Use a thin deep 6 point socket. Either 1/4 or 5/16. I think your 351 will be 1/4/.
The socket must be smaller on the outside than the end of the dist shaft to go in the block and engage the pump shaft.
Use a wrap of tape to secure the socket to an extension so you don't pull the socket off taking it out.
Use an extension long enough to get up high enough to turn whatever you drive it with. I usually just use a rachet and spin it. Turn counter clockwise. It takes about 30 sec to set this up and it is a super simple procedure. You will feel a lot of resistance whan the oil pressure comes up. It takes a little while to fill the filter before you feel pressure. Keep turning untill you feel there should be oil to all passaages.
With the pump primed and the passages full you will have instant oil pressure on start up.

 

Be sure it fits exactly. Also make sure it's very clean. The last thing in the world you want to to is to drop dirt or generate metal filings that drop down into your pan. Just my opinion again, and it's up to you, but I have to question the wisom of this procedure and the possible problems it might generate for the little benefit gained. Turning the engine with plugs out will achieve more with virtually no risk.

 

Off topic--

Do you know if the starter is supposed to click when you turn the motor over by hand?

My starter makes a ratcheting sound whenever I turn my 223 over with a socket wrench from the crank bolt.

I have not used the starter to turn the motor yet, it was just re-installed a couple weeks ago, and I assume it was the original.

If I do prime using the starter, I want the starter to be operating properly.

 

Oh Boy, it's that exciting new Game Show - "Name that Sound."

OK a couple questions: First, is it a very definate harsh racheting as though the teeth of the flywheel and the starter bendix gear are trying to rub on each other (like the gear is extended out partlay to the engaged position, or

is is a subtle smooth sound like brushes in a motor clicking past each indent on the commutator

or

does it sound like the flywheel and the starter gear are fully engaged and the racheting is the sound of the teeth meshing as the flywheel turns the starter?

 

It is a very quite and subtle sound.

When I said it sounded like a ratchet, I mean it sounds almost identical to your average socket-set ratchet.

It is a subtle little clicking/ratcheting noise, and the worst part is, is that I know what part that is making the noise.....what I don't know is why and if it is normal.

The way I saw it was that you had to use the starter--activate it, if you will--and then the part making the sound would automatically go into position and stop making the noise(of some sort of engagement).

However, i started to think...."what if I'm wrong?". Them my $150+ starter may be ruined or worse!

I can take a really crappy phone-video of it, if it'll help. Hell, I'll do it anyways!

Thank you very much.

 

Ok I give - what part is it? Chances are when you put power to it it may throw itself into the correct position. But I think you are wise not to try it.

Honest answer is I'm not that familiar with the old starters mechanically, and withth every slow turning you are doing on the engine, if you turn something that is making "illegal contact" it could really screw it up.

Hopefully someone with more experience with old starters will chime in.

 

________________________________________________

John...you were right, the engine does turn clockwise. But, the dizzy turns counter clockwise......OLD GUYS RULE..............

 

i think the part hes talking about is the Bendix try turning the motor by hand backwards if the Bendix is slightly engaged that might kick it back. you could put something like grease on it then put it back in turn over by hand pull starter back out and see were its making contact. if you used plenty of lube on everything when you put the motor back togather spining it with the starter to get the oil moveing shouldnt hurt anything. make sure you put some zdpp zinc addtive in the oil before you fire it or you could burn up your cam im sure you have flat tappets.

 

If your starter uses the type of bendix that engages by spinning in it will not disengage untill the engine starts and over spins the bendix fast enough to disengage it. If this is the case the noise is the bendix ratcheting and is not a problem. When it starts it will throw out.

 

FYI. You can tell the direction a distributor turns by looking at the vacuum advance mechanism. Most distributors had one prior to electronic distributors. Look at how the advance mechanism is mounted to the dist. body. It is mounted on a tangent and points in the direction of rotation. In the picture below the rotation is CCW.

 

I may try turning it backwards maybe a little, but I know that's wrong, and I don't want to screw anything else up.

I may try turning the starter over when priming, and before letting it start, check to see if it still clicks. I'm still paranoid.

ZDDP--The machinist who rebuilt the engine(reassembled) told me to use Valvoline VR-1 strait 30W oil. Nothing more is required. But I may add some anyways.--This guy has been in the business for what looks like 30-40 years. I think he knows a thing or two about what oils to break the motor in with. But I am still a little skeptical and will probably use additives anyways.

Counter-clockwise, it is!

It is supposed to be raining throughout the week, and the truck is outside.....so I can't try any of thise or get anywhere with it until the rain stops.

Thank you all very much.

 

yep the vr1 oil has zinc in it so that's fine. it doesn't hurt anything to turn the motor over backwards worst thing that could happen is the bolt comes loose but i totally believe 52 f3

 

When you turn the engine backwards if the drive is engaged it won't ratchet going backwards and will try to rotate the starter.

 

see thats why i told him i belived you so is this the same style starter im gonna have in my 239 flat head when i finally get one

 

I need to back up a little here.
At this point I had forgotten you were working on a later model engine.
It does not have the type of bendix that spins in so disregard what I have said about the starter.
You should not have any contact between the stsarter drive and flywheel
unless the starter is engaged and cranking the engine.