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I have installed the oil pump on my 282 engine ready to install the distributor. Is there a way to prime the system prior to attempting to start the engine.

Thanks I will give it a try.

The oil pump is camshaft-driven, not distributor-driven so you have to turn the engine over to prime. There are several ways, but the simplist is to just very lightly pack the oil pump with a bit of thin grease or gear oil to facilitate suction from the intake screen, and with the spark plugs out crank the engine over on the starter for a couple of turns, or sufficient for oil pressure to register on the gauge or for the "idiot light" to go out. You can do this with the distributor installed, or out. If out, then of course you're going to have to reestablish the relationship of one to the other.

DanC, Good thinking about priming the oil pump before trying to start the engine. I primed the oil pump on my 47's 356 through the port for the oil pressure gauge sender unit. It is on the lower front of my engine, and I believe it is in the same place on your 282. I removed the switch and oil filter plumbing and got a barbed 1/8" NPT x 5/16" hose fitting. Screwed the fitting into the port, and pushed a 5/16" fuel line hose over it. I then filled a pistol type oil can with motor oil and inserted the tip of the can into the hose and pumped away, refilling the can a few times. I used one-quart of oil for the job. This procedure was suggested to me by "HH56" and it worked like a charm. Good luck.

(o[]o)