Rebuilt engine

[Pandersen33]

What would be necessary if acquiring an older rebuilt engine? This particular engine would be a 24 stud engine rebuilt 6 years ago and stored indoors. The rebuild has been verified by reciepts as well as an inspection. Should i just dump oil in it and run the starter to pump oil through it or will everything need to be manually re-lubed with assembly lube? Everything still seems to have a good coating but with that age should i wipe off the old stuff and re-lube it?

[rockfla]

Were it me,
and while it is out of the vehicle, I would at least pull the pan and plastic gauge the rods and and mains to double check the information you have at hand and make sure everything is tightened and torqued as specified. Short effort for long satisfaction. When that all checks out you can pre-assembly lube it all at the same time and then install it with peace of mind. Then pull the plugs and spin up the oil pressure and have many miles of happy driving. JMO.

[cederholm]

I would do the same as rockfla.

~ Carl

[tubman]

Boy, I dunno guys. No disrespect intended, but unless the O/P is an experienced engine guy, there is a possibility that he may do more harm than good tearing the engine down to the extant that he could plasti-gage the bearings, etc. To have a shop do it would add quite a bit to his budget. I would go over the receipts to see exactly what has been done, and if possible, check the reputation of the shop that did the work. If everything there checks out, and the engine passes a visual inspection, turns freely and doesn't make any funny noises, I would do what the O/P suggested : fill it with oil, and turn it over without plugs to see if there is oil pressure. If that turns out OK, I'd check the compression and then try to fire it.

This is exactly what I did with the good used '51 Merc that I had that had been sitting under the stairs for 20 years. One thing about that engine : it took a long time to show any oil pressure at all, perhaps over a minute. (It seemed like longer.) When it did build pressure, it came right up. I believe that during it's long slumber, all of the oil in the passages drained back into the pan and the pump lost it's prime. When it did finally prime, it was fine. That engine has been in my car for going on three years now and runs strong, cool, and has good oil pressure. If the O/P's engine is a fresh rebuild, the oil pump should have been packed with grease or Vaseline, and should prime easier.

One thing that could be done is to rig some sort of pressure device (I have heard fertilizer sprayers work) up to the oil gauge port and force oil into the passages and pump to make sure the entire system is full of oil, not just the pan.

I would also add that if you remove the pan to check things out, you should plan on replacing the front and rear seals. On the 258" I just finished, I had installed a Speedway oil pump. The engine ran good and didn't leak, but I was dissatisfied with the oil pressure. After many discussions here and elsewhere, I pulled the pan and replaced the new Speedway pump with a known good used Ford pump. This solved my oil pressure problems, but although I was very careful, I now have a rear main seal leak.

Just my 2 cents.

[flatjack9]

One of my concerns would be that possibly a mouse had taken up residence in the engine. I would pull the intake manifold and the pan just to satisfy that it is clean. I also would pack the oil pump so it would prime quickly.

[JSeery]

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Going the easy things to check it out (such as pulling the intake) seems like a good idea, but other than that would be overkill to me.

[tubman]

I was also going to suggest pulling the intake, but forgot to mention it in all of my blathering.

Bottom line? I wouldn't take it down any further unless I found a compelling reason to do so.

[Kurt in NJ]

If you pull the pan and use pressure pot oiler you can check the bearings, and gallery plugs by observing the dripping--- bearings slow drip--- a steady stream says take a look further--- and have it well oiled for startup

[JSeery]

Unless you have some experience working on engines, even pulling to pan can be problematic.

OK, Pandersen33 see from your later post you do have experience with engines, in that case I agree with the other post, the more you can check out in advance of attempting a startup the better.

[FrankWest]

How did the engine get out of the car? Did you take it out? Why?

[drolston]

Was the engine run on a test stand after the rebuild? If not sure, I would worry about the cam lube having run off. In any case, I would do the initial oil priming and test run with Valvoline 20w50 racing oil, to get a good level of zinc on the cam and lifters. The other thing is to get it on the road and under a moderate load as soon as possible to improve the chances of the rings seating properly.

[Pandersen33]

Thanks for the info. I have rebuilt a few engines but not flatheads. Definitly was going to pull the intake and oil pan and go from there. Oiling through the gauge port seems like my best bet is everything still seems well greased.

[JSeery]

Frank, Drolston, per the OP it is a new rebuilt engine, stored indoors.

[drolston]

Originally Posted by JSeery

Frank, Drolston, per the OP it is a new rebuilt engine, stored indoors.

Yeah, if you bought a rebuilt short block from Western Auto, you knew it had never been run. But it if it cam from H&H you knew it had been started and run on a test stand. Just suggesting that whatever the history, there are prudent steps to minimize potential damage in bringing it to life.

[Frank Miller]

Here is the easiest way to prime the oil galleys and pump on an 8ba. With the filter out and the cover off put a hose over the center tube and fill the can. The oil will drip back through the pump and galleys. It will take a bit because of the small orfice in the inlet but it will drain down. I never examined anything after to prove this out but figure it must work because the oil went somewhere.

[flatjack9]

The filters just drain back into the pan.

[Frank Miller]

Originally Posted by flatjack9

The filters just drain back into the pan.

Not if you block that passage. It's like pouring oil down the engine outlet.