Vaseline the Oil Pump Gear wheels

[jedwards]

Good afternoon S1 Enthusiasts,
I have read that I should liberally coat the Oil pump Gear wheels with Vaseline so that the pump primes quickly and comes up to pressure as soon as possible after a rebuild.
Firstly, is that true?
Secondly, is Vaseline recommended because it is a petroleum gel so dissolves easily in hot oil without blocking the Oil filter?

As I don't have any Vaseline, could I use assembly lube, or grease or anything else or is petroleum gel really the only things that will work?

Many thanks
Jeff

[Blknight.aus]

yes,

vasaline, snow white jelly are the preferred options, but any non moly grease will be fine although it will screw with the stats on your first oil change if you do monitoring and checking.

[1950landy]

Don't just coat the gears but pack the oil pump full.

[PerthDisco]

Are these comments applicable to any rebuild or just LR? I’m putting together an engine now and have the oil pump in bits wondering how to prime it but also told you don’t need to prime it will just pump.

[1950landy]

It is general practice with motor mechanics to do this with all motor rebuilds . What I do is fill pump body with Vasaline then fit the gears , wipe off excess Vasaline then bolt the pump together. The pump will self prime with out it but you will need to be cranked over a lot longer before getting oil pressure.

[JDNSW]

Oil pumps are designed to pump oil, and while they will pump air, they are not particularly good at it because the clearances between gears and between them and the casing leak a lot of air, especially at cranking or idling speeds. Packing the pump with vaseline simply blocks most of these leaks long enough to prime the pump with oil and also dissolves in oil.

How necessary it is depends on variables in the engine design such as how far above the oil level it is to the pump, and how tolerant the engine design is to bearings running without oil pressure.

[Blknight.aus]

you can also back fill the pump and the oil system by flooding the oil system through the oil pressure gauge port.

there are some engines that have a time limit on the oil drain and filter change as the pumps wont re prime if allowed to drain.

[PerthDisco]

So the issue is the pickup is in the oil but the gears are above oil level?

The first filling of the engine fills the sump via the return drains from the head but doesn’t fill the pump body.

I can see that being an issue untill the gears are wet.

The oil pressure switch is first point of call beyond the pump hence topping from there wets the gear teeth.

In addition remove fuel or spark and crank engine over till pressure builds relying on oil and grease used in assembly process? Then start for real.

[Blknight.aus]

So the issue is the pickup is in the oil but the gears are above oil level?

The first filling of the engine fills the sump via the return drains from the head but doesn’t fill the pump body.

I can see that being an issue untill the gears are wet.

The oil pressure switch is first point of call beyond the pump hence topping from there wets the gear teeth.

In addition remove fuel or spark and crank engine over till pressure builds relying on oil and grease used in assembly process? Then start for real.

thats about it, some larger engines have a port for priming the oil system or an electric prime pump that wont let you start until a certain pressure has been reached

[mick88]

I just use one of these hand pump units to prime the system when i rebuild an engine.
Remove the oil light/pressure switch, screw a nipple in then pump a litre or two of oil
into it, then top up the engine to the volume of oil specified (less the amount used to
prime it), replace the oil light/pressure switch, then fire the engine up.
I also ensure all the moving parts in the engine are also coated with assembly lube.
Its a simple method and works well.

Cheers, Mick.

[cjc_td5]

Are these comments applicable to any rebuild or just LR? I’m putting together an engine now and have the oil pump in bits wondering how to prime it but also told you don’t need to prime it will just pump.

I think most landy engines that I have seen have the oil pump above the level of the sump so priming the pump provides the suction to draw the oil up to the pump and get it going. The Isuzu 4J series engine I have just reassembled has the pump in the bottom of the sump, below the oil level, so I don't think priming will be an issue for it. I have left the injectors out ATM and intend to run it on the starter to get oil distributed through the engine, before I attempt to start it for real.