Oil Pump Priming

[Risocco]

Hey guys, just a quick one. I took the pump out to clean the gauze and pick up pipe, would I then need to prime the pump before braving starting the car?

Cheers for any help

[Old Mac Rocco]

I did on the advice from members on here and I had no problems restarting.
I think if you don't you have to crank the engine over by hand a few times before the oil flows, but not certain about that.
Good Luck.
http://sciroccoregisterforum.co.uk/carf ... 433#p74956


PS Had no problems since.

[Risocco]

Ahhhh right, you cranked it by hand then dude? That's cool as I will be doing that anyway to check for interference when I put the head back on. If that's all that needs doing I'm sorted, ta

[Roxylife]

On new engines I always fill up the strainer gauze with petroleum jelly, and fill up with oil from the top, and insert into the block carefully from underneath. This way, as soon as you start cranking oil is being circulated to the bearings (avoiding scoring etc). - Every little helps protecting a fresh engine whilst oil pressure gathers.

[Risocco]

On new engines I always fill up the strainer gauze with petroleum jelly

OK, educate me! What's the reasoning behind that dude?

[Old Mac Rocco]

I did notice that after I primed the pump there was an occasional drip coming from the pick up.
How much oil was left in the pump after I had tightened the bolts, replaced the new gasket and sump and tightened up 20 bolts I do not know but I don't think it would be much.
The good thing when I was doing it was that I was refilling with fresh oil from the top so I'm assuming this helped lubricate the engine ???????

[Roxylife]

On new engines I always fill up the strainer gauze with petroleum jelly

OK, educate me! What's the reasoning behind that dude?

As stated, when cranking a new engine with no oil pressure, it takes the pump a long time for the pump to scavange oil. Where if the pump is primed and full of oil already (filled from the top) it circulates oil straight away to the bearings. The Petroluem jelly stops it draining back into the sump after you've filled the pump up from the top. it dissapears almost straight away.

Normally takes about 15 seconds of cranking to get oil pressure up on a brand new engine as everything needs filling with oil (oilways, filters, coolers etc). Leaving the bearings susceptable to scoring etc. Engine build lube prevents a lot of this.. But every little helps.

[Risocco]

Oh I see, cheers dude

[christhemann]

Hi mate,

Don't mean to rock the boat, but having just rebuilt my engine I can say that the trick with using Vaseline / petroleum jelly didn't work for me.
In fact it prevented the oil pump from priming properly and meant taking the sump off, cleaning the vaseline off and just filling up with oil instead.

I might have done things wrong however, but it primed straight away after just pouring oil into the top and working it into the gears by turning it.
So long as you don't take days and days to get it running, oil should stay in the pump hopefully.

[PeteGLi]

I usually prime the pump by removing the distributor on the 8v and then turn the top of the oil pump shaft with an appropriate sized rod with a slot cut in it, in a drill.

[Risocco]

Cheers guys, and Pete, what a cracking idea!

[seanr68]

When i've rebuilt engines i always put in a new water and oil pumps. I then grease the internal moving parts of the oil pump with "engine assembly grease". This creates a near perfect seal, creating the vacuum that sucks the oil up the pick up pipe almost immediately.
You can buy the stuff on ebay or from a good motor factor.

Never had any issues doing it this way at all.

[Roxylife]

Never had a problem with the 15 or so I've done..

Provided the engines been built with engine assembly lube you'll be fine, this is just an extra measure that I like to take and have found it worked for me consistantly..

If an oil pump cant generate enough vacume to clear a small amount of petroleum jelly from tthe gauze, i'd probably bin it!...