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MG TD TF 1500 - How do I know if oil is circulating

Finally finished rebuilding the brakes, fuel pumps, corroborators, and water hoses. It starts, but I only rant it for a second then shut it down. How do I know if I am circulating oil? It was empty when I got it. I injected a little oil into each cylinder and rotated the engine using the hand crank. It how has oil, but was wondering how do I know if oil is flowing when the engine runs?
CH Hull

If it's showing oil pressure, it's flowing.

If you're not sure, pull the spark plugs and crank it with the starter and you should show oil pressure.

Have you had the engine apart? If so you will need to prime the pump for sure.
J E Carroll

Don't allow it to start before you see oil pressure... Bad things will happen. You can pull the valve cover and run the starter and see the oil circulating.

Priming the oil pump is not hard but also not intuitive. You can find instructions if needed.

Dean E

I agree with Dean, pull the valve cover, remove the plugs and start the engine until the oil flows from the tappets.

On my rebuilt engine I counted to 29 until the oil came out, so do be patient.
Willem van der Veer

Hook up a cheap garden sprayer to the output off the block to the oil gauge. Fill it with a couple of quarts of oil, pressurize it and hold the handle open until it's empty. You'll have filled all the oil passages, the filter and rocker arm assembly by that time...then as others have said, pull the plugs and pull the starter. You should almost immediately have oil pressure.


Gene Gillam

I also pull the hot lead from the fuel pump before turning on the key..keeps the fuel out of the float bowls and the gas out of the cylinders. I would not pull the rocker cover..you can see all you need to through the oil filler and it is much less messy. Regards, Tom
tom peterson


If it hasn't run in quite a while/has set completely dry, it would be wise to prime the pump, as mentioned above, then leave the plug slightly loose to watch for oil pumping out. This would be the first sign of circulation.
As the oil filter will take quite a few revolutions to fill, you can't beat Gene's prelube system. I've been known to use a plastic bottle with pointed top (like a quart bottle gear lube or some oil additives) to squirt slugs of oil in the oil gallery (small plugs in block near distributor) and head banjo bolt hole, followed by a blast of compressed air to wet bearings, etc.
You may seriously consider popping off the valve cover and drizzle some oil over the rocker shaft and down the pushrods. This latter will help lube the dry lifters and cam lobes.

Then roll the engine over without plugs.
JIM NORTHRUP SR

If I don't want to have fuel present while cranking over to get oil pressure, I just leave the key off and pull the starter knob.

Warmly,
Dave
Dave Braun

Dave, even better. Regards, Tom
tom peterson

This thread was discussed between 22/10/2013 and 23/10/2013

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