If the oil pump gears are not meshing smoothly or there’s a light binding taking place, this can be detected much easier when turning the pump over with a hand driven speed handle.  Some of those oil pump issues do not show up when using a hand drill to prime the engines.  I’ve found issues with several new and out of the box oil pumps while turning them over by hand that would have gone undetected if using a power drill instead.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Ted, can you elaborate on the problems detected using a speed handle verses a power drill?

Darrell Howard Whitefish, MT Outlaw 56 Ford F-100's

something I did differently to prime the oil pump was unscrew the oil gallery plug at the rear and used a syringe to pump about 60ml of oil into the pump, i thought that this would be less messy than the other method mentioned elsewhere on other threads.

One thing to be wary of, using a magnetic bit holder if the oil pump drive shaft doesn't have the the spring collar to hold it in place you may pull it out when you remove the bit holder. I think the 1/4" socket is safer.

Rick - West Australia
Do Y Blocks Downunder run upside down? Gravity Sucks!!

Mark, I have several of those ¼" magnetic bit holders. It's one of the items Harbor Freight gives away occasionally to get you in the door. Normally they're $2.99 I think.

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

Well I don't have an old distributor shaft and my 1/4" socket won't fit inside the bore so I had to find something that would work.  Yes Paul, I always fill the oil filter but was surprised to find how quickly the centre portion empties as the oil soaks into the filter material. I too have used a speed handle but as well as a drill set on reverse at a slow speed  and I too tape everything together..


Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia

I'm in Glen's camp in that I use an old distributor with a nut welded to its top.  I simply use a speed handle and starting with an empty oil filter, it only takes roughly twenty seconds to fill the filter and get oil pressure on most engines including the Y's.  I've found problems with oil pumps using the speed handle that would have gone unnoticed if using a form of powered drill to prime the engines.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

I just took an old dist, removed the point plate and advance assy. Drop it in and turn counter clockwise with a batt powered drill.

Glen Henderson



Freedom is not Free

Letohatchee, AL

I never had a problem fitting a 1/4 drive, 1/4 socket into the hole.  Always taped everything together.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Mark: Another note on pre oiling an engine (you may know this but it's worth mentioning it again) is to pre fill the Oil Filter before installing it. I fill the filter say 2/3rds full, let it sit for a minute, to soak up the oil, then pick it up & rotate it in hand at roughly a 45 deg. angle for a few seconds, this allows the cartridge to soak up more of the oil. Then it can be tipped at about a 60 deg angle and rotated again. After, it can be topped up with oil about 1/2 way again & rotated again to soak up the oil & then installed.. I also suggest doing this when doing oil changes...  


Paul