I am finishing a mild build on an 85 F-250 with a 460. I'm using my 19.2V cordless drill running counterclockwise to prime my new Melling oil pump. I have oil slowly coming from the rockers on one side, but nothing on the other. I think my cordless won't run fast enough to move oil thru both sides. I plan to try at higher rpm with a corded drill tonight. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

What your doing is correct. When the engine is fully primed it turns hard.

 

Turn the engine over buy hand a few times and prime some more with a stronger drill and you should get oil from the other side.

 

Didn't get a chance last night but will try that tonight,thanks for the input.

 

I tried priming with the electric drill, turned motor over by hand several times and ran drill for several minutes each time. Still no oil coming from rockers on the one side. In the lifter valley are two 1/4" npt holes, I was told those do not get plugged when running hydraulic lifters. It sure seems like they would eat a lot of oil. Could this be the problem?

 

Those plugs have to be in there.

 

Are those plugs ever left out or orifices put in the plugs?

 

I've never heard of leaving out oil galley plugs on purpose. I have seen some applications with orfices for oiling the timing chain. These usually squirt oil on the cam gear and centrifugal force slings oil on the timing chain.

 

Put the plugs in, I've got oil now. Thanks