We're replacing an LS based 5.3L in a Silverado here at work. Since we're a Ford dealership, most of my guys aren't really 100% up do date on the small details of other manufacturer's engines. I remember on Horsepower TV they built an LS and plopped it into something. They mentioned the oiling system had to be pressurized prior to first start. Is this true and how does one go about performing such a task.
Thanks in advance,
Brian
I'm entirely unsure, but I get most of what little I know from ls1tech.com.
You would need a device that pressurizes via the oil filter. The oil pump is driven by the front of the crank and can't be spun up.
OK, so I'm guessing I need to go borrow it from the Chevy place. LOL I knew I'd find the answer here!!
All I have ever done is pulled the sparkplug wires/electric fuel pump and turned it over with the starter 'til I get pressure.
Gasoline wrote: All I have ever done is pulled the sparkplug wires/electric fuel pump and turned it over with the starter 'til I get pressure.
Thats the way I would do it. If it were a PITA to pull the plug I might skip that step too.
Gasoline wrote: All I have ever done is pulled the sparkplug wires/electric fuel pump and turned it over with the starter 'til I get pressure.
Yep, general rule with freshly-built engines. Pull the fuse for the whole ignition system to save effort.
pull injector fuse unplug the coils crank for about 10 seconds then put fuse back in plug in coils and good to go.
supposed to do this with every engine not just chevy
Well I'm up to date on pre-oiling an engine. With engines using distributor driven pumps, insert adaptor and use electric drill to pre-oil. I had heard that the LS family of engines required a special oil system presurizing step prior to first start that was different than the old "dry" crank.
I can't believe you guys don't know this!! The entire brain-trust on GRM is in the dark on this???
Pull the spark plugs. Pour oil in the cylinders 'till the oil gets to the bottom thread of the spark plug hole. Put the spark plugs in, hook up a 24V battery and crank it up!!
I've even done this on diesels, but the spark plugs are harder to find.
I've only put some vaseline in the pump and pickup and let it fly. If the pressure isn't up in a few seconds, I shut it down and find out why, but more times then not, it never happens.
DrBoost wrote: I can't believe you guys don't know this!! The entire brain-trust on GRM is in the dark on this??? Pull the spark plugs. Pour oil in the cylinders 'till the oil gets to the bottom thread of the spark plug hole. Put the spark plugs in, hook up a 24V battery and crank it up!! I've even done this on diesels, but the spark plugs are harder to find.
The only problem is that that method doesn't lube the bearings very well. To do that, you need to put enough oil on the pan so that the crank can pick up the oil.
FWIW, I HAVE done this with success, but not on an LS. It was a Subaru.
Step 1 is use the shop's oil gun to pump the oil pan full of oil through the oil filter's threaded fitting. Yes, it gets a little messy, but if you have a smooth surface on the gun's nozzle, you can force it against the fitting well enough to work. Takes a while, though.
Then, after installing an oil filter that was carefully filled (never fill the outside! fill from the threaded hole and wait for the oil to seep through the filter) I removed the oil pressure sender and installed a threaded fitting, and used a vacuum-can brake bleeder to pull oil up through the oil galleries. Yes, I was somewhat surprised that it worked, too 
No, it doesn't fill all of the oil gallieries, but it gets you much of the way there. The big issue is making sure the oil pump and pickup are full of oil.
Engine built oil pressure while cranking, so it must have worked well enough.
The vacuum method will be awfully difficult on the 5.3 because the sender is tucked behind the intake manifold. But, you could go in to pressurize it through the oil cooler lines. It does have an oil cooler, right?
You'll need to log in to post.
