<VV> Oil pump question

[Bob]

Hi Doc,

Thanks for the tips. I found a suitable screwdriver in the bargain bin at a
local FLAPS for under $5.00. It will be "adjusted" for the greater good! :)

Regards,

Bob

 

 

 

From: RoboMan91324 at aol.com [mailto:RoboMan91324 at aol.com] 
Sent: September 30, 2015 9:56 AM
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org; bgilbert at gilberts-bc.ca
Subject: Oil pump question

 

Bob,

 

It sounds like you are getting closer to "firing up" your new motor.

 

It can take significant torque to turn the standard oil pump with a
screwdriver and probably more for a high volume pump.  Cold oil is fairly
viscous and you don't have much mechanical advantage with a screwdriver.  If
you can turn the pump without feeling any mechanical hang-ups, it is
probably good.; especially with oil everywhere.  :-)  

 

You can take a hammer and remove the handle of the screwdriver then use a
heavy duty drill to turn the pump.  However, if you have a few extra minutes
or don't have a heavy duty drill or don't want to destroy a perfectly good
screwdriver, you can increase the mechanical advantage of the screwdriver.
As follows ....

 

Many moderate to large screwdrivers have a hex-head where the handle meets
the shaft.  This is there specifically so you can put a wrench on it and get
much more leverage to turn whatever it is you need to turn.  If the hex-head
isn't there, a vice-grip on the shaft will do.  A vice-grip on the handle
may break it.

 

Keep in mind that the heavy duty drill is the best way because it gets more
pressure and volume where you need it ... and it is quicker.  If you use a
drill, keep in mind that you will get a major reverse torque from the drill
so be prepared for it.  You don't want a perfectly good drill yanked from
your hand and falling to the floor.  

 

Once you get the oil passages filled, more or less, here is what I would do
with the engine assembled.  Remove the spark plugs so there is no
compression then activate the starter.  You don't want to do this for too
long at one time because the starter will get hot even without compression
to overcome.  Maybe several events of less than ten seconds each.  There
probably will not be too much, if any, air/fuel mixture coming from the
spark plug holes but just in case, take the power lead off the ignition
coil.  The benefit of this combination is that the oil passages are filled
without critical parts rubbing.  (Other than the pump components.)  Then,
with the starter activated, the rubbing parts spread the oil without the
engine revving up.

 

Good luck with the new motor.

 

Doc

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a message dated 9/30/2015 9:02:29 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
virtualvairs-request at corvair.org <mailto:virtualvairs-request at corvair.org>
writes:

Message: 2
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:14:20 -0700
From: "Bob" <bgilbert at gilberts-bc.ca <mailto:bgilbert at gilberts-bc.ca> >
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org <mailto:virtualvairs at corvair.org> >
Subject: <VV> Oil pump question
Message-ID: <006201d0fafb$cff3a190$6fdae4b0$@gilberts-bc.ca
<mailto:006201d0fafb$cff3a190$6fdae4b0$@gilberts-bc.ca> >
Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="us-ascii"

Hi,

On a freshly built engine, one with a new high volume oil pump installed,
how much pressure does it take to turn the oil pump using a large
screwdriver in the distributor shaft?

I can turn it but it's taking more effort than I would have thought. 

Any opinions?

Thanks,

Bob