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MG TD TF 1500 - Priming the Oil Pump

How do we "prime" the oil pump. I have an older pump with no plug on the top.

Thanks for the clarification.

John
JohnB

JOHN B.. I USE A GARDEN SPRAYER WITH AN END MODIFIED TO FIT THE OIL OUTLET LINE ON THE REAR OF THE ENGINE BLOCK. I PUT IN THE SPRAYER THE RECCOMENDED AMOUNT OF OIL FOR THE ENGINE. PRESSURIZE THE CAN AND PROCEED TO FILL THE ENGINE. THIS FILLS ALL THE GALLERIES , OIL PUMP, FILTER AND THE ROCKER SHAFT.
Please pardon my fiddle fingeritus as I left the Caps on again.
Sandy Sanders
conrad sanders

Easiest way - fill the pump with petroleum jelly (vasalene) when it is being reassembled.


Jan T
J Targosz

John

Unsure what you mean by older pump with no plug. I have a 50 TD. Just above the pump at the edge of the pump and block there should be a brass plug. This has a pipe thread.

You can pressurize the entire oil gallery from this point. I use one of the oil bottles with a pump on it. Clamp a hose to the end of the pump and the other to a small pipe that fits the plug hole.

Bruce Cunha

Hi All, --- Just a word of warning. I blew a freshly rebuilt engine by priming it at the outlet at the bottm rear of the block. It forced the oil through the filter backwards and the (twist-on) filter came apart and pieces of the filter material plugged one of the oil passages in the crankshaft. The result was another rebuild with a new crankshaft $$.

Maybe the original type vertical cannister filters (TC and early TD) won't come apart if you pressurize them backwards, I don't know.

From my experience, make up a fitting that goes into the priming plug hole. This will put oil through the filter in the correct direction so it won't make any difference what kind of filter you have.

Also continue putting oil in until you see it coming out of the rockers. Then stop and pour whats left in your pressure vessel into the engine through the regular place in the valve cover. This will prevent air from getting into the oil pump and galleries when the pressure vessel gets empty.

Good Luck and Keep'em on the Road,

Bob
R. K. (Bob) Jeffers

The next question should be... where do I get the pump? Go to the local boat store, boating dept at the local depaartment store and pick up a gearoil pump for a lower unit. It will screw into the quart oil bottle and comes with a hose.

John,

I will also assume you don't have any Whitworth tool either?
Ron Boisvert

ACE hardware also sells the pump for quart bottles.

dave
D. A. Braun

Thanks for the help. I am waiting for a rebuilt fuel pump to fire up the beast on Saturday.

To confirm, the valve is on the block, not the pump, right?

Ron - a mish mash of metric and US tools have saved me so far, but I know I'll get caught soon.

Do I need to prime if I see fresh oil in the valve cover after turning the engine w/o plugs and fuel?

Again, thanks.

John
johnb

John,

Walk, don't run! If this were my engine and it had been sitting for any length of time, I would first change the oil & filter. I would also buy a second filter to change after a few hours of running time. After the oil change, I would then prime the pump and oil filter canister. With the plugs out, reduces pressure on a dry crank shaft, I would crank the engine over without ignition and watch my oil pressure gauge. When the oil pressure gauge has a good reading, then the engine is ready to start. NO OIL PRESSURE, NO IGNITION!
Ron Boisvert

John,

If you are getting oil in the rockers, I would say the pump is primed. I would confirm this with the oil pressure guage. You should get pressure turning the engine with the starter.

Good luck, Evan
Evan Ford - TD 27621

Ron and Evan - thanks again for the tips... Can I crank the engine without plugs/fuel and get pressure or do I need to put the plugs back in after a few cranks?

John
JohnB

You can put the plugs in at any time but I would wait till you have positive oil pressure first.
Ron Boisvert

Put the new fuel pump, it pumped from fuel can. Then connected the fuel line to tank, and put two gallons into the tank.

In both cases, engine turned over, but no oil pressure on gauge.. Don't know if the gauge is broken...

Put plugs in and still no combustion.

How do I check the oil pressure to see if gauge is bad or pressure is no go?

Thanks for any advice.

John
johnb

Hi John

If you are getting oil to the lifters, the pump is working. You can use an aftermarket oil guage and run it off the place where the oil guage connects to the block.

May want to check that the line from the block to the oil guage is clear.
Bruce Cunha

If you have changed the filter and charged the system through the fitting in the head (I used a gravy baster), you might want to back off the filter cover and listen for a little "hiss, burp" then retighten... I also soaked the filter well before installing?
gordon lawson - TD 27667

Thanks again for the tips... I'll try them today.

Also going to change the plugs even though they seem good.

John
JohnB

This thread was discussed between 12/06/2005 and 18/06/2005

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