priming my engine before start up?

Get one of these at Summit Racing for $7.88

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DCC-4286800/?image=large

Mark where the rotor is pointing so you can put it back in the same location. Pull the dist and drive under it.

Insert the tool hooked to a drill that runs in the direction the dist usually turns.

Run the drill in the correct direction while cranking the engine with the starter.

When you see oil from the rockers you're done. I don't pull the valve covers, just look through the oil fill hole.

I prefer drill prime too.

The reason you stay away from the starter is it may take hundreds of revolutions of the engine to build oil pressure with the starter. In the meantime your bearings recieved no oil. Nothing up to the rockers yet either, which also means no drainback. So the camshaft lobes are dry too.

Now even with the perfect prime. The cylinder walls are not all lubed and the connecting rod small end (wrist pins)are still not lubed.
This is why after priming, it is essential to get the engine to fire up on the first hit.

Have the distributor pointed correctly and the carburetor bowls filled.

thanks guys! u see my buddy and i both did rebuilds this summer for the first time. him a pretty much stock rebuild on a 318, and me a 416 stroker. thats y i have been asking a lot of "newbie" questions cause we both want to be sure of what we are doing. neither one of us really had the money to do it in the first place, so we definatly cant afford to start all over again! but i (we) really appreciate all the input and information from u guys. when ever we get snagged or stumped this is the first place i come to get answers!

party on Wayne!

On new engines, I drill prime mine while its stil on the stand with the intake and valve covers off. I can see whats going on and make sure oil is getting everywhere it needs to. After the engine is in and she is ready to go, I prime her again for a min or so, button her up and lite the fires. The only time I touch the starter is to lite her up. Dont want to spin it over on "dry" bearings. Also, when you do it on the stand, you can check your pan and lower seals for any type of leakage.
Good luck with the new engines and enjoy them.

Also, remember when you put the primer rod in your drill to set your drill to reverse. Looking down on it from the top the pump spins counter clockwise.

But Jimmy's doing a small block, man! clockwise

we primed a big block with one of those differential lube pumps, stuck the plastic tube with no tip in the threaded oil filter boss (fit pretty good) and pumped..and pumped. We actualy got a reading on our oil pressure guage and oil up top in the rockers. Spun a full filter on and kicked her over. Ghetto, but I think it worked...It was sunday night and no place was open to buy the 5/16 hex shaft.

Last time I fired a new engine I primed it on the stand. Saw 2 black flakes come out of the head. I was able to grab them!

Too bad a slant can't be primed like a V-8. I guess you just pack the pump with Vasoline.

hey thatks guys i really appreciate the input. this is my first rebuild so im trying to get all the info i can!