Almost Time to Start It!

[EngineerDoug]

Well folks I am just about ready to start up and break in my budget 383 build. Just wanted to say thanks for all the tips and advice. I have to get it bolted to my run cradle and connect a few things, and then it's ready to go. I filled it with Gibbs break-in oil and hope it lights off with minimal cranking.

Now I just need a dry day to get it hooked up and run it. We have more rain on the way here in the Santa Cruz mountains (SF Bay Area).

 

[Superb Bee]

good luck with the weather, motor looks good, I always spin the oil pump up right before I drop in the dizzy while I turn it over a bit, find top dead, drop in dizzy, and light the match..

So much less stress having a motor running before it goes in the engine bay...

 

[miller]

Be sure to PRE-OIL...

Think I'm gonna duck.

 

[EngineerDoug]

Oh yeah, I still have my hex pre-oil shaft from 20 years back. I intend to pre-oil, hand turn the engine over to get oil to the rocker shafts, and fill the cooling system with hot water. I figure that might help it a bit - it's been cold here. Got the engine on my run stand with gauges. Will fill the carb with gas, prime the fuel pump, and static time the distributor with a voltmeter. Pre-filled the oil filter and packed the oil pump with Vaseline. Oil pan full of Gibbs break-in oil. Have ready a garden hose and a big fan to augment the engine fan through the radiator. Timing light and fire extinguisher, too.

Did I forget anything?

 

[dieseldazzle]

I live in the Bay Area too. Small world

 

[khryslerkid]

If you use your priming rod, counter clockwise, you may not need to lube the oil pump and fill the filter.

Worth a shot.

 

[miller]

It's all I've ever done...like khryslerkid says. Both pump and filter gets primed with the rest of the engine. Also believe beginning with the pump only having 'assembly' oil in it, priming will tell quickly, if you have any suction problem at the pick-up tube.