One of the most popular American engines ever built, the Chevrolet motor has been fitted into everything from boats to aircraft. Chevy built their motors with an eye toward durability and power gaining a devoutly loyal fan base in the process. As durable as the Chevy motor is, simple mistakes like forgetting to prime the oil pump after a rebuild can still lead to disaster.
Fill a clean oil filter with 1/2 qt. of oil, and install it on its mount. Tighten it down by hand until it is firmly tight.
Fill the engine with oil to the correct level.
Remove the distributor if it is in the engine. First mark the distributor rotor and housing position with the chalk, then loosen the hold-down nut with a box end wrench. Remove the nut and wires, then lift the distributor out of the engine.
Attach the pump priming tool to the drill chuck. Place the tool into the distributor hole until it contacts the oil pump drive slot. Slide it into the slot.
Run the drill to spin the oil pump and either watch for oil coming out of the rocker arms if they are off, or have a helper watch for oil pressure registering on the oil pressure gauge. Continue to run the drill for 1 to 2 minutes after seeing oil or pressure.
Remove the drill and reinstall the distributor, making sure to line up the marks.
Check the oil and top off if necessary.
