Engine Start After Rebuild

[iflylow74]

Hello all,

I've bee reading the forum for a while but this is my first post.

I am in the process of finishing up installing a new crank and all new bearings in my '53 3A and I am starting to wonder about the first start up after the rebuild is complete.


I am wondering what you guys recommend in the way of making sure the motor is properly lubricated for the first start up. I read somewhere that some people pack the oil pump with Vaseline or assembly lube.

Any tricks or tips??

Thanks!!

[Gunslinger]

Fly low,
I've got the same game going here, just put in the new bearings, soaked everything down with good quality oil before I closed it up.  Seems like most of the reading I've done indicates taking out the plugs and spinning the engine until you get oil pressure on the gage, then you can put the plugs in and try to start it.  I think you can do the same with the plugs in and the key off, but the engine may turn too slow to get the oil pressure up when its fighting compression along the way.

So just for another point of view, I talked to a guy this week that specializes in building willys motors, he uses assembly grease on the bearings and claims the motor will run for 5 minutes with no damage just on the grease, without oil pressure.  So I think it might be a good idea to have oil pressure before ignition, thats my plan anyway.

[iflylow74]

Sounds like a good plan gunslinger! I think I remember reading about the same procedure you mentioned. One guy recommender after pulling the plugs out to pour a little Marvels Miracle Oil down each spark plug hole to lubricate the pistons.

Not sure about that but I guess it couldn't hurt anything! I can't wait to get my Jeep back into one place and give it a test drive.

[Gunslinger]

My sweet wife volunteered to help me drop the motor into the frame tommorow night, I think she might be angling for a ride to the DQ!!!

Opps, she just said Ben and Jerry's!!! Spendy date 8-)

[iflylow74]

My sweet wife volunteered to help me drop the motor into the frame tommorow night, I think she might be angling for a ride to the DQ!!!

Opps, she just said Ben and Jerry's!!! Spendy date 8-)

Sounds like a fair trade to me!! Good luck getting the motor in, let us know how it goes!

[RandyA]

back in the day I used too rebuild a lot of engines...anything small used too use a combination of 50/50 STP and quality 30wt oil.....would stick pretty good if you didnt wait too long from assembly to start up...I used to pull the plugs and rotate ,untill oil pressure was up...then re-install plugs and pray...er I mean ,start er up.....always used assembly lube on cam lobes....I am not schooled on the Hurricane engine...if the distributor drives the oil pump...then pull distributor and drive the oil pump with a drill and a standard screwdriver with the handle cut off and build your oil pressure that way....either way good luck....

[Carls_jeep]

In the 1970 to 80's when I worked at a Cummins Distributor we used white lubriplate grease on the main and rod bearings. It would provide lube for way longer than it took for the new engine to fire up.

During the middle 70's some of the distributors and dealers were using a 50/50 mix of STP and oil and if the engine was stored without starting they were having spun bearings. Cummins did a test and found that the 50/50 mix of oil and STP would harden over a short storage time and lock the bearings to the crank. When you put the engine into service you would have a bearing failure.

Cummins sent letters to all distributors and dealers to discontinue using STP and only use white lubriplate grease.

If your going to start a rebuilt engine pull the plugs and turn the engine over with the starter until the oil pressure comes up. If you start the engine and the oil pressure does not come up you have most likely damaged all the bearings by the time you realize the oil pressure is NOT coming up.