I've been working on My car for over a year now. It's just about done, but the engines(GM V-6) been sitting all that time and I'm guessing it should be pre-oiled before starting it again, but I don't have a distributor shaft to do so. Is there another way? How much damage am I likely to do if I don't pre-oil it(it's still filled w/Mobile 1)?

I would think that removing the plugs, and cranking the engine over until you get oil pressure should get you safely started.

That's what I did on my engine that sat for 4+ years.

Removing the plugs eliminates the loads from compression.

I used a pre-oiler that my engine builder sold me for a nominal fee. Fits in the distributor hole and you spin it with a drill. Pre-oiling is a great way to find out whether all the oil galley plugs were installed by the engine builder. It's also best if you do it while the engine is out of the car and not in your freshly painted engine bay.

BTDT

Pre-oiler = distributor shaft

That's the one I'm talkin' about, used to have one, but can't find it


was hoping there was another way other than cranking on dry metal.

Thanks

I just started my freshly rebuilt SBC and was very worried about pre oiling even after sitting for a week from the machine shop. I ran a drill motor on a special oil pump priming tool I bought at the local AP store. One thing I found on the early SBC is I had 30 psi oil on a guage, I attached where my sending unit goes, was I only had oil to the left side of the engine, coming out of the rockers. After investigating I could follow the oil galley and see with the distributor out ,oil flows onto the Dist. shaft hole and goes no where. Unless the distributor is in place oil canot make it thru the passage to the port that flows oil to the right side top end.
I then installed the distributor, transaxle, and starter. as mentioned earlier, with the plugs removed, I cranked it over to get oil to the right side upper end, along with left side, and building 40 psi, OP.
So with that said ,I would do the drill motor primer method, to get the oil flowing, pull the plugs, give each cyclinder a quick squirt to lube the cyclinders after sitting for 4 years. Then with the distributor installed, crank the engine over to pump oil to both heads. Make sure it flows out of the rockers, and have a gaufe on it to measure 20-40 psi.

If this engine is a new rebuild I would STAY AWAY from Mobil 1. get some 30wt HD oil and break it in for a few hundred miles, change th oil and filter and refill with new 20-50w dinosaur oil.
With the unknown failure of my last engine, I was told the new synthetic oils do not have the zinc, and other metals needed to bond and lube older engines.
I'm sure there is a library of threads on oil to use / not use.

Hope this helps,
T

Too bad we're on opposite coasts... you could use mine (assuming I could find it in that hole I call a garage).

Thanks TC, No it's not a recent rebuild, I did that the last resto('03) but what I;ve been trying to avoid is cranking the engine 'dry'. The idea of all the bearings, pistons, cam, crank lifters, rubbing and grinding without lube...wait maybe all that's needed is to talk low and blow in her tail...pipe... uh, sorry, just went to Jamaica for a minute, but I'm back now. Think I'll call around and find a new pump primer shaft. I'll also take Your suggestion about spraying sone lube in the cylinders, I'd forgotten about that. BTW, that's kinda strange (at least to me, I'd never heard of it before) about Your oiling system not being the same on both sides, what year is it? I know the 4.3 will prime on both banks because I did it last time I rebuilt it.

And Ken, I really need to take some shots of My single garage/shop with all my work supplies, tools and equipment, as well as the porsche stripped with parts everywhere, and tools and equip. for it, work bench at one end, shelving along both walls, Then add My 275lb frame squeezing through the remaining 8-14 inches trying to complete a extensive refurb/resto/upgrade. Maybe we should start a new thread, 'Show Us Your Sh** Hole' .