Pre-lubing tool

[mlcraven]

Hi everyone.  I'm new here -- Mike Craven from Norfolk VA.  I'm actually a Canuck submariner in the Royal Canadian Navy, orig from NS Canada, serving here with the USN submarine force since 2010.

Outside of work and family I'm restoring a 67 Mercury Cyclone with a 390 FE and C6.  You can see the whole project over at the Bangshift.com site...the thread under project cars is "Back to the Blue Oval".

I had the engine refreshed a month ago, a very conservative/mild build with a few upgrades to bring things up to snuff -- my aim was to produce the 390 that Ford should have been building in 66-67.  That is to say, one that's capable of holding its own against similar displacement 325-335 horse RBs and GM big blocks.

My question is this: what's out there in the way of FE compatible pre-lube tools that can be stuck on the end of an electric drill?  Or is there some way this can be easily fabbed up from junkyard bits?

Appreciate any assistance.  Great site, very civil tone and lots of useful info.  Been following JayBs previous year Drag Week exploits with interest...sorry things didn't work out this year.

Thanks again.

[afret]

Moroso 62210 or a distributor with the gear and the advance mechanism removed.

[mlcraven]

Thanks very much for that.  Just happen to have an old distributor that I can mod to suit.

[jayb]

I use the Moroso tool and grind some flats on the drill end so it doesn't slip in the drill when you are pre-oiling.  You can tell its really working when the drill starts smoking 

[ScotiaFE]

Hey Mike
I'm out on the Eastern Shore at the end of the 107.
I retired from the Navy a while ago. Did my 25.
We are taking the Green Fairlane to Greenfield this weekend, looks like rain on Saturday but Sunday looks good. Cars running great.
I just use a speed handle and don't forget to turn it counter clock wise.

[mlcraven]

Howie: great to make your acquaintance!  I'm hoping to get back to NS next summer, certainly not later than summer 2014, and retire soon after that -- we've been away from the east coast since '95 so it can't happen soon enough (my bride is a Bluenoser through and through and I'm Dartmouth born and mostly raised -- apart from a couple of misspent teenage years down in the Berwick-Aylesford-Kingston area)

I'm thinking I may have seen your Fairlane in a car show at the Woodside A&W a few summers ago when I was home on leave?  Saw the picture of it here, very fine looking ride.  And it seems you prob have the largest collection of FE junk east of Montreal (as the old saying goes).

Been following the scene at Greenfield to the extent that I can on the website.  Seems like there's lots of enthusiasm and some fast rides for a small province.  I have a 386 stroker El Camino that I ran in the Nostalgia and Semi Pro classes at Luskville in western Quebec, just outside Ottawa; mid-12-sec car and I've proven I'm the world's worst bracket racer.  But loads of fun and I do hope to bring it down to Greenfield eventually.  Once the Cyclone is done I'll give it a whirl on the track too, but it's being built as a highway left-lane cruiser -- loads of Dynamat and a good stereo. 

One of the benefits of being down here in Tidewater is relative proximity to Charlotte.  I visited the NASCAR museum and marvelled at Bud Moore's and the Wood Bros creations.  Also visited Lee Holman's shop just outside town.  He's the son of the long-ago-passed-away Holman of Holman-Moody fame.  Spent a very pleasant hour one Sat morning admiring all the FE paraphenalia in his place, including Fred Lorenzen's NASCAR 427 powered Fairlane and more dual quad tunnel port FEs in a row than I've ever seen before in my life.

If you ever get down this way give us a shout in advance right here.

[ScotiaFE]

Good Stuff Mike.
You may have seen the Green Fairlane at A&W. I've been going there since it started. I use to bring the Stang out and there would be about
20 cars there and we thought that was a good turn out. Now it's nothing to see 200 or 300 cars show up. 
I have the Fairlane set up for the highway as well. A basic 390 with a wide ratio box and 3.25's. Big comfy seats. It works great on the highway.
I put the Cal Tracs on for the weekend, but normally don`t run them. Lots of ground clearance needed on the eastern shore. You never know when the
road might turn rough. lol
Just going to run with the BFG hockey pucks. There`s just enough tread left to pass as a street tire. Should be fun. I`ve never had the Fairlane on
the track.

[lovehamr]

For pre-lubing I use a 1/4" extension and a 1/4 or 5/16 (depending on engine) deep well socket.  I've never found the need for a special tool.

[mlcraven]

Good Stuff Mike.
You may have seen the Green Fairlane at A&W. I've been going there since it started. I use to bring the Stang out and there would be about
20 cars there and we thought that was a good turn out. Now it's nothing to see 200 or 300 cars show up. 
I have the Fairlane set up for the highway as well. A basic 390 with a wide ratio box and 3.25's. Big comfy seats. It works great on the highway.
I put the Cal Tracs on for the weekend, but normally don`t run them. Lots of ground clearance needed on the eastern shore. You never know when the
road might turn rough. lol
Just going to run with the BFG hockey pucks. There`s just enough tread left to pass as a street tire. Should be fun. I`ve never had the Fairlane on
the track.

Good luck at the track but...BEWARE...it's addictive.    No end of guys with 9-10-11 sec cars started out with 14-15-16 sec cars and then caught the bug big time.  Next thing it's a steep gear, slicks, power adders and a tow rig.  Keep us posted how she performs.

[mlcraven]

For pre-lubing I use a 1/4" extension and a 1/4 or 5/16 (depending on engine) deep well socket.  I've never found the need for a special tool.

Thanks much for that...at under $20 I ordered the tool but will prob misplace it in no time (or find someone has used it to stir paint)

[RICK LAKE]

mlcraven Mike first off,Thanks for your services. Now for a couple of ideas. You are spending alot of money to build this car. As for how much useage it's going to get, I don't know. Here's a couple of things to look into.
If the car is not going to be in a 100% orginal then adding a accusump to the car with a 2 or 3 quart system would be a good idea. It works as a pre oiler in the motor before starting. This will give the motor about 30 psi. NO dry starts. Extend the life of the motor by years. Can be used electrically or manual with a valve and cable pull. All needed to to run a line to the oil sender port off a TEE and you have oil. Just need to refill tank after startup. Have to shop around and price a kit. Canton and Morosso are the leaders in this.
 For prelube on startup, the other guys have it right with a shaft and strong 1/2 drill to build up pressure. Add good breakin oil and suppliments and follow a 15-20 minute breakin and keep the rpms around 2,000.
 Last Oil suppliments, I have done testing on my own rigs over the last 15+ years and found that Lucas oil suppliemnt is a cligging oil that helps stop dry startups. It does cost a couple of HP, ( 5-8) but after motor has been sitting for a week you have almost complete drain back of the oil to the oil pan. Last run the motor 1 quart over full. Follow the oil modifications of limiters for heads, HV oil pump with a min of 60# pressure spring in housing. Make sure the oiling holes are clear of intake gaskets for better return to oil pan. Nice build up, good luck with car. Rick L.

[mlcraven]

Thanks for the thoughts/advice Rick.  Had a look on RacingJunk.com and used they seem to go for $150-$200...the boys on BangShift seem to think I could build one for half that.

The CVF pulleys, Holley 4150 and 1-in phenolic spacer arrived this week. Last thing on the agenda is a distributor upgrade...prob going to go with a Pertronix upgrade.

[Cyclone03]

Well I use a 1/4" 1/4" drive deep socket with a 6" extension and speed handle.
I've also been known to just chuck the end of the extension in a 1/2 drive drill run in reverse.
No special tool required,works on small blocks too....