Priming the hydraulic roller lifters mercruiser 4.3

[dlogvine]

I tried to prime the engine once I inserted the lifters, lifter restricting plate and attached the heads. I soaked roller lifters in oil and tried to get rid of the air inside of the lifters. I tried to compress them using the push rod. Some did move but most did not move much. When I turned the oil pump with the priming tool, the oil started moving really strong, the oil pump is a new one from the rebuild kit. However the oil was not dripping from the rockers. It did drip from one rocker and the pushrod, but the other were dry. If I crank the flywheel with the starter, would it prime the engine and make the lifters drip oil? Or what should I do? I already put the head gaskets and sealed them

 

[Scott Danforth]

you have to prime long enough for the oil to get up the pushrods, etc. what I usually do is pour oil over the rockers/valves, prime the motor until there is oil pressure and then start it.

 

[Bt Doctur]

the easiest way is with a oil pump priming tool . an old gm dist will work just remove the drive gear and spin with a drill. You need the whole dist not just the shaft.

 

[MBAKER]

Depending on where the engine sits in its rotation not all of the spit holes in the rockers will be uncovered at the same time so in order to get oil to flow from each one you have to bump the engine over as you are priming. You can do it by hand with a ratchet on the crank bolt or just bump the starter a few times. If you are just using a straight shaft priming tool without a bushing it will not pressurize one side of the lifter galley anyway.

Lke a previous poster said....the rockers should have been lubed when put together or dump some oil over them before you prime it. Then I wouldn't worry about it as long as you primed long enough to get oil pressure. Priming at least gets the filter full and all of the oil galleys full, any air left in the lifters will be gone in a few seconds after startup anyway If this is a fresh engine and was put togetether with assembly lube in theory you wouldn't need to prime it anyway although its not a bad idea.