What tool did you use to prime your LT1 oil pump?
Can I use a regular distributor shaft type primer or is there another method?

There isn't one. Because there is no conventional distrubitor, the oil pump is driven by an oil pump drive unit. Best thing is to dunk the pump in oil or pack with assembly lube. You can use an external pre oiler.

No, you can prime the pump with the intake off before installation, but I just don't know what the tool is. I have read two separate articles that discuss priming the pump this way but neither indicated specific tools.

I didn't pack the pump and its already sitting in the oil pan installed on the bottom of the motor.

I think I will use a pressure bleeder to get oil through the system prior to start-up, but that won't prime the pump.

Thanks

Can't you just spin the pump manually with a drill motor?

It's been a few years since I did mine, but we hooked a drill to it and spun it with the motor off until oil came up into the heads. You can also run the starter with the ignition coil unhooked, but this kills the battery and is less than ideal on new pistons and cylinder walls...

They make a tool for priming Gen 1 SBCs. It is essentially the driveshaft of a distributor, It is designed to be used with the engine buttoned up before the distributor is installed. If you remove the oil pump drive unit with the intake off, you may be able to use a similiar tool to prime the pump. I am unaware of anyone who makes such a tool for the LT1-hence my original answer.

It was probably jerry rigged.

P.S. Priming the pump does nothing for rings and cylinder walls. They are splash oiled by the crank. Even with oil press up, the crank must turn. That's why you preoil during assembly. The pump is a gear pump which is self priming.

I would crank it fully assembled, the ignition and fuel disabled and the plugs out till it showed oil pressure.

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That's what I'm asking what did you use to hook the drill motor? Is there any special tool or did you use duct tape?

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Yeh I'm aware of all that too. I have primed Gen I SBC before.
The LT1 oil pump shaft has a slot in it. It's been a while since I saw the oil pump / distributor interface of the Gen I SBC, so I'm not sure they are alike.

I would still feel better knowing the pump is going to push oil before sealing the valley and having access to the oil pump drive shaft.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I found this, and it should work ok

[color=blue:b2c1227c81]SBC oil pump primer from ARP[/color:b2c1227c81]

I'm still looking, so there may be more options.

The pump slot is the same. You could fab a shaft out of a wooden dowel. Make you have the oil pressure sender in or you will have a geyser!

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LOL Good Point, I'm glad you said something because that would be typical of me! Cracks me up, 'cause I can see that happening.
Still ROTFLOL

Sorry, I can't remember what we used to spin the pump. Not much help...

That memory was blanked out by the one where we ran it for 20 minutes and got no oil pressure at the top, which caused much panic...

Next time I'll pull the protective rag out of the filter hole before installing the filter. That way the oil gets through the whole motor...

biggrizzly, the shaft you provided a link to is the shaft that transmits
motion from the stub shaft or distributor to the pump. It has a collar
at one end and a female tang at the other - it is not what you want.

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Actually, if the LTx intake is removed, along with the stub shaft that is
used to drive the pump from the dist gear on the rear of the cam, then
a large flat blade screwdriver can be turned by hand to prime an SBC oil
pump. With enough wrist action, oil will flow to the galleries and bearing
faces.

The catch about using a screwdriver or one of the aftermarket shafts that
do not include collars is that no oil will be pressurized through the
passenger side lifter gallery - normally the lower portion of the LT1 stub
shaft or the bottom end of a Gen 1 conventional dist housing seals the
hole in the valley that receives the dist housing. This vertical hole
intersects with the pass side lifter gallery.

The collars on the better pump priming tools act to seal the leak at this
point. A cord or cordless drill with some power will spin the pump and
you should expect to see good pressure displayed on the dash gauge.

ARP #130-8802



Proform #66896



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Shoot me. I ordered a different one, but not the same one I posted up above. Its arriving tomorrow

[color=blue:b47e7555d8]Moroso Oiler[/color:b47e7555d8]

Looks like I'll be sending another part back to them

Thanks a bunch

The Moroso #62200 will prime the pump and distribute oil through most
of the system. It is just that, without a collar shaped like a stub or dist
housing to seal the opening and thus complete the pass side gallery,
there is less pressure buildup possible and the pass bank of lifters is not
fully charged with oil.

With lifters lubricated during assembly, the absence of a collar may not be
a big deal - the pass side will purge in moments upon startup. But, if
time is not a factor, exchanging for another model with the collar will
ensure all points are pressurized by prelubing.



.

I primed mine with the Proform model. I also installed a pressure gauge to the block to get a handle on the pressure the drill was creating.



Jake

Well, now I have both, the Moroso and the ProForm. I will send the Moroso back to Summit. I was able to pick up the Proform primer from SpeedUnlimited, which is across the road from where I work!
Thanks for all the replies