tr7triumph.com

Been reading up on changing oil on the rover v8.

What is all this about 'priming the oil pump'

Any advice on oil change gratefully received.

Brian

Is that changing the oil or the pump? A number of cars need the pump primed when it is changed, including the TR7. Just pack it with Vaseline so that it has something to drive and suck the oil up. Once the system has oil in it it is not normally necessary (but good to spin the engine up without king lead connected to get the pressure up and oil circulating). Note, I don't have a V8 so do not know if something different is required for that.

Thanks alan

This priming business is mot something i have seen before - how easy is it to prime the pump?

Brian

Never had a problem priming at an oil change with the 7 or the 8. Of course I warm the engine first, then let stand for just a little while to get the oil to drain better, but have filled the oil pump by this action. You might have a problem with a rebuilt engine, or one that had stood for days or weeks.

My use of STP prevents the oil totally draining from anywhere, ever after months. Assembling with a smear of oil with STP in it on moving parts, including the oil pump will prevent dry running, & priming will never be an issue.

The only time I have had a problem with priming was with the F2 Brabham. Someone had left the bungs we used in the pipes too & from the dry sump oil tank, when reconnecting them. With no starter on those, we had towed that thing around the back streets of Riverwood, Sydney for a couple of miles one night, before the penny dropped what our problem was. We had gathered an audience of about 20 by the time we had it sorted.

Hasbeen

There is a method of priming and circulating oil in some engines before starting, but it does involve a bit of buggerising about.
With the distributor removed, a dummy shaft ( either store bought or home made ) is attached to a battery drill and inserted into the oil pump drive via the now vacant distributor mounting hole and the pump is turned by the drll.
Obviously you'll need to reset the timing when the dissy is reinstalled

Later type: http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-RX1431L
Early type: http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-RX1431E

Home made priming shafts can be made using the shaft out of an old dissy (note the drive gear must be removed)

I had a Stag running a P76 V8, and it always needed priming if the filter was changed...even with a rebuilt motor and new pump gears. Locating the pump 200mm above the oil level in the sump may not have been all that clever. I made a tool to spin the pump with a drill as Cobber says, but I have heard of emergency priming by removing the oil pressure switch and pumping oil in with an oil can.

I didn't know about the need to prime the oil pump when I was resurrecting my TR8. It had sat out for around 8 years. I did change the oil and filter and rebuilt the Holley. I pulled all of the spark plugs and cranked the engine over until the oil pressure light went out and then a while longer. After replacing the Holley, which would only run the car on choke, with an Edlebrock and a bent pushrod that happened shortly after that first start, the car has been running fine for almost 7 years now. The only oil it leaks are from the transmission and the power steering. I guess I was lucky.

IIRC the oil pump only needs priming if it's been renewed or if the engine's been taken apart.

However at every oil change I fill the filter with as much fresh oil as I can before fitting it. I then crank the engine for a few seconds with the King ignition lead disconnected. The oil pressure light then goes out after a split second once the lead is reconnected.

Adam