Priming the oil pump

[Anonymous]

I'll be doing my dual advance distributor swap pretty soon, which involves changing the oil pump to one with a 5/16" shaft.

How do you prime it?

Also, will the pick-up and screen assembly from my old pump fit onto the new one?

 

[BIGREDRASA]

Standard practice by many is to remove the dizzy, and use a socket and a drill to spin the pump. 8)
I used to fill mine with straight STP oil supplement, which made sure it was lubed and sealed to create good suction. Others have been knwn to assemble the pump with petroleum jelly , which assures lubrication and dissolves in the oil.

 

[Anonymous]

I'll have the distributor out, as I will be swapping in a new one. So I just bolt the pump in place, put the oil pan on, fill with oil, and then use the drill-method you described to prime?

 

[addo]

I like to pack the pump with 80 grit garnet crystals. Helps the new parts bed in quickly. Seriously, use moly grease. Like petroleum jelly, it dissolves in oil, but I happen to have decent quantities of it for ball joints and the like. Wheel bearing grease is way different and should not be used!

Did you modify the Duraspark?

 

[Anonymous]

So I need to take the new pump apart to put moly grease or petroleum jelly in it??

If I put the grease inside it, do I still need to prime it with a drill like BIGREDUSA described?

I will be using the '68-73 dual advance distributor in conjunction with a Pertronix II ignition.

 

[BIGREDRASA]

Just pack it with either vaseline 8) or moly grease. Since you're not installing into a newly assembled engine, the pump priming shouldn't be a problem. However, when it comes to lubrication, you can't overdo it.

 

[Falcon62]

So I need to take the new pump apart to put moly grease or petroleum jelly in it??

No, it's not necessary to disassemble the new pump. You won't have any problem priming the new pump if it's submerged in oil. I primed mine by hand with a speed wrench. A few turns and it was pulling oil. I'd skip packing the pump if it were me. If it makes you feel better, just pour some of the same oil you're running in your engine down into the pump.

 

[Anonymous]

That's what I did, got a small (new) bucket and put a few quarts in there, put the pump down in and start cranking, you can even turn it by hand, once flow starts you can install and still run the pump through the distributor shaft to get the flow going. That should clear any air out and get it moving.....

 

[rbohm]

8) what i do is pull the pump cover and pack the pump with vaseline. i have used a drill to prime an engine that a friend of mine bought from a rebuilder.

 

[MustangSix]

A drill is good, but like Phil said, you should be able to turn it with a speed wrench to begin building pressure.

I have an old distributor that I have removed the drive gear from. I just put a socket over the distributor cam lobes and crank away. On a fresh engine I can usually build 25-30 psi by hand.