What needs to be done?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 849
Likes: 14
From: Fayetteville, NC
What needs to be done?
I have taken my engine apart and replaced the valve train and cleaned the push rods and all. I did not remove the pistons or anything on the bottom end. What should I used to break the new top end parts in? Do I need to add oil to the cylinders once I put the heads back on?? I want to prevent a dry start if at all possible. TIA
Robert
1978 F-150 4x4 Stepside 351M
Please don't pull out in front of me! The last thing I want to do is play identify the pieces with you or your car.
Robert
1978 F-150 4x4 Stepside 351M
Please don't pull out in front of me! The last thing I want to do is play identify the pieces with you or your car.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 7,298
Likes: 45
From: Southern California
What needs to be done?
Get a pump oiler can and fill it with the same motor oil you normally use. Use it to lube all the moving parts on the rockers and pushrods. Stick it between the valve springs and give it a few squirts on the stem, so oil runs down in the guides.
Wipe the cylinder bores with a light coat of oil before you put the heads on. No need to add any after you put the heads on.
If you really want to make sure everything is prelubed before start: Pull the spark plugs and crank the engine until the oil gauge indicates pressure. It'll turn over faster and build oil pressure quicker with the plugs removed.
If you replaced any lifters, coat the bottom of the lifters with 'Lubriplate' to help break-in.
Wipe the cylinder bores with a light coat of oil before you put the heads on. No need to add any after you put the heads on.
If you really want to make sure everything is prelubed before start: Pull the spark plugs and crank the engine until the oil gauge indicates pressure. It'll turn over faster and build oil pressure quicker with the plugs removed.
If you replaced any lifters, coat the bottom of the lifters with 'Lubriplate' to help break-in.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
What needs to be done?
I like to coat all the friction surfaces with STP, the thick gooey stuff. I also like to pour a can or two of oil all over the drive train just for the heck of it, naturally the oil pan should be empty of low to account for the oil you add.
If you removed the lifters, it would have been a good idea to put hydraulic lifters in a can of oil to let them fill up a bit with oil.
If you have the right sized rod and if the 351 allows the following, I like to take out the distributor and turn the oil pump with a rod stuck down in the distributor hole, driven by an electric drill. You have to be careful that the rod doesn't munge up the bore that the distributor shaft goes down into.
I don't know on a 351, but on my old Dword big block, I used a 3 foot long hex rod that fit into the hex drive hole of the pump.
Turning the engine with plugs out sounds like almost as good an idea.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
If you removed the lifters, it would have been a good idea to put hydraulic lifters in a can of oil to let them fill up a bit with oil.
If you have the right sized rod and if the 351 allows the following, I like to take out the distributor and turn the oil pump with a rod stuck down in the distributor hole, driven by an electric drill. You have to be careful that the rod doesn't munge up the bore that the distributor shaft goes down into.
I don't know on a 351, but on my old Dword big block, I used a 3 foot long hex rod that fit into the hex drive hole of the pump.
Turning the engine with plugs out sounds like almost as good an idea.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Elder User
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 861
Likes: 0
From: SE PA
What needs to be done?
You can pick-up an oil pump hex drive shaft just for the drill, this would also work for your 460 project. This is a shaft that is appx. 8 or 9" long, 5/16" dia. I do believe. This goes right into the pump drive and runs oil and pressure throughout the engine before turning it over-best to have the dist. ready to go back in right away when you do this, this is also used to help turn the pump just a tad to help get the dist. lined up and back in. I think I paid 7 or 8 bucks for mine, not really worth it if you're never going to do engine rebuilds again, but is worth it if you have plans for such work in the future. I did try to find just some hex stock but didn't have any luck (found out one of our traffic controllers, the EF-20's, a "thumper" uses this size for the cut-cam shaft, right after I bought mine-of course!). Also make sure you turn it the correct way-the way the dist. turns when running is it, otherwise it won't do anything except pump air into the pan.
