Getting ready to start up my 70' Olds Supreme with a newly rebuilt engine. Ive read other post about priming the oil pump, which I have and Im not getting oil through the pushrods. Going to get an oil pressure gauge (as recommended in other post) to make sure Im getting oil pressure. My question is do I have to turn engine a couple of times to get oil up top? or should it come out even without turning the engine over? Thanks

 

I always put cam lube on the gears to help it prime. I turn the driveshaft with a 5/16" deep socket duct taped to a long extension, turn with 1/4" drive ratchet (counterclockwise). You will feel heavy resistance and hear the oil squirting when it is primed well enough.

 

You also have to rotate the engine to oil both sides.

 

Also make sure you are rotating the pump drive in the correct direction (counter clockwise).

 

DId the counterclockwise with the extension and the tape but was not getting any oil on top. I'm outta town be back home tommorrow, gonna try turning the engine over a couple of times when i get home with the oil pressure hooked up. Thanks fo the help. Hope to hear her purrrr soon!

 

I put cam lube on the rocker pivots, valve stem tips, pushrod *****, etc. The oil will get up there fast enough. A guy I know in WV was not getting oil through a couple pushrods on his 455 so put on replacement rockers with cam lube, and said later it worked for a couple weeks of driving.

 

Also

After you get it in the car I always leave the spark plugs out and then use the starter motor to turn the engine over some more and make sure I have oil pressure on the gauge,,,,,, This procedure will also put gas in the carburetor so that when you are ready to fire it up it usually only takes 3 revolutions.....I also "DRY" time the motor......Set the timing mark on 10 degrees before TDC (Top Dead Center) install your timing lite on cylinder #1,,,,With the ignition on rotate the distributor till you see the lite flash, then lock the distributor down.....You are now ready to fire

 

FInally got oil up top it took a while though maybe cause of the high torque drill I was using, I think I almost burned it out! Great idea about dry timing the engine I will keep that in mind when I get around to firing it up. Thanks everyone, will let you know when I get it started.