I'm about ready to fire up my new 390. In the literature that came with the moter, it says to pre-lube the engine by spinning the oil pump drive shaft with a drill until you see oil in the rockers..
What is used to connect to the oil pump shaft? It's down in there a ways, and I don't want to drop anything. Would a socket (that would fit the hex shaft)welded on a long piece of rod do the trick? Is there a special tool for this?

Thanks!

 

There is a special tool for this. It's generally called an oil pump primer, or something like that. You can order one for about $12-15 from Summit or Jegs (I think Moroso makes them). AutoZones, however, usually have them available through their borrow-a-tool program, and other auto parts stores may also have them. You just have to pay a deposit on it, and you get your deposit back (all of it!) when you return the tool. I've borrowed harmonic balancer pullers, ridge reamers and oil pump primers that way.

Just make sure you get the right one. I think -- but I'm not positive -- that all Ford engines use the same one.

 

>What is used to connect to the oil pump shaft? It's down in
>there a ways, and I don't want to drop anything. Would a
>socket (that would fit the hex shaft)welded on a long piece
>of rod do the trick? Is there a special tool for this?

You could build one of these if
you have an old distrbutor laying
around, Just grind all the teeth
off the gear...


Steve & the Rockette
'63 F100
'68 F100
'72 Capri 2L
'73 Capri 2.6L V6
'73 MG B GT 2.6L V6(Ford)
'98 Contour SVT 2.5L V6 (Mods)
'01 ZX2 (No Mods yet)

 

I used a 1/4" drive deep well socket (5/16) and a long extension along with a drill bit adapter. I used some black tape and taped them all together so nothing would fall into the pan and started spinning. Make sure the drill has some power because mine really started lugging. I tried using a cheap cordless and it couldn't do it, I had to use the 1/2". Also, its counter-clockwise to pump.

 

DutchmanAZ,

I just did this last week on my 390. I had an old deep well 1/4" socket and found a piece of 1/4" square rod about 12 "'s long. Tack welded the two together and put it on the pump drive shaft. I used my 3/8" drill and used this until it started to stink then put a socket and ratchet on to spin it. Worked very well. Remember you need to turn it counter clockwise to pump.


Bob G

 

Thanks...I ended up buying 2 cheap 1/4 x 6" exentions and a 5/16 socket.
Welded everything up and hopefully will get to it by tomorrow.
How long does it take to get oil up to the rockers?
Thanks again!

-Ron

 

Just did this yesterday and it took about 2 minutes of continuous drilling to get oil to seep out the rockers. Use a powerful drill or just make sure to let the one you are using "rest" a bit (stop and rev drill up to max RPM for a few seconds to get air circulation through the drill housing as to cool everything down a bit). Piece of cake really!