Oil pump primer

[62wagon]

Hey guys, I would like to ask a rookie 348/409 question. I am real close to firing the '58 up for the first time and need to prime the oil pump. Where can I obtain the tool for doing this or am I going to have to make something from scratch? Thanks in advance for this help and all of the other help you have quietly provided.

Mark

[4onthefloor]

Summit sells a cheap one that attaches to a drill......I think its the smallblock one..

[w ogden]

I think Curt Harvey sells one that fits the 348/409 and allows oil to get to all the oil gallerys. Also, check out Ronnie Russells thread (camshafts) regarding cam break in and the need for an additive. Very important as you will see. :)

[desapience]

Hey guys, I would like to ask a rookie 348/409 question. I am real close to firing the '58 up for the first time and need to prime the oil pump. Where can I obtain the tool for doing this or am I going to have to make something from scratch? Thanks in advance for this help and all of the other help you have quietly provided.

Mark

SBC's and BBC's use the same tool for oil-pump priming, BUT, it will NOT work on a 348-409. If you have an old 348-409 distributor you can make one, or use it as a pattern to make the proper diameter-sized sleeve to swap out in place of the sleeve already on a standard SBC/BBC tool (that's what I did).

Denis

[models916]

I think Show Cars sell one. Plan on a 1/2" drill at full blast for about 10 minutes. take off the valve covers and watch for oil to get to the front most rockers thru the pushrods.

[29Coupe348]

why cant you use one like this?????.. http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=MOR%2D62200&N=115+4294908216&autoview=sku

[4onthefloor]

Thats what I used ! A gutted distributor is the best way I admit but you gotta use what you have !This one doesn't seal off the galleries the way a distributor would. I haven't seen the ones from SC or anywhere else,

[Dond409]

The one that you showed in the summit link will not oil the whole motor. The passenger side of the motor will not get oil up to the rockers. Spend the money and get the one from Showcars. It is made for these engines. Better safe than sorry.

[62wagon]

Thanks for all your help. I guess this is why forums like this work. Simple question that got answers I did not know. I sure thought about a primer like shown in the Summit link and it sounds like I would have had a problem. Dond409, If I might ask another question, why will it not get oil up to the rockers? I am showing my lack of knowledge on these engines, but they intrigue me and I would like to know. W ogden, thanks also for the heads up on Ronnie Russell's thread. That is some valuable info that will not go without notice. Thanks again guys!:clap

Mark

[SS425HP]

Wagon, the 409 distributor is shorter and larger in diameter than the BBC and the SBC. It won't seal off the passages. So the oil won't go where it is supposed to go, like up top. The Show Cars primer is the right size in length and diameter. I have a BBC primer I used on them. I can prime the bottom end and the oil filter, but nothing goes up top. The Show Cars, being the right sizes, is your best bet. It seals off the passages, and forces oil up top like your 409 distributor will. Money well spent. Alternative is to have someone make a sleeve to go over a BBC or SBC primer to the 409 dimensions. Machine shop work. I think that's what DonD did. It will work, also. You would have to take your 409 distributor and a BBC in to the shop so they would have the dimensions to work with.
Hope this explains it to you.

[models916]

409 primer is $59.00

[JimKwiatkowski]

Here's a photo of Show Cars Priming tool

[62wagon]

This may be a little strong, but here goes - I love you guys!:rolleyes: Thanks for the info. It looks as if a call to Show Cars is in order. This kind of information is exactly what I was looking for. Have a good one guys!!

Mark