First Time Engine Starting

[dodge68charger]

I Had My Engine Rebuilt 2 Years Ago And Am Planning To Start It For The First Time In The Next Few Weeks. I Sprayed a Few Squirts Of Diesel Down The Cylinder A Few Days Ago and need To Add Antifreeze.. Any Other Precautions I Should Take? Thanks

 

[1967coronet440]

Prime the oil pump! and be ready to run around the car looking for leaks etc, check timing once running.

 

[khryslerkid]

Flat tappet cam and lifters need to go through a break in procedure. 2,000 rpm for 20 min with a good break in oil.

If it's a newly rebuilt automatic trans, you need to have someone dumping fluid into it the second that it fires up. It's always good to have a helper there for a second set of eyes and ears.

Good luck!

 

[dodge68charger]

How Do I Prime the oil Pump? Thanks

 

[khryslerkid]

How Do I Prime the oil Pump? Thanks

What engine are you working with?

 

[tonysrt]

This guy should look for local help to get this thing fired up. He definitely won't have the priming shaft. It's good that he asked and is getting the right answers.

 

[SublimeSixpack]

Flat tappet cam and lifters need to go through a break in procedure. 2,000 rpm for 20 min with a good break in oil.

This.

Also, consider what you can do to make sure the engine fires right up such as making sure your plug wires are in the correct firing order on the distributor cap, distributor rotor pointing to number one plug wire on it's cap with engine at TDC on compression stroke on number one cylinder, plus fuel in carburetor and to the acc. pump squirter. Check for voltage at coil, etc.
Ideally you don't want to have to crank, crank, crank the engine to get it to fire.
When it fires, check for oil pressure, and keep an eye on temperature gauge as you run the cam in.

 

[wyrmrider]

answer the what motor question
distributors in different motors turn different directions so you set the timing differently points? electronic?
BBM uses a 3/8 hex shaft- nothing fancy
determine which way the distributor turns, pull the distributor and spin the shaft then put the distributor back in and set the timing to whatever the spec is Before Top Dead Center- Make sure you know which way the motor turns so which side of the pointer BEFORE is dbl check the wire routing DBL check TDC on the COMPRESSION not the Exhaust/ Overlap TDC. Do you know which cylinder is number one and how the cylinders are numbered? Brands differ
so easy to have it 180 degrees off and/ or backwards

 

[5.7 hemi]

Big block, small block, /6?

 

[dodge68charger]

Hey Guys Its A 440 engine With a Pertronix Ignition In The Coil.. The engine Was Broken In On The Dyno.. Thank You For The Replys

 

[747mopar]

Hey Guys Its A 440 engine With a Pertronix Ignition In The Coil.. The engine Was Broken In On The Dyno.. Thank You For The Replys

Hope you drained the carb after the dyno, 2 year old fuel isn't good.

 

[Ski 61701]

What kind of carb, carter or holley? Hopefully its a carter just pop the top look inside for crud , soak the accelerator pump to soften it up and fill the float bowls. Holley is a little more involved make sure you have new bowl gaskets. Definately prime the engine, I'd change the oil now for new oil, I use 10w30 valvoline vr1 oil, enough zinc in it. Like others have said get an extra set of eyes / hands to help you.

 

[SublimeSixpack]

So it's already been fired up and cam ran in on a dyno. That would have been useful info. up front. But some of the advice offered still applies. Good luck.

 

[wyrmrider]

plus what's above prime the motor by pulling the distributor and using a hex shaft and a drill you evidently know the rest, sorry I thought you were starting from no knowledge at all
cheers

 

[miller]

Good that the motor is already broke in.
But, sitting for two years...even six months, you should pre-oil it, before starting it. If not, you take the chance of wiping out a bearing, from a dry start.

 

[dodge68charger]

What Is The Procedure For Pre Oiling?

Do I Have To Re-Time Anything and What Should I Mark?

Thanks

 

[miller]

prime the motor by pulling the distributor and using a hex shaft

What wyrmrider said.
But, a little help, especially if the timing is already set, do this...

By hand, turn the engine over, until the timing marks line up, on compression stroke #1.
That's simply because you have to pull the distributor, and distributor drive shaft out. No big deal if you get things off, just means you'll need to re-time it.
Before you pull the distributor, note the direction the rotor is pointing. Pull the distributor.
Then, take note on the slot position, top of the drive gear. Sounds like alot, but really isn't...just helps get the parts back in right.
Drive gear needs to come out, slight rotation, as it does. Pre-oil shaft goes in that bushing, hex end into the oil pump drive hex. Do the pre-oil, forcing oil into the empty ports in the engine.

Then, re-install the drive shaft, and distributor, same positions they were in. If right, engine will at least start, only needing the timing checked, and set as needed.

Bottom line...the engine has oil where needed, before you fire it off. No difference than a fresh re-build, but already broke in!

 

[Fran Blacker]

I typed bottom paragraph last night but home internet went down. Miller's answer is perfect. The only thing I'd do is put a small piece of tape on base of dist to block and slit it so one piece stays on dist and other stays on block. Now you can put dist back in same spot you removed it from. Must have dist drive gear in same location before it was removed. If the distributor is in the position it was on the dyno, put a piece of tape from base of dist to block. Slit taape so when you remove dist one stays on dist, other piece stays on block. Remove cap and note rotor position, remove dist with disturbing tape. Note position of slot on distributor drive, turn ccw a
with a large screwdriver. I use a 2 jaw grabber to pull it out. Put 3/8 hex drive in oil pump and turn ccw with a drill. To assemble reverse process, besure you get oil pump drive dist rotor and dist back in the same pos

 

[khryslerkid]

And here's another tidbit.

When priming, start with TDC crank location. This location lines up the oil passages in the cam with the right side head passages to the rockers.

Turn the crank clockwise one revolution and stop at the 270 degree mark and the oil passage in the cam is lined up with the left head passages to the rockers.

 

[Garys1969RR]

Are you sure it's only 90 degrees of crank rotation to line up the other oil passage in the cam? Cause that's only 45 degrees of camshaft rotation. I'm a little unclear on this. I had a hard time lining up the cam on my 451, to get the passenger side rockers to pre oil. Although the drivers side oiled right away, as I had the crank at TDC of the firing stroke. Also, be sure to turn the drill counter clockwise on a big block, to get the pump going.

 

[khryslerkid]

Are you sure it's only 90 degrees of crank rotation to line up the other oil passage in the cam?

Gary, I belive you are correct. It would be 270* to line up the oil passage for the left bank.

I only have done this twice, trying to find a definite way to line them up. Once when I was assembling the engine, once right before the cam break-in. Having to rotate the engine while priming takes two people and I don't always have that option. I'll edit my post.

I'm thinking that if you have degreed your cam this will be off that much also.

Next time I take the valve covers off for inspection, I'm going to document the whole procedure.