When do you guys suggest putting the oil in the and priming the engine on a new ZZ fastburn? I was thinking about doing it before I drop it in (same day) to make it easier without the firewall. How do I know hao long to prime? How do I check that all is good?

Thanks for helping out a weekend hobbist.

I would remove the valve covers and prime it before installing it. Prime for a few minutes then rotate it 180* and prime it some more. You will need to plug the oil sending unit if you are using a mechanical guage but just install the sending unit if you are going electric. Watch for leaks and make sure you are getting oil to all of the rockers. I would prime it again right before you start it too.

How fast of a drill does it take and doesn't oil get all over with the valve covers off?

The block has an oil sender plus right now so I'll leave it in until after the first prime, them install the mech sender as I drop in the engine.

i don't think the speed of the drill will matter much but i would suggest using an electric drill as opposed to a battery sometimes it takes a while to prime an engine.

With the proper oil level and a filled filter,
I'd drop the dist in and let the starter crank it.
R&R'ing the (magazine sponsor endorsed and sold) engine priming tool and then installing the distributer loses all the prime and full engine oil galleries you just burnt up a drill and sprained your wrists trying to do.
The engine was assembled with lubriplate or similar lube right?
Never seen anyone assemble one dry.

I made my priming tool out of an old distributor. Yes, it takes alotta drill to run that pump, but I would sure rather do it than not. Losing the prime is not the issue, it's getting oil everywhere you possibly can in that engine before firing it up.

BTW you know the hype the oil additive companies make about starting up an engine after it's been sitting, how everything is "dry" when you start it up every morning? I take apart engines all the time that have been sitting for YEARS and guess what: There's oil EVERYWHERE. Use your oil pump to get things slippery, even where the assembler may have missed.

if you have a 1/2 corded drill use that instead of 3/8. I bought a jegs oil primer with the top. I pulled the valve covers and watched until came out of every pushrod. Took a while, like ten minutes.

I primed it right before I started it. I used a cordless 3/8 drill and brought it up to 2/3 on my oil pressure gauge and held it for 30 sec, rotated the motor and did it again.

Thanks everyone for your input. Looking forward to firing it up in a couple weeks.

Is it going to shoot oil all over? I'm hoping not to make a mess of all my new stuff.

I used my old points distributor. I took all the parts off of it then found an old 1/4 socket to fit over the top of the shaft. I then slid the socket over the shaft and welded it into place. ta da!! I then use my trusty snap-on 1/4 air rachet to prime my fresh engines

Is it going to shoot oil all over? I'm hoping not to make a mess of all my new stuff.

no it shouldnt be that messy at all - when priming you should see oil starting to fill up the rocker arms - when they all have oil you should be ready to drop dist in and fire that mother up :yes: i took and old distributor and gutted the points and advance plate,gear- leaving just the housing and the shaft - found a castle nut that i pounded onto the top of the shaft and welded it - now i have a 3/4" nut i can put a 1/2 ratchet or impact on good cheap tool. if you dont have the housing in the block oil wont make it up to the top- there is a passage that the housing fills to allow oil to go all the way up to the top.

Thanks guys. It was a piece of cake and not messy as you said. Fired right up and sounds AWESOME!!!!!!

Awesome great news. Happy motoring.