Any words of wisdom from my fellow 300 motor head brothers/sisters out there? Starting my rebuilt 300 for the first time today. The only precaution I could think of was to make sure the high idle cam on the carb was down. I don't want to start a fresh (and expensive) rebuild at 1200 rpm's. Thought I'd have my son start it while I stood over the engine to listen and look. Oh yes, I am concerned about priming the oil pump, I don't have a tool and thought about chasing one down. All the bearing surfaces have assembly lube on them as well as the rocker fulcrums, cam lobes and lifters and everything else I could think of that may even remotely use a little lube. Anyone have any alternatives or tricks to fabricating a tool or some other method for getting the o/pump primed and ready to deliver oil right away. This engine is really tight and hard to turn right now but I suspect that's just the new rod and main bearings. I thought about cranking it for a bit with the coil disconnected till I see a reading on my gauge. Again, there is TONS of assembly lube already there where it needs to be so I thought cranking it a bit couldn't hurt.

Any help or last minute suggestions, prayers, (who is the Patron Saint of rebuilt engines) Pretty Please ?

 

I used a drill motor to turn the oil pump w. dizzy out, and watched the oil come out the rockers.

You're using a used cam and lifters, so you don't need break in oil. I hope you kept those lifters in exact order, because if not your cam could take a turd in short order. Normally you want a new engine to run at about 2k rpm for the first 20 minutes, but yours doesn't matter.

Good luck.

 

No worries cranking a used cam/lifters but I wouldn't do it with new ones. And the oil pump priming tool is really cheap insurance compared to the cost of a new engine.

 

I made a priming tool from and old distributor, but not everyone has one laying around. The proper size socket on an extention(secured firmly)can be used on most engines. Just turn it in the proper direction that the rotor turns. Just fired up an engine that has set for 25 years and didn't even get a valve tick.