Pre-Oil or Not to Pre-Oil

[Moms68]

When I pull a distributor put a piece of tape on distributor base to block note rotor position. Then slice the tape so tape stays on distributor and block. Pull distributor and note oil pump drive position. Work backward to assemble.

Do you have a photo?

 

[Black_Sheep]

I would just pull the coil wire and crank it over for a few seconds until it shows oil pressure on the gauge. That way you won’t disturb the timing and it should light right away…

 

[68Moparmaniac]

I think it's easier to pull the distributor than all the spark plugs.

It may just be me but if the engine's been sitting for a while I'd like to pull plugs just to see how they look, perhaps put in a fresh set and maybe just put a shot of Marvel Mystery in each hole if I'm seeing any condensation from storage...but again that's just me. If it's too much work just disconnect the coil and spin it over until you see oil pressure. Wasn't sure how well the engine was stored so....

 

[dadsbee]

383 in my Bee was rebuilt in 1976 for 300 bucks!. I use to store it each time I put it away, with it running, by dumping 1/2 a quart of transmission fluid down the carb 'till she smoked like a bitch and then smother it. As years went on I got lazier and lazier and just parked it. Before I restored the car it had been in a marine container for 14 years. Wife and I dragged it out with the tractor the Fall of 2014, I broke the hardened fuel line off of the pump and hooked up my 9.9 merc kicker can. Cranked it twice and it was running as smooth as the day I put it away. Still running... 48 years post rebuild. I did do the valve seals and timing chain during restoration, nothing else!

 

[Runner 68]

Again, thanks for all the input. While a PITA I'll pre-lube which is what I was thinking anyway. Not as simple as stated above because of all the detail work I have done but no big deal. Can't just "shuck the distributor out of there". See below. Pulling the distributor is a little more involved than the typical driver or race car.
As Peebody stated, pulling the oil pan is a bigger pain in the *** than pulling the distributor.
I have never had one sit this long which is why I posed the the question. Needed a sanity check. Love this place.

BTW Dad, what's up with the rope? Were you trying to straighten the bumper?

 

[tubalcain]

I'll join the "fire it up" camp. I've taken engines apart that sat for 25 years, and they all had an oil coat on the bearings.

 

[Runner 68]

I'll join the "fire it up" camp. I've taken engines apart that sat for 25 years, and they all had an oil coat on the bearings.

I would agree...on an old "loose" engine, but a new tight one, no.
My son's 72 Duster sat out in the eastern Colorado weather for 26 years before we rescued it. 318. We filled it with 3 gallons of Marvel and let it set for 2 weeks.
Drained it and it rolled over by hand like butter. 29,000 miles later it's still running hard but then again it's a 318. Indestructible.

 

[Moms68]

Again, thanks for all the input. While a PITA I'll pre-lube which is what I was thinking anyway. Not as simple as stated above because of all the detail work I have done but no big deal. Can't just "shuck the distributor out of there". See below. Pulling the distributor is a little more involved than the typical driver or race car.
As Peebody stated, pulling the oil pan is a bigger pain in the *** than pulling the distributor.
I have never had one sit this long which is why I posed the the question. Needed a sanity check. Love this place.

BTW Dad, what's up with the rope? Were you trying to straighten the bumper?

View attachment 1601187

Wow, nice job! The ignition wires and looms are awesome. Did you polish or have the MT covers chromed?

 

[dvw]

Piece of cake. Pull 4 wires off at the cap from the pass side along with the coil wire. Leave the others attached. Pop the cap and lay it aside with the drivers wiring attached. Mark the housing at the base with a sharpie on the distributor and the block. Make note of the rotor position and pull the dist. Make note of the slot location of the oilnpump drive and pull it. The oil pump drive will come out easy with flat nose snap ring pliers. No Then just drop everything back in. The drive rotates going in. If it's in the wrong spot just then it backward with a screw driver in the slot one tooth at a time. If the hex doesn't drop into the oil pump just wiggle a bit. Mine is way tighter than yours.
Doug

 

[65hemi]

To try to minimize screw ups, I set mine at TDC, mark the housing and block, and take a photo of the oil pump drive position.

 

[Dave6T4]

To try to minimize screw ups, I set mine at TDC, mark the housing and block, and take a photo of the oil pump drive position.

View attachment 1601284

If that is at TDC, distributor drive needs to be turned 1 tooth CCW to get drive slot exactly fore/aft. All this will affect, is where the vacuum advance pot will sit when the ignition timing is set.

 

[Runner 68]

Wow, nice job! The ignition wires and looms are awesome. Did you polish or have the MT covers chromed?

Thanks. Leanna at Phoenix Specialty Coatings polished and powder coated the MTs.

 

[WileERobby]

Thanks. Leanna at Phoenix Specialty Coatings polished and powder coated the MTs.

Another example of her stellar work !

 

[Fran Blacker]

Your looking at dist base with hold down clamp. Remove clamp make sure dist won't move. Clean dist base and block so tape stick. cut a piece of tape 1/4" wide 1" long. See picture, put tape on dist base to block where hash marks are. Where I put a bunch of red lines cut tape so that tape stays on dist and block when you remove dist from block. You need to know where dist rotor is pointing. After removing dist take picture of oil pump slot location so when you put it is in same spot. I take picture from passengers side of car/engine. Just put everything back the way it was. Turn the engine over your going start from scratch.

 

[69 Charger]

'69 Charger 383 HP: Body has been under restoration since August 2022. Meanwhile, engine was rebuilt and returned to me in March 2023. Until it is reinstalled, engine rebuilder recommended periodically oiling the engine via the oil pump drive under the distributor using a drill motor. I was unable to find a hex rod to accomplish that approach, so I installed the starter, starter relay, spare ignition switch and an external battery. Two quarts of oil and ZDDP additive are in the pan. With the plugs out, I spin the engine 10 or so revs once a month. Is this setup adequate to keep the engine sufficiently oiled until reinstallation?

 

[dadsbee]

All you are doing is scraping the cylinders dry. Like guys that can't resist touching the propellor on an aircraft engine stored for the Winter.

 

[WileERobby]

To be serious, I prefer the rather be safe than sorry side. While a cold start may suffice, I like peace of mind, a little bit of effort is worth it. And a Mopar BB is really not that much effort with the dist in front tilted !

 

[Bee1971]

For $12 and shipping

Mopar Oil Pump Priming Rod

 

[69 Charger]

All you are doing is scraping the cylinders dry. Like guys that can't resist touching the propellor on an aircraft engine stored for the Winter.

I squirt oil onto the cylinder walls via the sparkplug holes before turning the engine. Doesn't the oil pump take care of that when the engine is running?

 

[dadsbee]

I squirt oil onto the cylinder walls via the sparkplug holes before turning the engine. Doesn't the oil pump take care of that when the engine is running?

More of a splatter from running. Only way you're going to know if you're actually oiling anything is to pull the rocker covers. With only a couple quarts of oil in the pan and ten turns I doubt the pump even primes.