i have come to respect your input so i ask.. on starting my L72 tommorow i would prefer not to pull the dist (it is a TI set up) and pre oil the engine. the builder, Tom at classic engine, said he felt it would be fine. i cannot be assured it will fire right up but i have checked everything as much as i can. put in 16 oz EOS, rotella 15W 40 pre filled fuel bowls. am i being foolish not to take the time to pre oil? if not how much cranking is safe in starting attempts. every thing is new or rebuilt. bill
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Re: start up advice from joe lucia
bill-----
If it were me, I'd pre-oil it. I don't see why it should be any more difficult with a TI distributor than with a standard points type. Pre-oiling is an "extra precaution". You can be sure that I won't be starting my "ZL-1" without pre-oiling it.
Notwithstanding the above recommendation, keep in mind that the factory did not, as far as I know, pre-oil engines before starting them for hot test. All PRODUCTION engines were hot-tested.In Appreciation of John Hinckley -
Re: start up advice from joe lucia
do i need to purchase the tool or will a screw drver or old dist shaft be fine? what concerened me about pulling the dist was it was recomended i rotate the engine, at the same time as pre oiling, and i am paranoid as to getting dist back in right. i am not incompetent just out of practice and lacking the confidence i had 25 yrs ago. the reason i love old cars is i can work on them myself, if i couldn't i would not own a car like this. billComment
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Re: start up advice from joe lucia
bill------
You want to use a special tool that has a configuration at the bottom simulating the lower portion of distributor housing. You can also use a tool made up from an old distributor housing + mainshaft. Use an electric drill to drive the shaft whether you use a purchased tool or a home-made tool.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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if the dist is in the proper location there should
be a chisel mark on ther manifold and the dist housing. bump the engine till the rotor tip is pointing exactly 12:00 oclock. remove the distibutor and prime the engine. do NOT spin the engine with the dist out. put the dist back and make sure the rotor is pointing at 12:00 oclock and move the dist housing till the chisel marks line up. if you can not get the dist to drop back in move the oil pump drive with the primer till the dist drops right in. i have a scribed line on the top of my oil primer that lines up with the tang on the end that drive the oil pump so i can check where it is at the start and allows me to put it back there when i am doneComment
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Re: start up advice from joe lucia
Most chain auto stores such as Autozone will rent or loan you that tool. The bottom has a specific spool shaped piece that mirrors the distributor shaft shape. You need that to ensure that oil is fed to all of the galleries. Chuck it in a drill and turn it in a clockwise direction. If you live in NJ metro and just can't wait I will happily loan you my tool.
Follow the instructions of the others and you'll be all set putting the distributor spot on back where it belongs. And remove the cap from the distributor, not the wires from the cap to save you a lot of work.
I am not familiar with the ideosyncracies of the L72 engine but here is what I also recommend for the start up.
If you chose not to use the pre oil tool then at the least remove and safely isolate the + battery wire from the coil (using black tape) and bump the engine through a few 20 second cranks until some pressure shows on the gauge. Then reconnect it when ready to start.
In either case I recommend that you take the carb linkage off of the choke high idle speed cam. This can be simply moved out of position by holding the choke butterfly open until the linkage drops down against the idle stop boss on the carb. By doing this you will prevent the engine from roaring to life at high speed on the first turn of the key which is very nerve racking. It might start then stall out due to lack of choke, but that brief spurt will enable oil pressure to build and otherwise splash around on critical parts. Don't touch the gas pedal until you are ready or it will reset the speed cam.Comment
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Re: Why can't the coil wire just be pulled?
And roll the power plant over a few times until the oil pressure gauge shows pressure?
As long as your careful and don't burn the starter up with five minutes of constant cranking, why wouldn't that suffce?
Just wondering,
ChuckComment
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you are turning the bearings without a cushion
of oil and that oil is the only thing preventing metal to metal contactComment
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