With modern day oils I believe "priming" is a bit archaic. A good smothering of moly lubes like Mobil 1 during assembly will protect the engine on start up.

The only thing I recommend is filling the oil filter with oil before install.

You'll be fine.

 

Wrong

 

Well, I guess that describes ME.

 

I call it a collor, but it is a peice of metal that you slide up or down the shaft. If on a trad SBC it fits perfectly into the dist hole on the intake, on the LT1 I had to clearance a side to slide it down into the oil pump drive plug hole, so that the shaft was centered. (the tool is probably 25 years old)

 

You know what they say: "Better archaic [safe], than sorry."

 

I've also been told not to move the crank until there is oil pressure.

 

Me too.

 

Okay, Engine builders what about the Melling pump and the pickup and drive shaft.
I heard something about spotwelding it as they can get loose and fall in the engine/oil pan and stop pumping oil (logical) ???

 

Some people weld them. I put 2 small screws through mine. They don't go all the way through.

 

Get the pump with the pickup allready installed and don't weld it. Most that come off were done at home and not installed right.

 

Well, the Melling HO pump for the Lt1 always comes with a seperate pickup and seperate shaft as far as i was able to see on the internet.

 

It doesn't have to be a Melling,there are good pumps out there that come assembled.

 

So I can prime the oil pump by starting the car with the opti harness disconnected or by removing the pcm fuse?
How long will this take approx?

 

Until there is oil pressure. It can take what seems to be a long time when starting out with a dry pump. That's why I like the primer.

 

So basically I just keep cranking the car over until the dash reads pressure? How much does it need to say?