Starting an engine for the first time

[Kit Car Electronics 1,956]

Glad it's ok now, for future reference, that's #4 🙂

[Two7 178]

yep counting was never my strong suit, cylinder 4.

[clansman 211]

Slightly different to a very first engine start but I have not run the Westie for nearly a year due to one thing and another, so I decided to fire it up the other day and first removed the plugs so I could turn it over and get some oil pressure prior to actually running the engine. Well result is no pressure building at all !! When it was put in the garage last year it was after a long run and no issues at all with oil pressure! I would have thought turning it on the starter would give something? Engine is a 2.0 Silvertop Zetec. Does it need to be at a certain RPM before the pump moves the oil ? I suspect it should still give some pressure. Also checked the cam lob through the oil filler and it does not appear to be getting any oil .

[Gary Taylor 2,160]

30 minutes ago, clansman said:

Slightly different to a very first engine start but I have not run the Westie for nearly a year due to one thing and another, so I decided to fire it up the other day and first removed the plugs so I could turn it over and get some oil pressure prior to actually running the engine. Well result is no pressure building at all !! When it was put in the garage last year it was after a long run and no issues at all with oil pressure! I would have thought turning it on the starter would give something? Engine is a 2.0 Silvertop Zetec. Does it need to be at a certain RPM before the pump moves the oil ? I suspect it should still give some pressure. Also checked the cam lob through the oil filler and it does not appear to be getting any oil .

I would expect to see oil pressure on cranking even if only a smidge on the gauge or warning light out.

there was a post a while back about a build where the engine had sat for ages and iirc they had to prime it

 

[OldStager 442]

Yes, I had issues as well at 1st start ( rebuild in my case) I had to prime every oil gallery I could, removing the oil pressure switch and forcing oil through the engine. Packing the oil pump to reduce suction loss etc. Still had no pressure on cranking, but the second I connected the coil back up and fired it up, up shot the gauge. Always a nervous time on engines that have stood and perhaps the worst bit of a rebuild.

[Richard Houlgate 25]

If there is an external oil pipe or tapping into the oil system (eg at the gauge pressure switch) disconnect and see if oil comes out when you crank the engine on the starter.