Topic: Got past my prime, oil that is.

[kerryb]

So I decided to finally start gathering up all those loose parts and try to put a bike together.  After getting enough parts to start the engine after cleaning it, I noticed there was no oil at the rocker arms so I didn't proceed.  I surmise that spending 6 months twirling around on the stand with no oil in it caused the oil pump to lose it's prime.  I ended up taking the oil pump out, removing the overpressure spring and plunger and priming the pump in a vise on the bench.  After reassembly it started pumping oil right away and the engine fired without issue.  (rather quickly at that)

So...the question is...how do I avoid this two-hour project in the future.  It was frustrating, puzzling, and I wasted 1/2 a quart of expensive oil in the process.

[72500john]

sounds like an unavoidable situation. have had to "prime"many v8s with a drill prior to fire up. sometimes wasted time is time well spent!!

[splitt]

With the engine laid over on the stator side, I pull the galley plug and fill it full of oil, then replace the galley plug. After righting the engine, I pull the valve inspection covers and shoot some oil onto the cam to help lubricate it.

To allow the engine to turn over easier and to keep it from starting, I pull the spark plugs. Then using the starter, I crank the engine over until oil starts to flow from the cam journal/lifter area.

I usually get oil flow to the cam in less than 10 seconds.

[kerryb]

Thank you Splitt,  that sounds like it will work.  When I got the oil pump out, I first thought the spring-loaded plunger was stuck.  After there was oil in the pump I think not. 

I had the splugs out and oil on the valve train and cylinders while spinning the engine with the starter.  When the battery was going south I figured there was a bigger problem.

[ealanm]

I have a slight modification to spitt's method that might not be necessary when the engine's in a bike, but helps in my situation.  My CB750 engine is installed in a vintage race car, and the oil tank is mounted down beside the engine, giving little or no gravity assist to the oil flow.  In addition to what splitt does (above), I also pressurize the oil tank to give the oil an extra push into the pump.  It seems to help.

What I do is remove the oil return line from the tank and direct it into an oil container.  Then I hook up a line from my air compressor to the tank inlet fitting (a bicycle pump would work just as well).  My tank has a third fitting for a breather line from the transmission, and on that fitting I put two party balloons, one inside the other.  The balloons give an indication of the pressure in the tank and also ensure that too much pressure never gets applied.  If your tank doesn't have that third fitting you could make up some kind of "T" arrangement on the inlet fitting to achieve the same effect.

[Don R]

I have a fitting for an external oil pressure gauge that goes on the right side oil galley. I screw a pipe nipple on it then a 90* then a threaded reducer going up in size to a 3/4" pipe nipple. I fill the oil galley from there, quickly re-install the gauge and spin it over.