oil pump priming

reese600

New member
Jan 3, 2019
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Is there a way to prime the oil pump on an engine stand? When trying to start this engine in the truck, I cranked it for like 5 minutes and wasn't getting oil pressure. I don't know if it won't prime with just the starter, of if the engine needs to fire up to prime the pump. I don't like the idea of starting it w/o priming the system, I want to see oil coming up thru the pushrods before it fires up.
 

Bdsankey

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Feb 1, 2018
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Did you lube the oil pump before you assembled? I damn near filled my oil pump with Schaeffers Moly-EP (used it for assy lube also) and mine primed well. I unplugged the FICM and cranked until I saw oil pressure on my SnapOn Zeus Pro.

The other option you have is to pump oil into the oil galley as MAXX IT OUT stated above. That works well on stubborn trucks.
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
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Oct 21, 2009
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dont rely on the gauge to tell you if you hit oil pressure, use a scanner that will stay powered up as you crank to watch oil pressure build. I have not had a pump that wouldnt prime unless the o-ring on the pickup was torn or a seal on the pump was missing/torn. Missing oil galley freeze plugs will cause this too and real low oil pressure at start up.

5 min of cranking, it should have primed the system for sure. filling the pump with oil wont really help as it does not do the retaining of the fluid. the oil filter flow back valve does the most of it once you have oil built up in the system.