Oil pump priming tool

[Red 409 63 impala]

Is there a difference between the distributor shaft used for 409 and other Chevy big blocks? I borrowed a prime tool from a friend and the shaft on my 09 distributor has a bigger diameter than than the tool. Just wondering.

 

[32witha409]

Yes they are different. On a 348 or 409, you need the boss that pilots the bottom portion of the distributor bore. That boss diverts oil around the distributor body to supply oil the one of the lifter oil galleries. If you look at your distributor, you'll see the groove running around the lower boss.
Additionally, the two bosses on the 348/409 distributor are bigger in diameter than both a SBC and BBC.

I made a priming tool out of a spare distributor. I believe you can buy a tool from the 409 parts suppliers.

 

[WENGINE]

Yes BB&SB primers will not work just be careful of the ones you can buy for W engines the one I got had a very small 1/4” shaft end tapered down from the 1/2” shaft that comes off the tool end. I know I tightened it into the drill chuck as hard as I could but when the pump built up to full pressure it broke loose and sprayed metal fillings everywhere, I’m still cleaning up that mess and haven’t turned the engine over since

 

[61BUBBLE348]

Get an old truck W distributor and gut it, use as a tool.

 

[Toms63SSQB]

Here you go.

 

[alexm900]

Related question: can one prime a W engine with a standard sbc/bbc oil primer tool
AND the distributor adapter sleeve (showcars #7719) ?

 

[Carmine]

If I remember correctly, I had the machine shop put together the bottom half of my 348/434 build. I did the rest in my garage. Came time to prime it and I couldn't get oil to the rockers. Oil was coming out of the distributor hole past the tool. This priming tool was one size fits all but it didn't. Returned to the machine shop and told the owner about my experience. Left the tool with him and he machined a new part. Slightly bigger I think. Returned home and the tool worked perfectly, Carmine.

 

[32witha409]

Related question: can one prime a W engine with a standard sbc/bbc oil primer tool
AND the distributor adapter sleeve (showcars #7719) ?



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Your questions sounds like, if you made the sleeves, could you use them to prime a W while using an off the shelf drive shaft. Not that simple. The vertical position of the lower sleeve needs to be controlled. Guess you'll need to try it out and see what will be necessary to go that way.

I used a SBC/BBC dizzy stem end and shaft, but pressed two sleeves on to the lower sleeve, increasing the diameter to match the W dizzy to stop oil passing it. Machined a 3/8 hex on the drive end to make it easier to chuck.

 

[alexm900]

Sorry for no searching around. It looks like it could work (re. sbc/bbc oil primer tool AND distributor adapter sleeve) according to 4speedman (www.348-409.com/forum/threads/prime-oil-pump-problems.45452/#post-519887). I just wanted to assess if new tools are needed when and if the time comes.

 

[64ss409]

Years ago I made a primer for sbc/bbc. I machined off the teeth of the distributor drive.
Then when I needed one for my 409, I couldn't find aluminum stock to build it, but I had some brass stock. So I made it the same dimension as the lower end of my 409 distributor. To change the lower sleeve, I knock out the roll pin in the lower gear, slip on the brass sleeve and replace the gear and pin.