This is the first time I have ever installed a rebuilt engine ('85 Ford 302 E150 van) so all advice is welcome. The new long block came with a new oil pump but without a new oil pump intermediate shaft. I simply used the old intermediate shaft which had the snap ring securely in place and bolted eveything together. Now I want to be sure I do things correctly before the first attempt to start the engine. I plan to put an oil pressure gage on the block. I was told by a local mechanic to use what he called a "distributor tool" to prime the oil pump and get the oil pressure up before attempting to start the engine for the first time. I believe what he uses is a distributor shaft attached to a drill. He inserts this into the block and runs the drill which in turn drives the oil pump. I think he runs the drill both forwards and backwards. Is there anything incorrect in my understanding of the above? Is there anythin else critical that I should do before I start the engine? Thanks for any help!

JB

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-May-02 AT 04:50 PM (EST)]I never reuse the oil pump drive shaft. They aren't that expensive, and if they go, you lose all oil pressure. Not good on a new engine. I also use a shaft from an old distributor to prime the oil pump, but they do make a tool for this. Run the drill in reverse, not forward, since the diistrib only goes in one direction (counter clockwise). Have your valve covers off when you prime the oil pump. This way you can see the oil coming out of the holes in the rocker arms. If you don't see this, an oil plug has been left out somewhere. Before you even crank the engine over check everything. Make sure every nut and bolt is tight, check all your hoses and clamps, and wires, and make sure all your fluids are where they are supposed to be. If your valvetrain is adjustable, adjust your rocker arms after you have primed your oil pump. The lifters have to be pumped up, so they can't be adjusted before this. Once the rockers are adjusted, put your valve covers back on. After you do all this, you're almost ready to start. If you have a carb, pour a little gas in it to "prime" it. The object is to crank it over as little as possible before it fires. The quicker you can get that baby to fire and run, the better for it. Once you get it running, you need to keep it running at about 2000 RPM's. It's tough to tell without a tach, but this speed is ideal. If you don't you can wipe out a new cam in a hurry. While running at 2000 RPM's, you need to monitor your temp and oil pressure gauges, check for leaks, and play with your distributor timing a little if you need to. If everything stays good, then keep it running at that speed for at least 15 or 20 minutes, and then shut her down. Let it cool off a little, and then recheck all your bolts and nuts again. Especially your header/exhaust manifold bolts. Hopefully you have good head gaskets, so the heads don't need to be retorqued. After the initial startup, you should drive it like normal, without beating it too much. Just don't keep it at a steady speed for long. I don't know when other people do, but I change my oil first before 300 miles or so, and then again at about 1000. Call me over-cautious or whatever, but it can't be good to have those little bits of metal in a new engine that occur normally at break-in. Sorry for writing the book here.

 

Thanks for your input Steve! Do the intermediate shafts have a history of breaking? If so I would have thought the new oil pump would come with a new shaft. I already had the oil pan bolted on so I'll have to pull it off again. Thanks again.

JB

 

Yeah, those shafts have been known to break, after twisting up like a piece of taffy or something. Mainly when a high volume oil pump or thick oil is being used. New Melling oil pumps do come with a new intermediate, and that's the only kind I buy. One step better are the heavy duty aftermarket shafts that are about three times stronger. If your engine is all together, and you just have a stock volume pump, I wouldn't take it back apart I guess. In a stock engine with regular weight oil, the stock part should last a good long time. I was just trying to offer advice that I've learned over the years from experience and from other people.