it's been a while... do i need to oil prime the engine?

Hey All,
it's been a long time between posts.
Anyway, starting to get the bug to start fooling with the car again.
it's been at least 6 months, so let's say 12 months, since i last fired it up.
Do i need to prime the oil?
Should i prime the oil?

if yes to any of the above, do i need to pull the distributor and crank the oil pump, or just disconnect the coil and give the engine a few cranks off the starter?

Big block, if that matters.

Cheers!

the easy way would be to pull wire off the coil and crank,i start mine up every once in a while,if its been sitting a long time like a year,then you might want to get a priming rod and hook to your drill,remember it turns counter clockwise,yes you have to pull distributor and shaft but you have to mark everything and retime it

I would pull the distributor and give it a good prime.

(1) Wouldn't hurt (2) I would. Bump the eng till the rotor is at the #8 plug wire cap terminal then pull the dist/intergear & preoil then turn the crank 3/4 turn CW till the dampener slit is on TDC on the timing tab & preoil again then back up the crank slightly to 15 (BTDC) & install the intergear/dist with the magnet dead even with the tooth with the rotor under or near under the #6 cap tower. EDIT just a FYI regarding final intergear clocking, OE routing is with you on the pass side fender looking across sideways to the dr side, the can pointing straight across (12 0'clock)/#1 plug wire at 5 0'clock/just below the forward dist cap retainer clip. this maintains the OE standardization (always helps) & lets the plug wires nestle the neatest with the shortest lengths possible tho as you know intergear clocking can be set anywhere as long as the dist has room to be turned without the can hitting anything.

It can' hurt to prime it, never spin it on the starter to prime it, even with the spark plugs out
The Chevy guys use to do that but you need to remember their oil pump is submerged in oil, not like our oil pump being mounted on the outside of the block with a long oil pickup
The motor on the starter might revolve 300 to 500 RPM, running it is well above that so it will get oil pressure a lot sooner running than on the starter

I have been started our 73 440 Dart every 6 mths or so for the past 18 years and have never done anything special for start up. I do watch the mechanical oil pressure gauge, normally it shows pressure in 10 seconds or so. We run 15W40 oil and a WIX filter. Make sure the battery is up so it spins. We built the engine (from a 72 New Yorker) in 2000, just raised compression to respectable.
AND add an electric fuel pump and a primmer switch so the carb starts out with the float bowl full of fuel BEFORE you attempt to start.

Also have an old International Neuss Diesel Utility Tractor, 30 WT and a WIX, that can go months without a start. It quickly starts up with a good battery and the OP builds instantly.

If you want to help the situation then prime the pump. You will cause more "damage" by cranking it with the starter than just starting it up. Pressure will happen much faster starting it.

That's the deal. If it ran fine last time it ran 6 mos ago, Dribble a little gas if you want into carb, and start it. The cranking bit with ign disabled is too much dry cranking after 6 mos. It will certainly build/show pressure quicker when you just fire it up.

Only 6-12 months? Crank it and go.

Ding ding ding I (do) believe we have a winna!

You'll do more good by priming the carb bowls than you will priming the oil pump in the timeframe you're talking about here...

another winna

I agree with this since it may take hundreds of revolutions before the bearings get oil pressure. Some time way after that will be the rockers shafts, then rocker arms. Possibly valve tips next. The top of the pushrods may be never at cranking speed. Oil will eventually flood the head and roll down the valley are lube most of the lifters and hopefully most of the camshaft lobes. Some things like cylinder walls, pistons and rings, may be never.

Set it up for a proper oil pump only prime. Slow rotate crankshaft 2 turns or until each rocker shaft pressurizes OR prepare for an instant fire up and let it run.

Has anybody thought about installing an oil accumulator? I know it doesn't help in this situation, but why not for those that let it sit for months. Start the car, let this build pressure, the close the handle, then next time you go to start it, before cranking it over, open the handle and let it pre-lube, then start. Sounds like it should work pretty good. Am I off here?

Living in WI

I don’t know about anybody else , but I don’t drive my car from about October thru , well this year it might bee July looking outside

Anyways , every spring I go thru the ritual of cranking over the engine , waiting for the carb to fill with fuel , then try to fire it up waiting for oil pressure

Just rebuilt my numbers motor with a Stroker Kit this past year

It’s been about 25 years since the last rebuild , long story short , all bearings , pistons , rings , block stayed at .030 over , looked pretty damn good according to my machine shop

So 25 years of letting it sit for six months or more every winter before cranking it over for an extended period of time every spring waiting for fuel then oil pressure

I think that is a good plan tho not sure how it would hold psi over time. I'm thinking it is very helpful on the stock car in the turns if the pickup gets uncovered (I need a wider pan). It would be an unsightful addition if that is a concern/bothersome.

Exactly! That's exactly what I do in my race car.

http://www.petersonfluidsys.com/filter_mount.html

I would rather crank mine to get oil pressure first before it fires than have it start right off. Cranking compression is a lot less than running compression and a lot easier on the components. I used to try and get it running as soon as possible after sitting but the lifters always clattered and sometimes didn't pump up even after running for a while. Since I've been cranking it until the oil gauge starts to read, I've never had another noisy lifter again. Those that say it gets oil pressure quicker are right but only because it's spinning faster and it takes the same revolutions to get it primed whether running or cranking.

Have you thought what cranking the motor on the starter long enough to get oil pressure up to the top to the sender or oil pressure gauge off of the top of the block does to the lifter, rod and main bearings with no oil pressure
I can under stand why your lifters are collapsing without oil pressure and clattering
The oil pump has to fill all of the oil galleys all the way up, including the oil filter also, before it will be able to make any pressure I think 600 to 1500 RPM fills those up a lot quicker than cranking it a or close to 40 to 150 RPM on the starter with the spark plugs in, depending on the starter and battery conditions
It's your car and motor, you do it the way that makes you happy

What about an electric remote pump?

http://www.proweldperformanceparts.com/id93.html

Yup and a lot less compression when there's no fuel mixture firing off pressing against the pistons/bearings. I've taken engines apart and there was still oil on the bearings and cylinder walls. To each his own.

These have a shut off valve that holds the pressure. It literally is a manual ball valve. Same thing they use on farms for irrigation lines or even your water faucet. These tanks hold something like 3 quarts of oil and when you open the valve, it pre-lubes the engine. Then you start the engine and it uses the oil pressure to refill it, and before you shut the car off, close the valve if you plan on letting it set for a while before driving it again. It its only going to set for a couple days, leave it open. There not that big overall, but I could see in something like an early A-body maybe a bit tight.

Just start it.

Exactly. I've taken engines apart from farm trucks, motorhomes, etc. They sit for years sometimes before starting. Owners will just crank until it starts. The bearings will look fine. Some oil will be retained on all the bearings. Crank it until it gets fuel to the carb, by then you should have primed the oil system.
I've just cranked my 383 Challenger over until it starts for 20 years and it still runs fine. It sits for 6 to 8 months a year.

Just cranking an engine that has sat for long time....is enough to for the engine to get oil pressure....the oil light in my cars goes out almost immediately. The ones w gauges show pressure just as fast.

My Imperial, my Super Bee, my Ram 350; I've owned them all for 20+ years. All sit for months (3, 6, 12, 24) without being started, and I do nothing other than start them and go. The longest each of them had sat without being started has been 5+ years. Start and go. They are all stock engines, ranging from 70,000 miles to 150,000 original engines with no rebuilds. I just drove the Super Bee on a 7-hour road trip to Hodge Restorations and back. I use the truck every 8-months to go haul something or move something to or from storage. The Imperial gets driven once a month or every two months for an hour or two at a time. Start and go. Just sharing what I know! Cheers.

The real worry is the cam / lifter interface. (Assuming non-roller). That's why cranking is bad, and instant starting is good. At low RPM there's little or no hydrodynamic wedge of oil on these sliding surfaces -- this is what wipes cams. That surface is splash only, not pressure-fed.

Ether it, bring revs to 2500 immediately.

The factory never pre-lubed any engine. Assembly lube they used: Motor oil.

Rick