So today I completed the install of the new built engine in the car to the point where I could crank the engine. No spark or fuel yet (ECU not installed) but I could crank the motor and check for oil pressure.

I started by cranking the engine for about 20-30 seconds with no oil pressure. I let it rest to keep from stressing the battery and starter, then tried again. Still no dice. It was taking longer than I liked to get the pump primed. I did not like the idea of starting the engine (with the ECU in) and having it idle with no oil pressure until the pump finally primed. Plus, I did not want to start it at all until I knew the oil system was working. I have some money in this motor and do not want to take any chances.

So I pulled the turbo oil feed line to check for flow there in case the sending unit was bad. Cranking the motor some more still produced no pressure, or oil at the turbo hose. Damn... At this point, I had cranked about 2 minutes total with no pressure, which seemed to be a long time, and was starting to get concerned. But how could I get that pump primed without continuing to crank the crap out of a 'dry' motor?


*cue the Budweiser ad music*
Reeeeeaaaallll Men of GeeeeeeennniiiiUUUuuuUUSSSSSSS....

So what if I use the turbo feed hose to suck oil into the pump? And what if I use my Mighty Vac and a nozzle fitting to attach it to the AN fitting and create a vacuum? Or better yet, what if I use the Shop Vac to create the vacuum rather than pumping the Mighty Vac for an hour?









With the Shop Vac running and the Mighty Vac gauge reading -4 in Hg, I cranked the motor again, and this time, after just a few seconds, viola, OIL PRESSURE! LOTS OF IT!


*Bud ad music*
Mr. Shopvacboostedmightyvacengineoilpumpprimingsuction device Guyyyyyyy!


I'll bet you were all waiting for the fail part

 

I like it, very good idea!

 

dude, totally real men of genius worthy....

 

awesome!
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Very cool!

 

mr prime a built motor with a shop-vac guy...

 

I thought you guys might get a kick out of this

 

Today we salute you, Mr. Shop Vac oil primer guy.

Mr. Miata with a shop vac primer guy!

1 minute without oil, fine. 2 minutes, hang on a sec - what if I..?

*Got* to think of something!

Never afraid of duct tape, you fearlessly rigged a vacuum cleaner to your crankcase.

Man I love some duct tape!

So party on ZX-Tex. In a world of dry bearings, you turned the absence of air into the presence of oil.

Mr. Miata with a shop vac primer guy...

 

You are a men!

 

LOL!

Really, I was waiting for the FAIL in the OP.

 

Priceless!

 

I can just hear the announcer's and singer's voices from the commercial as I read that text. Freaking perfect! HA!
"...you turned the absence of air into the presence of oil"

 

******' A, that is the absolute best.

I could hear them singing it to a "t" as well.

You get this month's "More awesome than a rocket propelled chainsaw launcher post" award.

 

 

Effin' A Well Told......
Who would have thought....that's getting **** done right there!

 

This is something that would have failed miserably if i attempted it but you, your so full of WIN

 

Talk about reinventing the bicycle.

 

Any duplication of previous approaches was strictly accidental.
I also 'invented' dry ice bombs when I was about 12. At least I thought I had invented them, until later on the internet revealed several others that knew about this as well.

For those who do not know what a dry ice bomb is
dry_ice + 3_liter_soda_bottle + a_little_water = BOOOOOOOM!!!!!

 

An update... After removing the engine to replace the bad oil pump pressure relief valve (see this thread) I reinstalled the engine today. Though it still took some cranking, the pump eventually primed on its own, much faster this time. I did remove the plugs so the engine would turn over faster.