[arbys]

I want to circulate some oil in my engine before I do the initial start up after installing a new cam. I don't have a spare distributor to strip and use as the drive mechanism. Any ideas what I can do to make a drive mechanism?

[pastry_chef]

Butler has a tool.
https://butlerperformance.com/i-2445...-bpi-039p.html

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by arbys

I want to circulate some oil in my engine before I do the initial start up after installing a new cam. I don't have a spare distributor to strip and use as the drive mechanism. Any ideas what I can do to make a drive mechanism?

Sounds like you want this to make this happen quickly. You can go to a Harbor Freight and buy a big screwdriver with a 1/2" shaft or smaller. Grind the end so you get a decent fit in the pump shaft. cut off the shank and chuck it in a drill. Run counterclockwise. It's a little hard to keep in the slot vs a dedicated tool, but it will work. Cost $5.00 and takes a 1/2 hour to make.

[arbys]

I just ordered on from my local parts house. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Chief of the 60's]

Priming after a cam swap? Unnecessary. Assembly lube or a good coating of 50w is all that is necessary. The block already has had oil running through it. To prime an engine after a cam swap would be like priming an engine after an oil change.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Chief of the 60's

Priming after a cam swap? Unnecessary. Assembly lube or a good coating of 50w is all that is necessary. The block already has had oil running through it. To prime an engine after a cam swap would be like priming an engine after an oil change.

^^^ Certainly true for a Pontiac engine, anyway. Chevy and Olds, too. I might prime a Buick after a cam swap, because the oil pump has been disturbed during that process.

Remember that "priming" is DONE as soon as you have oil pressure. It's not a career.

[arbys]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

^^^ Certainly true for a Pontiac engine, anyway. Chevy and Olds, too. I might prime a Buick after a cam swap, because the oil pump has been disturbed during that process.

Remember that "priming" is DONE as soon as you have oil pressure. It's not a career.

Turning the motor over before I put the valley pan I could see oil moving to rocker arms. After assembly I don't/can't see oil at the lifters. I want to operate the oil pump to make SURE that everything is correct.

[Schurkey]

Verify the lifters before they go into the block. Nothing else in the oil path changes. Do be careful when setting the lifter plunger preload on a lifter that's had oil pumped into it. Allow it time to bleed down as you tighten the adjuster.

"Priming" is to purge air from the oil system. When the air is gone from the pump and filter, you're not priming any more, you're wasting time.

[Chief of the 60's]

You get a hell of a lot more air pocketing in the oiling system changing the oil vs. changing the cam and/or lifters.

[389]

You will do more damage trying to spin that oil pump shaft with a screw driver end then you will in just starting it up. I never primed anything and have put hundreds of thousands of miles on these motors without issue..

If you have to prime it get an old distributor shaft, grind the teeth off the gear, put it back into the distributor housing then into the engine block, connect the 1/2" drill up and use that to spin the oil pump..

[Gary H]

Back in the day, I used a old push rod and flattened the end with a hammer. I then dropped a old brass fitting/bushing over it and then chucked it up in a drill. When you place the flattened end down in the engine to prime it, the brass bushing would slide down over the oil pump drive shaft and hold it in place. Worked great for years that way!

[tom s]

On new engines I prime and turn the engine over a 1/4 turn prime,another 1/4 etc for 2 rotations.If you have the valley pan off and valve covers off you will witness why.FWIW,Tom

[Karck]

If you swapped cam, and added new set of lifters. Big chance is you have china lifters that do not oil top end as good as orginal lifters did. The china lifters metering plate only allows oiling to rockers on certain cam rotation. Only Hylift lifters have the right metering plate for my knowledge currently.