initial start up of rebuilt engine

[Hodge]

I'm wondering if there is anything special I need to do when starting the new engine for the first time. I will be priming the oil pump just before dropping in the distributor for starting. I know about breaking in an engine so I'm good there. Mainly what I'm not sure about is how to make sure that I have coolant throughout the engine.
If I just leave the flush kit going for a while would this be enough pressure to get past the engine water pump and fill the engine with water?

Thanks

 

[Lazy Daze]

This is all back in the boat, now? I wasn't sure. But I'll assume it is.

You don't say what type of drive you have (although I think you've got a Bravo from the way you worded your question... or are you referring to the circ pump?). Water will sneak past an Alpha impeller pretty easily. Not so much with an engine-mounted impeller like with a Bravo. However, it really doesn't matter - you're not going to overheat the engine in the little bit of time it takes the impeller to get the block full. Just make sure you have water coming out of the exhaust ports within about 30 seconds.

 

[Sundancer]

Rebuilt a Mazda Rotary engine once. We coated all of the apex seals and iron seals with Vaseline! The Vaseline did two things, first it was sticky enough to hold everything in place while we bolted everything together and second, it lubricated everything for the first 30 seconds or so. Smoked like a son of a gun for the first minute or two until it burned off, but it worked great!

I'm not suggesting you coat everything in Vaseline, but I'm sure there is enough residual oil from the machining process and you will have pressure rapidly with the oil pump primed. You'll be fine. Just watch the oil pressure, keep the rpms low and look for water coming out the exhaust as Dennis mentioned. Then follow the prescribed break in schedule.

 

[Hodge]

Thanks guys. I just wanted some reassurance that I wasn't going to overheat the freshly rebuilt engine by not having it full of water before starting it.

It is a Alpha 1 sterndrive and I just replaced the water pump in it so it should be giving plenty of water up to the engine.