markjonesx 1 Posted December 21, 2012 Report Share Posted December 21, 2012 (edited) All, Does anyone have a start up procedure for a new engine installation? Concerned mostly with the oil side, do I prefill the oil filter/cooler lines etc...... Crank it for 30 sec before start etc....? Edited December 21, 2012 by markjonesx Quote Esprit S1, 238G, Blog Online Photo's This car was most definately hand built, NOTHING FITS! Link to post Share on other sites
andydclements 754 Posted December 21, 2012 Report Share Posted December 21, 2012 You may find it difficult to pre-fill those but by all means give it a go (and the filter). As long as it has been assembled relatively recently and oiled as done then you should be fine. Remove the plugs (and disconnect the coil power lead). You can then turn it over for a while to get the pump putting some oil around, just don't over-heat the starter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike6 11 Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 I agree with Andy. Allow the engine to turn over before firing, that way you shouldnt fire up with anything 'dry' Quote Link to post Share on other sites
molemot 521 Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 Bags of Graphogen grease around the bearings on assembly; and one final trick. Just before I fit the engine into the car, and before I fit the cambelt, I take an electric drill with a suitable hex drive bit, fit it to the aux. pulley and use the drill to drive the oil pump. Obviously you need oil in the sump (!). I loosen the brass plugs which seal off the oilways and when the oil starts to come out I tighten them up again. After a bit you will have all the oilways full and the bearings too...mains, big ends, camshafts, the works. Then fit the cambelt and tension it and put the engine back in the vehicle. Oh yes...you need to have the oil filter fitted without the oil cooler takeoff! I generally do the running in without the oil cooler in circuit for the first 500 miles or so..then refit the cooler to the circuit at the first oil change. I have never been able to generate any oil pressure on mine using just the starter, even with the plugs out. Quote Scientists investigate that which already is; Engineers create that which has never been." - Albert Einstein Link to post Share on other sites
markjonesx 1 Posted December 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 I generally do the running in without the oil cooler in circuit for the first 500 miles or so..then refit the cooler to the circuit at the first oil change. Why run without the oil cooler? Quote Esprit S1, 238G, Blog Online Photo's This car was most definately hand built, NOTHING FITS! Link to post Share on other sites
molemot 521 Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 No oil cooler because, that way, I can do my trick with the electric drill on the oil pump and fit the engine into the car as a sealed unit. I suppose it goes back to the first time I took the engine out....1989? can't remember (!)....and the hoses from the oil cooler takeoff, between the filter and the pump housing, were absolutely immovable. So I removed the filter and the oil cooler takeoff, with the oil hoses attached, and pulled the engine and gearbox without them. In fact, the car still has the same oil cooler hoses and my engine out procedure is still the same! After I have removed the takeoff, it gets wrapped in a poly bag and a couple of cable ties. Whilst finishing the engine rebuild I had the idea of winding up the oil pressure without rotating the crankshaft or cams...and it worked nicely. It being winter, I reasoned that - especially during the first 500 miles of running in - there would be no need for an oil cooler so I went down that route. Quote Scientists investigate that which already is; Engineers create that which has never been." - Albert Einstein Link to post Share on other sites
LotusX180R 16 Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 In my race cars when they have not been run for a while (even a few days) the procedure is to crank the nmotor with ignition off until the oil pressure reads on the guage. Then start with ignition. Quote Kyle Kaulback Link to post Share on other sites
markjonesx 1 Posted December 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 A friend of mine is cranking his engine now and seeing no oil pressure just on the starter. Are you sure this is OK? Quote Esprit S1, 238G, Blog Online Photo's This car was most definately hand built, NOTHING FITS! Link to post Share on other sites
andydclements 754 Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 You'll be unlikely to see it on the gauge as the cranking speed is very low but the idea is to crank it for a while (not many mins, perhaps a couple in total) to get the oil pump to be primed and ensure any oil that was in the bearing areas is spread around not just dropped to the lowest point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Paolo 5 Posted January 2, 2013 Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 It may also be worth draining the tanks if the engine's been out for a while - petrol goes off quickly - if you pardon the pun!And make sure the battery is fully charged.Avoid cranking for more than 30 secs a time, as this can kill your starter.Putting some oil in the filter can also reduce priming time for the oil system. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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