What should I set my lash at (cold) for a first startup after a rebuild?

"Cold" is a joke, it's hotter 'n a steamin' pile here in SoCal right now!

ALSO, I have in mind to crank my engine without spark plugs or coil attached to pre-lube the engine with oil before i fire it up for good the first time.

Anyone have thoughts about whether to do or not to do this, and for how long should I crank it?

have you assembled the engine already?


if not fill all the crank journals with oil before putting the main caps on.

fill all the tubes in the oil pump with oil before installing filter.

fill filter 1/2 way with oil then screw it on.

connect a mechanical oil pressurere gauge.

crank for 30 secs to 1 minute... take out the plugs so there is no compression.

when the gauge comes up to 45+ psi you should be good.

get your timing dialed in before first fire up, install plugs and coil and boom... fire it up right the first time.


Greg

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http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

don't know about the lash setting,

but for oil pressure,, I plumb in a temporary mechanical oil pressure gauge to augment the idiot light or electronic dash gauge and crank for 10 seconds, rest for 5 then crank again,,,untill I see pressure register on the mechanical gauge.
Then I install the spark plugs, hook up the coil, give the carb a shot of ether, and let it rip.
On a new rebuild, it helps to have the the crankcase oil level to full, pack the oil pump gear cavity with vasolene, fill the stand pipe to the oil filter with clean oil....
if things are right, once there is an initial oil pressure pick up ,oil pressure will restore quickly every time the motor is turned over.

Yes. Thanks on the other tips. Where would I connect a mechanical oil pressure reader? where the switch mounts?

Yes, but you might need an adapter fitting.

Richard

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

put a T in where the OE sender is on the end of the oil pump housing,,
before installing in the vehicle,, if you have access to an air compressor with a regulator and are handy with fittings,,and you have an electronic dash gauge and want to determime what the scale on the electronic gauge is actually indicating..

T the mechanical gauge and the OE sendor together and temporary plumb that to the regulator,,run temporary wires to connect the sendor to the engine wiring harness.

turn the ignition on,, run air up to get 10 on the mechanical, record what the electronic gauge is reading,, continue in 10 lb increments,, depending upon the robustness of the plumbing... and note what the electronic gauge is reading.