Oil prime with compressor and gallon jug?

[Torchred96]

I'd like to check the oil passages are getting proper flow of oil. The reason is because 4 of my intake lifters are collapsed and I'm wondering if they are getting enough oil.. anyway, without a normal small block oil pump, what do you guys use to prime the engine before putting it in service after rebuilding it?

The other day, I noticed that the oil pressure gauge sensor had the same threads as the double male adapter on my compressor air line....so, I got to thinking, why not take a gallon can with say 2 or 3 quarts of oil in it, like a mineral spirits can, drill a hole and bolt that adapter to the can with a tube going down to the bottom, close to the bottom anyway and use that for a supply line to the oil pressure port.

Drill and secure a second port for the air In. You could fashion some kind of air bleed hole to be sure you don't get too much pressure.

I'm not even sure if the oil would go in the right direction as opposed to just going into the pan..

thoughts?

[Rodder]

I have done it that way after my car sat for a longer period. 1/4” NPTF fitting in the sensor hole and a hose with a few fittings and a 5 liter plastic can. And I used a tire valve in the can cap and then used a tire inflator to put a little pressure in the can. Worked fine.


Thomas

[Torchred96]

Thomas, does this charge the oil filter as well?

Cool. This seems like it will be easier than I thought.

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Tyler and I did this on the prototype and filled the oil filter as full as I could get it before hand.

[Rodder]

Sam.
Yes, it will bleed backwards into the filter.


Once you have oil coming up lower the psi, it will give you more time to look around.


Thomas

[93 ZR1 Barcelona]

If you are getting 4 lifters that have drained, maybe it is because they leak from their inside check valve and they need to be replaced. No repairs on this.

Also check that the small orifice that feeds oil to each lifter in the cylinder head is not plugged of dirt. It is a very small hole, so check it with a small wire or a needle that they are open.

When I dissassembled my LT5 engine last year to the last bolt & nut, I drained all the valve lifters of oil, drained and reseted the chain tensioners, and when I started the engine I do not need to prime the oil system.

All inside parts well lubricated during assembly, oil pan full of oil, and started the engine in the normal way. Engine started inmediately and left it at idle. Maybe the chain tensioners took about 15-20 seconds to fill to stop the tensioner knocking noise, and then the valve lifters filled all in a minute or so, so the engine ran smoothly.

Mobil 1 5W50 oil with no problem.

[Torchred96]

Barcelona, I'm going on the assumption that the lifters ARE bad. But, I am concerned that there may be an oil clog somewhere before the liftes, that is why I want to, as Thomas said, have a look around while I am priming it...and before I put the cams back in and the lifters not installed. If I just put it back together without checking it I will always wonder every time I hear a slight clatter if a lifter ..or two isnt getting oil.

Thank you all for your responses

[Bob Eyres]

Is there a way to use a switch that would allow just the starter to crank without engaging the fuel, or electrical system? Wouldn't that do the job?

[93 ZR1 Barcelona]

If you have the cylinder heads installed in the engine, and all the lifters out from their bores, you have an easy way to check if all lifters are receiving oil supply.

Remove the oil pressure sender from the front of the engine next to the oil filter (the long one mounted vertically) and screw there a 1/4 NPTF adapter that you can connect to an air pressure supply.

Apply aire pressure about 30-45 PSI there, and then check that for all the lifter bore holes you have air pressure going out of the orifices. The oil pressure passage inside the cylinder head is common for all lifters and camshafts.

Also check that you have air going out by each center camshaft bearing of the cylinder head, which also has a small orifice which supplies oil to each camshaft.

If any lifter / camshaft hole is plugged, you will have no air out from it. Clean it with a neddle or small wire to remove the dirt, and double check that air is flowing from all.

In an engine that never had problems of main bearing / camshaft failure, it is difficult that this holes become plugged.

But in an engine that has made debris due to bearings or camshaft failure, the metal debris mixed with the oil may have entered the head oil passages and plug this orifices. In that case, the best way is to remove the 1/4 NPTF allen plugs that are at the end of all the oil passages of the head and throughly clean them with comprerssed air and solvent to remove all dirt.

[A26B]

Is there a way to use a switch that would allow just the starter to crank without engaging the fuel, or electrical system? Wouldn't that do the job?

Bob, you wouldn't want to do that with the cam cover off. The cam retainers are not designed to withstand rotation of the camshafts without the cam covers installed. With the cams out, the chains are not connected, loose and could jam.

[Torchred96]

Just got back to work on the Z. Today I put the oil pan back on after making sure I didn't have any extra parts laying around inside the engine.

Then, I ran an old outboard motor hose from the old oil I drained from it to the oil pressure sensor at the top of the passneger side of the engine (used a pneumatic quick connect male fitting with the hose). I couldn't get the bulb to pump fast enough, so I just filled the hose with a few squeezes of the bulb and then pushed a small amount of air through the hose.

I was pleasantly surprised to see/verify that oil is coming from all the lifter holes and the 2 cam journal holes. Recall I was worried that the lifters were not pumping up and possibly the cam journal wasn't getting oil. It only took a small amount of air pressure to get the oil squirting briskly from the holes, so I think I can put that to rest now. I did take a quick video so i could review it and look to make sure I got them all.

So I then started putting the new lifters in.. unfortunately, of the 16 melling 2236 lifters I got from autozone, only 11 of them were the right one. I should have checked them more closely when they arrived last month. Autozone customer service says they are going to send the correct ones. Im in no hurry..there's always stuff to clean on the z.

Thanks for all the tips to this thread.