Priming a new motor's oil pump

[08EddieCA]

l need some direction. I have a new motor that needs to have the oil pump primed.

According to the instructions from Ford (I did not get the motor from Ford) it states that you crank the motor for 15 seconds with a 30 second cool down in between cycles.

I've read that others have forced oil through passages up to the head where you can see oil coming out of the oil spray holes near the cams.

Since there's no distributor to engage the pump, the Ford instructions seem like my only option.

Has anyone come up with a better way to prime the pump without dry cycling the motor? I have five quarts of breakin oil in the pan. Fuel disabled. One solution I though might cut down on friction is to put some oil into each cylinder through the sparkplug hole - I can't see a downside to doing this procedure.

Any opinions on how to prime a remanufactured 4.0 v6? It has no miles and yet to be fired up. Thank you in advance!

 

[boominXplorer]

I made a tool out of an old oil pump drive. I cut the inside shaft out and ground a 1/4" square into the back side. Then I chuck a 1/4" extension into the drill and install the shaft in the block.

The area I'm talking about is in the valley of the motor and is about 5" from the rear.

 

[08EddieCA]

Thank you. Are you referring to the dowel looking insert with the allen key?

 

[boominXplorer]

Nope I'm talking about that 10mm bolt holding the cap looking thing down. That is your oil pump drive.

 

[08EddieCA]

Ahhhh. Thank you!!!!!!!

 

[boominXplorer]

To be honest things should have assembly lube on them allowing you to safely turn the motor over to prime it. (3) 10 second bursts with the starter is all it needs. If you have any doubt things are well lubed then either prime the motor how I mentioned or prime though the oil pressure port using at least 30 lbs of pressure.

 

[Explorer_PL]

Eddy -

so what made you get a new motor and where did you get it from ?

 

[champco]

l need some direction. I have a new motor that needs to have the oil pump primed.

According to the instructions from Ford (I did not get the motor from Ford) it states that you crank the motor for 15 seconds with a 30 second cool down in between cycles.

I've read that others have forced oil through passages up to the head where you can see oil coming out of the oil spray holes near the cams.

Since there's no distributor to engage the pump, the Ford instructions seem like my only option.

Has anyone come up with a better way to prime the pump without dry cycling the motor? I have five quarts of breakin oil in the pan. Fuel disabled. One solution I though might cut down on friction is to put some oil into each cylinder through the sparkplug hole - I can't see a downside to doing this procedure.

Any opinions on how to prime a remanufactured 4.0 v6? It has no miles and yet to be fired up. Thank you in advance!

Used to use vasoline to pack the pumps in transmissions. No air it pumps immediately.

 

[08EddieCA]

When I changed the oil the last time the oil looked like a milkshake. I took it to a mechanic and he said I had a bad head gasket. Then he told me the chain guides had broken and it skipped time. That was probably why it was idling so rough - along with the head gasket issue. The repair bill for those repairs was almost equal to the cost of a new engine.

I found a commercial remanufacturing shop called Powertrain Products Direct. I was able to buy a remanufactured engine with all new internals for $2,399. A little more than I wanted to spend but since it came with a 5 year unlimited mileage warranty which includes labor and rental car coverage, I pulled the trigger and ordered it. It was delivered by crate from a freight company last week.

I finished installing the engine this evening. Tomorrow I'm going to bolt on the accessories and the exhaust and whatever else I need to get it up and running. The radiator had a leak and one of the motor mounts was cracked. I ended up buying a new radiator and a failsafe thermostat. When I had the trans replaced a few months ago, they reused my original Torque Converter, which bummed me out. I was able to pick up a TC for cheap from a local vendor here in LA.

I should be up and running by Saturday. I hope. Note that I did rearrange the chains that you can see in the photo. And, that's the old radiator you can see.

New engine going in

• 08EddieCA
• June 15, 2017

 

[champco]

Hope all goes well as possible.

 

[08EddieCA]

I'm an optimist, LOL. I expect all will work out well. I'll add to this post after it starts...

 

[Explorer_PL]

Wow, Mr E, now I am impressed.
So there are more crazy people like me pulling motors and trannies out of these things in the home garages and keeping them alive
I have a news for you: no new car for you in a near future, and I am afraid I am in the same boat.
But at $ 2400, you can't really beat that. If you went to get even a used car, that's how much you'd pay in taxes and fees and you'd get something used with unknown problems, and payments for the next 60 months. At least that's how I look at it. If the body is in good shape, then all the mechanical parts are easily accessible and relatively not expensive. In the end, it's just an Explorer - one of hundreds of thousands made. I know for a fact, that my friends pay 2000-3000 for some suspension, and brake jobs. Unreal to me but that's the reality .

On top of that, I am forbidden by my 13 year old daughter (and I listen to her very much ) from selling my black 06 because as she says, it's got too many memories attached. And it's true, most of the pictures from some family trips, campouts, vacations have the black Explorer in the background.

Keep us posted, I am certain it will fire up with no problems.

 

[08EddieCA]

I had to breakdown the numbers as you described to get the rubber stamp from the wife to buy the new engine. She agreed.

With all the trips we make to the desert it made sense to get a reman engine. My son ( age 8 ) would not permit me to trade it in. Too many memories. No payments is a beautiful thing too.

Two more days and I should be done. I lost the torque converter bolts and that set me back a day. Can't wait to turn in the rental car. The motorcycle isn't functional to go grocery shopping or drop my son off at camp. Starting at 8 am tomorrow. If I finish tomorrow that would be ideal. Yes, lots of us crazy folk who do rip their trucks apart to keep them running, lol!!! It has been fun even if my hands are terribly sore from wrenching.

It will fire up!!!!

 

[08EddieCA]

A few more hours and I should be finished. Most difficult part was lining up the torque converter bolts. Should be finished tomorrow. A little nervous about swapping out the radiator. And flushing the heater core.

 

[MotorCityFats13]

hold the pedal to the floor and give it a crank..... engine will turn and not start.... i have never heard of an engine building enough heat from a crank to wear a bearing in that short of a burst and if the builder used the proper assembly lube its not really a dry crank anyways

 

[96firephoenix]

Just got my reman 4.0 started up and driving around, welcome to the club. Congrats on not junking it!

If you haven't primed the oil pump, I'd recommend you disconnect the fuel injector wiring. Otherwise you'll get fuel building up on the cats and a massive backfire when they heat up...

But at $ 2400, you can't really beat that

Mine for the 02 was under $2100 on rockauto, but it only has a 3yr/100k mile warranty with no rental coverage, so call it a wash?

 

[MotorCityFats13]

If you haven't primed the oil pump, I'd recommend you disconnect the fuel injector wiring. Otherwise you'll get fuel building up on the cats and a massive backfire when they heat up...

0wash?

that is why you hold the peddle to the floor..... it shuts off all injection and ignition and only lets the starter engage..... its also how you clear the engine if it ever gets flooded with fuel

 

[96firephoenix]

that is why you hold the peddle to the floor..... it shuts off all injection and ignition and only lets the starter engage..... its also how you clear the engine if it ever gets flooded with fuel

That would have been helpful to know about 2 weeks ago, lol.

 

[08EddieCA]

Engine is in. Wont't start. Have fuel. have spark. Won't turn over. I've checked over everything. Appears to lack fuel. New injectors.

Any suggestions?

 

[Explorer_PL]

Is it turning over with the starter or is it like "locked" ?
Or it turns but does not start ?