How to prime oil pump

jsp5755 · Apr 1, 2015

Rebuilding a 1973 4000SU diesel. Engine in stand right now. Fixing to go back on tractor. What is the best way to prime the oil pump
and engine oil system before starting up the engine?

Bob · Apr 1, 2015

A new, clean $15.00 pump-up garden sprayer with a couple of quarts of engine oil in it adapted to connect to the oil gauge port will fill the complete internal oiling system, prime the oil pump, and pre-lube the bearings.

<img src = "http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u125/27Grainfield/N%20Ford/OilPrimer.jpg">

(IGNORE the SBC engine, and envision yours in it's place!

Bern · Apr 1, 2015

Not sure why you'd use a bug sprayer on a SBC when you could simply spin the oil pump with that adapter you already have in place.

dmbinva · Apr 1, 2015

I agree

JMOR · Apr 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 21:49:01 04/01/15) I agree

ecause, he said, "IGNORE the SBC engine, and envision yours in it's place!". Got an adapter for the 4000?

Bern · Apr 1, 2015

Kinda hard to ignore seeing someone go through the trouble of hooking up a bug sprayer when all they'd have to do is get out a 1/2 drill and spin the shaft!

Can't do that to a Ford tractor engine because you could not have the filter installed while you were spinning the pump. It would make a mess in a big hurry.

87nassaublue · Apr 2, 2015

No kidding! All that extra work and you still won't be sure all the oil passages are full. Just do it the way a mechanic does, spin the oil pump with a power drill.

87nassaublue · Apr 2, 2015

In that case, I'd spin the engine with the starter with the fuel shut off until the pressure builds and you get an oil pressure indication.

David G · Apr 2, 2015

I have a drill pump that I can hook into the oil pressure sender hole if the pump cannot be spun separately.

Bob · Apr 13, 2015

(quoted from post at 11:23:50 04/02/15) No kidding! All that extra work and you still won't be sure all the oil passages are full. Just do it the way a mechanic does, spin the oil pump with a power drill.

As I said, I used that engine as an example, of which a couple of you guys missed the point.

You wrote "Just do it the way a mechanic does, spin the oil pump with a power drill."

Having said that, and realizing the original topic of this post was how to pre-oil an engine that has an oil pump not easily accessed to be driven externally for priming I take offense with your reply.

At this point, you probably wouldn't want to watch the video I have linked from Melling, a premier oil pump manufacturer. At about 1:20 into the video, they mention priming engines whose oil pumps are not easily externally driven and they (GASP!) use an externally oil tank pressurized with air.

Guess they must NOT have any of what you would call "mechanics" there!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOYLlr8uQ8k

How to prime oil pump

jsp5755

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Bob

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Bern

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dmbinva

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JMOR

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Bern

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87nassaublue

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87nassaublue

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David G

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Bob

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