The 1776 is coming alone and has moved from the bench to the test stand.
http://63.230.74.177/ghia/MVC-462F.JPG So, I'm getting ready to put the oil in and had me another bright idea. It's OK, this one worked out well.
Even though I lubed everything up during final assembly, I would really like to make sure there is plently of oil in the bearings before turning it over with the starter for the first time.
So, I made a pre-oiler.
The idea is to feed oil in through the oil-return fitting (full flowed case) under pressure so that fresh oil goes into the galleys, bearings and so forth. All without turning the engine. My pre-oiler is just a pressure vessle with an AN8 fitting on one end and a place to apply compressed air on the other. It is constructed from a length of pipe and two end-caps.
http://63.230.74.177/ghia/MVC-464F.JPG On a whim, I decided to try just air (no oil) first to see if I could get any pressure at all that way. This was met by the sound of air escaping freely from somewhere behind the pully. Can you see why?
http://63.230.74.177/ghia/MVC-465F.JPG Yep. Just to the right of the oil return fitting is an oil galley hole that was not plugged. That would have made a fine mess, eh?
Max