Getting oil pressure after not running for a while

[4orced4door]

I have read through several threads on oil pump priming here on the board and I can't find a clear cut answer to this. I'm getting ready to try cranking up the car. It's been around 2.5 years since the engine has run. Everything is together, the car is almost ready to put on the ground. I didn't do a rebuild or anything, the engine itself has basically been untouched.

To get oil pressure, should I pull the MPI fuse and the spark plugs and crank the engine for 30 seconds several times? Or do I really need to undo the timing side and spin the oil pump with a drill? I don't want to mess up the engine, but I don't want to go through tons of extra work either when I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[1941Galant]

When it isn't a brand new engine I just crank it over a few times w/ the MPI relay out, then have someone else start it while I look in the valve cover to make sure oil is coming out of the lifters.

 

[jepherz]

Think of how often people try and fire up cars without doing anything out of the norm. I'd think you'd be more than fine by pulling the MPI relay.

 

[bazeng]

I agree.

I undo the turbo line at the head and crank it until I see oil pouring out of the line. (after market line which is easy to remove).

 

[4orced4door]

Cool, thanks for the input.

 

One indicator is that the oil pressure light will go out as you start to build pressure. If it doesn't go out, keep cranking until it does, and then some.

 

[4orced4door]

Good point. The 1g has an oil pressure gauge, I can't remember if they have a light too but I'll find out soon enough.

 

[turbowop]

If you haven't touched the motor, the oil pump is probably still full of oil. It doesn't exactly run out of there.