Time between oil prime and first fire

I will likely get to breaking in the motor this weekend, or the next. I have some problem getting the distributor in while the fuel rails are installed. I need to prime the oil system since it sat for 6 months now, but I also need to pressure and leak test the fuel system before fire up. I don't want to remove the rails once I test the fuel system because that will mean a mess of flamible fuel all over my motor which scares me a little bit. So I'm thinking I'll prime the oil system then install the distribute then try to get the fuel system plumbed up and pressure tested. But I don't know if I can do that quickly, and if I run into issues on the fuel or follow up work, the engine may sit for a day or even more before I'm ready again. I know this isn't ideal, hence why I'm asking what is too long for waiting between priming the oil system and the first fire up?

If this is a big problem, can I safely turn the motor over on the starter with plugs out, fuel off and spark off to try get a reasonably fresh prime before going for broke?

Greg

You should be fine.

Cool. I know it gets much worse down times over those long winters, but wasn't sure if a completely fresh motor might take more offense to that. I don't want to wipe out fresh bearings etc...

Well ...if you are waiting a day or so to fire-up ....I would prime(with the new and improved PVC coated rod ) and bar the motor over a couple of times with the pump running.

All primed and ready to run. Ran it on the starter doing compression test and tryoing to get a low RPM timing check (didn't work stilly light), and oil presure gets up to about 60 just on the starter alone. That's a bit more than that last build which did about 40-50 on the starter. Hope that's not a sign of clearances that are too tight. Unless a switch from solid to a solid roller can account for that somehow or a better cranking RPM.

Should be fine. Once the pump is primed, filter full, and oil at the rocker gear it could probbably sit for a week or two. It's not ideal, but just think of all those who fire up new engines without priming the oil system at all..

As long as you have a roller cam, it isn't as sensitive. Excessive turning of the engine with a new flat tappet setup is hard on the lobes/lifters. I prefer the oil prime within a few hours of starting a new engine, but I don't think it is a hard and fast rule.

When you do prime it, turn the engine over a few revolutions while turning the oil pump with the drill motor.

so 13 months is too long?

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As long as you have a roller cam, it isn't as sensitive. Excessive turning of the engine with a new flat tappet setup is hard on the lobes/lifters. I prefer the oil prime within a few hours of starting a new engine, but I don't think it is a hard and fast rule.

When you do prime it, turn the engine over a few revolutions while turning the oil pump with the drill motor.

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also prime it twice. once while assembling after you get the rockers on and with the covers off and make sure you are getting oil to every rocker. and prime when its in the car or dyno with the distr/wires being that last item to install.