Maybe most of you already know this but I discovered something while getting ready to spin the oil pump with a drill.  Those inexpensive hex drive adapters, usually found near the checkout at Home Depot, fit the oil pump drive and the distributor shaft bore in the block.  No need to grind a 1/4" socket down to fit.  Be careful though, most of these are magnatized and you don't want to introduce metal bits into your newly prepped engine.


Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia

That's pretty cool.  How much were they?



Lawrenceville, GA

I really don't remember, I have had them for quite a while, usually used for changing driver bits like phillips to slotted to robertson etc.  They were probably only a couple of dollars each for the short ones.  The flexable drive came from a tool store and probably cost about $10 or so.  I bought it along with some others to reach awkward places.  It just so happens that it works for the oil pump drive shaft. I actually took one of the flexible drives, attached a knurled aluminum knob to one end and welded a threaded shaft to the other end.  Then attached it to the cowl vent on my '56 pickup.  That way I can just turn a knob under the dash to adjust the vent rather than the lever it came with.  I had to remove the lever to install the stereo.


Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia

Mark: Another note on pre oiling an engine (you may know this but it's worth mentioning it again) is to pre fill the Oil Filter before installing it. I fill the filter say 2/3rds full, let it sit for a minute, to soak up the oil, then pick it up & rotate it in hand at roughly a 45 deg. angle for a few seconds, this allows the cartridge to soak up more of the oil. Then it can be tipped at about a 60 deg angle and rotated again. After, it can be topped up with oil about 1/2 way again & rotated again to soak up the oil & then installed.. I also suggest doing this when doing oil changes...  


Paul

I never had a problem fitting a 1/4 drive, 1/4 socket into the hole.  Always taped everything together.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

I just took an old dist, removed the point plate and advance assy. Drop it in and turn counter clockwise with a batt powered drill.

Glen Henderson



Freedom is not Free

Letohatchee, AL

I'm in Glen's camp in that I use an old distributor with a nut welded to its top.  I simply use a speed handle and starting with an empty oil filter, it only takes roughly twenty seconds to fill the filter and get oil pressure on most engines including the Y's.  I've found problems with oil pumps using the speed handle that would have gone unnoticed if using a form of powered drill to prime the engines.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Well I don't have an old distributor shaft and my 1/4" socket won't fit inside the bore so I had to find something that would work.  Yes Paul, I always fill the oil filter but was surprised to find how quickly the centre portion empties as the oil soaks into the filter material. I too have used a speed handle but as well as a drill set on reverse at a slow speed  and I too tape everything together..


Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia

Mark, I have several of those ¼" magnetic bit holders. It's one of the items Harbor Freight gives away occasionally to get you in the door. Normally they're $2.99 I think.

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

One thing to be wary of, using a magnetic bit holder if the oil pump drive shaft doesn't have the the spring collar to hold it in place you may pull it out when you remove the bit holder. I think the 1/4" socket is safer.

Rick - West Australia
Do Y Blocks Downunder run upside down? Gravity Sucks!!