preoiling before starting
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: springfield il
preoiling before starting
i know how to get one of our late model v-8's preoiled before firing to avoid a dry start , but is there a way to do this with the flatty withuot dissassembling the engine ? according to the guy twise got the 49 from it was being driven / used i beleive on the farm up till last year then it was parked for what i am assuming from looking was to rewire the truck , and star fixing it up . i'm gonna drain the oil etc. and put fresh in it but did not want to dry start it . obviously i can just turn her over without the power on , but thought i'd seen a discussion on here concerning this before . so any suggestions fellas ? another question from a flatty 
!!!!!! p.s. the 53 was already running despite it's many problems when i got her so i didna have to deal with it !
!!!!!! p.s. the 53 was already running despite it's many problems when i got her so i didna have to deal with it !
Last edited by 55 f350; Dec 1, 2007 at 02:18 PM.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: McCloud CA, Nor Cal
never worked on a flatty(PO botched the fame with a SB)but I would find out how the oil pump works and where it's at. For example on a 302 pull the dist. and get a long peice of 3/8 round stock 18" or so and slot one end then insert in drill and feed it down through the dist. hole until you get to the oil pump. Then turn it over with the drill until the oil starts flowing. Hope this helped
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: springfield il
i had a big a screw driver that got broken i turned into one for the late model stuff , i had my feind i mean freind bud jenkins tellin' me i gotta pull the pan and pack the pump with grease or vaseline , but there has gotta be an easier way , now back to the net and find some mo' info .
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Kalispell, MT
If I understand you right this is a used engine, not a fresh rebuild?
If so, just change your oil and crank it over. There will be enough residual oil between bearings that it should be fine. As long as the engine was buttoned up and left alone, I've never had a problem.
You can't get to the oil pump on a flathead. Best alternative on a fresh rebuilt flatty is to remove the oil pressure sender and rig up something to pump oil into that port under pressure. It'll work its way thru the bearings like normal.
btw, I've never had to pack one with vaseline. From what I can put together, it was more important on the early flatty's due to the inefficient oil pumps with their straight cut gears. The later flatheads have oil pumps with helical gears and do a much better job of picking up oil.
If so, just change your oil and crank it over. There will be enough residual oil between bearings that it should be fine. As long as the engine was buttoned up and left alone, I've never had a problem.
You can't get to the oil pump on a flathead. Best alternative on a fresh rebuilt flatty is to remove the oil pressure sender and rig up something to pump oil into that port under pressure. It'll work its way thru the bearings like normal.
btw, I've never had to pack one with vaseline. From what I can put together, it was more important on the early flatty's due to the inefficient oil pumps with their straight cut gears. The later flatheads have oil pumps with helical gears and do a much better job of picking up oil.
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You could overfill the crankcase with oil, it should take about 6 gallons before it starts pouring out the dipstick. There is no way to prime a flathead oilpump as it is driven by a gear located under a cover at the rear of the block.
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Fleet Owner
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From: NM
Originally Posted by F6Guy
You could overfill the crankcase with oil, it should take about 6 gallons before it starts pouring out the dipstick. There is no way to prime a flathead oilpump as it is driven by a gear located under a cover at the rear of the block.
I pulled the pan off mine after sitting for 3 yrs during body work, the bearings all still had plenty of oil. Squirting some oil down the spark plug holes a couple days before cranking can't hurt.
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Elder User
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nah six gallons. My truck sat for about 12 years before I got it and another 8 after I got it. So before startup I filled the whole engine to the brim with oil for a day just so all the seals could soak up some oil and make sure the crank was submerged, I then drained the oil out except for 5 quarts or so and started her up. The only problem with squirting oil in the spark plug holes is the plugs on a flathead are located above the valves so most of the oil will run in the intake or exhaust ports, unless the valves happen to be closed.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Azle, Texas
I've done this a few times, including a flatty. Disconnect the coil hot wire, pull the plugs. squirt a little trans. fluid in each cyl., turn over by hand, another squirt or two trans. fluid, turn some more. Then crank engine with the starter for a few seconds, repeat, do this a few times, just don't get carried away and burn up your starter. Replace the plugs and hook the coil back up, make sure you got gas and fire her up. The trans. fluid will smoke for a few minutes then clear out. Good Luck, hope it's a good engine.
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From: Peterborough, Ontario
You can pump oil through the oil passages of the flathead using a pump and oil reservoir, I made on out of an old oil furnace burner pump and plastic pail, there are pictures posted in my gallery. Feed the oil into the 1/4 inch hole in the back of the block where the oil pressure senser goes in. This should be done every spring before you fire it as well.
wgc
wgc
Fleet Owner
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From: NM
Originally Posted by cts1954
You can pump oil through the oil passages of the flathead using a pump and oil reservoir, I made on out of an old oil furnace burner pump and plastic pail, there are pictures posted in my gallery. Feed the oil into the 1/4 inch hole in the back of the block where the oil pressure senser goes in. This should be done every spring before you fire it as well.
wgc
wgc
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: springfield il
thanx fellas for the hints i think i'll use a couple of 'em ! im gonna fill it full of oil for a couple like f6 suggested then see if i can get her to fire , after draining and oil change of course . stay tuned for the fire up i hope !!!!!! gotta warm up some first though . for a couple it's tried to drown the frogs then freeze 'em so i'm not real inclined to wander out to play and it's to big to clear the low ceiling in the garage . the 53 barely does .
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Post Fiend
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From: springfield il
i forgot to mention there are some photo's in a new gallery besides what twise had posted before . cool old truck cant wait for a break in the weather to get her going ! oh and i had posted before trying to id the flatty and its an 8rt . whats the differences tween it and the 8ba in the 53 ?