engine prelube oiling is a necessity to insure instant oil pressure when starting a new engine,this will greatly help prevent wipeing cam lobes and bearings while you try and start your new engine
first thing to do it correctly you need this tool (I always weld a socket to the top to make it easy to attach a ratchet) http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommer...7881&prmenbr=76
because a rod or a screw driver can,t seal the lifter oil gallery passages like a distributor body does, and yes to do it corectly you need to turn the engine over by hand useing a breaker bar on the crankshaft pulley retaining bolt about 6 full times slowly while your buddy supplies oil pressure by turning the oil pump primeing tool as fast as he can clockwise. keep turning the engine and primeing untill oil flows from ...EVERY LAST ROCKERARM..if not find out why not..BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE!!


you can make one(a primeing tool) from an old distributor if you have one, by removeing the gear teeth with a belt sander and almost every part from the distributor body and welding a socket on the distributors main shaft so that when its inserted it seals the lifter gallery with the distributors body so you get oil pressure in both lifter gallerys while you turn the distributor shaft with a ratchet or a drill

Thanks for the tip..I'll be starting my rebuilt motor in a few days.

I went the old distributor body route but I did one thing differently, I used an air ratchet to turn the nut welded on the main shaft. Notice I said air ratchet-NOT an air impact! The air ratchet will definitley turn it fast enough to get oil to all of the proper areas-and very quickly! I tried the hand turning method first but I could not get it to build a prime before my arm felt like it was going to fall off. Also, while doing the hand method, once the pump builds a prime, if your hands slip off the wrench you are using to turn the nut with, you better watch out because that puppy will come right back at you with some force! Go the air ratchet route.. much easier. Good luck!

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1969 Camaro SS 350-383ci./365HP, T-56, 12 bolt, Power Trax Locker, 3.73 gears, 4 whl disc, Deluxe black houndstooth interior, rear window defogger, tilt steering, floor console w/gauge package, center mntd. clock, tachometer

I just took the advance mechanism off of my "pre-oiler distributor". I turn the round shaft with a half inch air or electric drill.

How about turning over the motor with the coil wire out untill you get a reading from the oil gauge?

NOooooo...... http://www.camaros.net/forum/eek.gif

That's a good way to scuff a bearing. It takes 5-10 seconds of running for the oil pump to prime up the oiling system running at idle speed. It probably takes 10-20 seconds to build pressure at cranking speed.

Just don't go there! Pre-oilers are cheap insurance when you consider that you can make this tool for free out of a junkyard distributor.