

[LocuMob]

prob 1500-2000 RPM

Add 1,000 rpm to those numbers.

 

[Loadrunner]

they never put grease in an oil pump, ever.

But you can, open that little Pentastar cap and put some Lubriplate in there, "guaranteed no to run, rip or ravel".

 

[rd92west]

There's a lot more to starting a new engine than building oil pressure via drill before startup.

Personally, never done it.

It's not done in the industry, only by severely OC home builders.

My curiosity got the best of me.

Please tell me what
"severely OC home builders"
are

 

[Samplingman]

My curiosity got the best of me.

Please tell me what
"severely OC home builders"
are

Obsessive Compulsive, lol.