RE: Question for the engine builders out there

[Jim Grammer <jimg@domain.elided>]

>I just had a thought and wanted to bounce it out on the digest.  Right
>before you start up a rebuilt motor, they recommend to prime the oil
>pump using a shaft through the dist opening  (this only prelubes the
>bottom end of the motor, I think).  Would it hurt anything to pop off
>the valve covers and add your 4-6 quarts of oil over the top of the
>rockers and top end, letting it drip and run down to the oil pan?  I
>used assembly lube on everything during assembly, so every moving part
>has some start up lube on it.
>
>Anyone?
>
>Epp

I made a prelube driver for the 401 by brazing a piece of tube over a rod 
that would chuck up in the drill motor, then slotting the tube and brazing 
a piece of 1/8" plate in the slot(imagine a normal slotted screwdriver with 
a circular shield around the shaft and blade) to engage the slot in the oil 
pump shaft. For a 401, this tool is about 16" long, you could get by with a 
shorter one on an IH V8. If you spin the pump(don't get carried away with 
the speed)long enough you pressurize the entire oiling system, including 
the top end. It was recommended to me to leave the valve covers off and 
verify oiling at all the pushrods before firing it up. On the 401, 
pre-oiling let me skip packing the oil pump with vaseline to prime it. You 
should pre-oil right before you are going to start it the 1st time 'cause 
the oil will start to wash away the assembly lube.

Jim