priming an oil pump after an engine re-build

[Guy Wilson]

I've always read that you should prime an oil pump after an engine rebuild and I've no doubt about the logic, but how exactly to do you do it?
Is a matter of turning the engine over a few times without starting to see the oil is reaching the valve gear or is there another approach?
I enjoy the fact that on this forum that I'm completely comfortable with how much I don't know and I can ask...
Many thanks
GUy

[orabanda]

Take the plugs out,
remove the oil pressure relief valve from the lower front of the RH crankcase,
fill tank with oil,
continue to turn over engine (by foot or hand), until oil leaks out of the tapped hole that the relief screwed into.

After a few more kicks, replace relief valve, and wipe up spilt oil.

Replace plugs, run engine, check oil is returning to the reservoir, and check oil level.

Go out and ride, sharing the beautiful noise with all.

Richard

[Guy Wilson]

Thanks! its the noise I'm looking forward to...
Guy

[Goldy]

It takes quit a long time until the oil reaches the relief valve hole.

[ian davies]

I always use Graphogen when rebuilding an engine, no matter how long the engine stands before refitting, there is instant lubrication on start up. Cheers Ian.

[iansoady]

Velo owners are recommended to always "take the bike for a walk" ie take the plug out, put it in gear and push it around till oil emerges from the rocker feed.

[alanp]

Velo owners are recommended to always "take the bike for a walk" ie take the plug out, put it in gear and push it around till oil emerges from the rocker feed.

Presumably that was written more than half a century ago when a typical Velo rider was a strong/fit teenager!
Don't think it applies these days.

[Brian]

So thats what they are doing, I've always seen Velo owners pushing them and all this time I thought they were unreliable......little did I know that they were getting the oil to circulate......

You learn something new every day..........................

[muskrat]

Before I put the pump on I put crank at bottom of stroke and pump oil into the hole that feeds it. Then I do as Richard says. I also do as iansoady but use Nulon on all parts on assembly.
Cheers

[Topdad]

From reading  what you guys do and seeing that I've always been so paranoid about starting an A10's engine without oil running around it that i've been in overkill ,always kicked her over without plugs until I saw the oil return to the tank, first time didn't seem like hard work and until the latest still no problem this last time however " tempus had definately fugded it!" boy was I knackered I should mention that the first time I used this method I was only 16 and now well, I'm considerably older however by the look of it still pretty daft!! In my defence I've never had an A10 engine I've rebuilt let go but all that sweat and tears , I'm going for a lie down after just thinking about It ,best wishes BobH.

[WozzA]

Geeeeeez   ....   I wish I read this BEFORE I spent a hour & a half kicking it over today..   

[bsa-bill]

bit of a toss up at my age whether it's easier to take it for a walk or kick it (probably kick it, least your nearer a phone to the coronary unit)

Got to be a better way tho, I've thought about an air gun on the engine crank shocker but it goes the wrong way doesn't it, no Steve's electric starter would be the thing eh, should be on the NHS I reckon

[chaterlea25]

Hi All,
I use a pressure oil can to pump oil down the feed pipe from the oil tank
and also from the PRV hole through to the  crank
I live at the top of a hill , trouble is pushing back up if it doesnt start 

I reall need to make up some starting rollers

Cheers
John

[bsa-bill]

I reall need to make up some starting rollers idea idea idea

Oh Yes, now for some reason when I think of them I think race bikes and paddocks, but with most of us (riders) getting Classic status like our bikes there could be a niche market there.

I just know someone is going to tell us he has just such a thing built from an old lawn mower or some such, could also just be an Antipodean

[KiwiGF]

Having had to start the same rebuilt engine twice in the recent past...

My vote is take it for a walk in 2nd gear maybe 1st, it's less effort than it sounds.

Fill up the tank the night before walking it, to reduce the possibility of air in the supply side of the pump.

The issue I found with kicking it over was that so little oil comes out of the oil return pipe in the tank it may leave some doubt on whether the oil is returning, with "walking" the engine turns over faster and the oil jumps away from the pipe, leaving no doubt when the oil starts returning to the tank.

If walking is too much and likely to cause a heart attack  etc then kicking it over with the PRV dismantled and looking for oil there would be my 2nd choice.