Is there a fuse I can remove to keep from starting...or something else I can do to turn over the engine to circulate some oil prior to starting?  Or maybe I don't need to do anything? 

 

Currently 1/2 tank of fuel,  my game plan from VP44 back to fuel tank is to drain and flush, new filters and biocide   

 

I assume pretty dry inside engine  is reason for asking.

 

(Between Thanksgiving and Christmas have lots planned...additional fuel filter, flush cooling system, WT Mod, and updated radio)

 

Thanks

 

 

i'd just discnnect the vp44 harness from the pump and crank.

Easy.. pull the fuel pump relay.

 I pull the fuel pump relay when the truck is going to sit for awhile to prevent theft. 

NOTE: if you try to start the engine with the relay out it will not start and the check engine light will turn on with a code about no power to the VP.  Have a code reader handy to reset the light.  

Thanks for the replies...

 

Just put the relay in another empty hole. It will baffle most.

Pull the distributor and spin the oil pump with a drill and homemade tool. Oh wait... ?

  On 10/29/2020 at 2:22 AM, LorenS said:

Pull the distributor and spin the oil pump with a drill and homemade tool. Oh wait... ?

 

Speaking of oil...I'm going to change oil also.  Would the new oil being poured in go to all the right places. Like all those gears behind the timing cover?

  On 10/29/2020 at 2:38 AM, 015point9 said:

Would the new oil being poured in go to all the right places. Like all those gears behind the timing cover?

Yes, 

 

LUBRICATION DESCRIPTION NOTE: Refer to (Fig. 148) and (Fig. 149) for circuit illustrations. A gear driven gerotor type oil pump is mounted behind the front gear cover in the lower right portion on the engine. OPERATION A gerotor style oil pump draws oil from the crankcase through the suction tube and delivers it through the block where it enters the oil cooler cover and pressure regulator valve. When oil pressure exceeds 449 kPa (65 PSI), the valve opens exposing the dump port, which routes excess oil back to the oil sump. At the same time, oil is directed to a cast in passage in the oil cooler cover, leading to the oil cooler element. As the oil travels through the element plates, it is cooled by engine coolant traveling past the outside of the plates. It is then routed to the oil filter head and through a full flow oil filter. If a plugged filter is encountered, the filter by-pass valve opens, allowing unfiltered oil to lubricate the engine. This condition can be avoided by frequent oil and filter changes, per the maintenance schedules found in the owners manual. The by-pass valve is calibrated to open when it sees a pressure drop of more than 344 kPa (50 psi) across the oil filter. The oil filter head then divides the oil between the engine and the turbocharger. The turbocharger receives filtered, cooled and pressurized oil through a supply line from the filter head. The oil lubricates the turbocharger and returns to the pan by way of a drain tube connecting the bottom of the turbocharger to a pressed in tube in the cylinder block. Oil is then carried across the block to an angle drilling which intersects the main oil rifle. The main oil rifle runs the length of the block and delivers oil to the crankshaft main journals and valve train. Oil travels to the crankshaft through a series of transfer drillings (one for each main bearing) and lubricates a groove in the main bearing upper shell. From there another drilling feeds the camshaft main journals. The piston cooling nozzles are also supplied by the main bearing upper shell. Crankshaft internal crossdrillings supply oil to the connecting rod journals. Another series of transfer drillings intersecting the main oil rifle supply the valve train components. Oil travels up the drilling, through a hole in the head gasket, and through a drilling in the cylinder head (one per cylinder), where it enters the rocker arm pedestal and is divided between the intake and exhaust rocker arm. Oil travels up and around the rocker arm mounting bolt, and lubricates the rocker shaft by cross drillings that intersect the mounting bolt hole. Grooves at both ends of the rocker shaft supply oil through the rocker arm where the oil travels to the push rod and socket balls (Fig. 148) and (Fig. 149)

@IBMobile good article, but I think @015point9 was asking if oil would go to timing gears simply by putting oil in the hole of the valve cover, which I don't believe it would and only partially would lubricate some of the valve train closest towards the hole. 

 

I was always under assumption that cranking the engine without starting is the worst thing you can do. Best thing is probably just to start it every so often and bring it up to the operating temp for a period of time to get all the moisture out, them before shut down driver up to 2000 RPM so everything is well lubricated and shut down right after.

If that's all you are going to do for a period of time, I don't believe oil will oxidize and go bad in several years at least. In my opinion if you can start it once a month bring it up to the temp then shut it down, you could probably change oil once every 3 years and be just fine. friend of mine didn't change oil for like 6 years and drove the truck daily, he didn't put a ton of miles a year on it but still. It was 2001 I think 1500 Chevy, it still has the truck but moved to Florida now. Probably still changing the oil once every couple of years at most. Not saying that that's a good thing just saying sometimes we overthink things.

The last one I fired up I did nothing to. I had been standing in a field for 4 or 5 years. We installed a set of batteries. Crank on it a bit to get the fuel up and oil pumping. Pulled the air filter and gave it a shot of starting fluid lit it off. Ran fine. Couple days later had him drive it to my house and installed a VP44. No start hot issue and P0216 code. 

Depending on how worried you are about this, if you also plan to pull/change the injectors later you could pull them now before you crank the engine.  While this may not be as effective as removing spark plugs, this will lower the compressive forces and thus the load on journal and other bearings.  If you wanted to put a little engine oil or fogging spray in there, you could do that, too.  Likely this is unnecessary, as Mopar1973Man has stated, but if I was pulling injectors anyway this is what I would do if the truck was where I needed it to be - like if I could push it to the shop, not out in a rainy pasture!

If you REALLY want to wear belt AND suspenders, you could start on page 9-299 of the factory service manual and see if you can find a way to spin the oil pump.  Looks like you'll have to get creative to pull a gear somewhere and hope you get it reinstalled correctly!  If you plan to check the Killer Dowel Pin anyway, it may be worth it.

Not worth it. Way too much work to access the oil pump to pre-lube. Personally I would just change oil, fill it up and start it up. Leave it idle till warmed up a bit. (100 to 140F).

  On 10/29/2020 at 5:35 PM, Mopar1973Man said:

Not worth it. Way too much work to access the oil pump to pre-lube.

Agreed.  Just wanted to point out (via the FSM) how much work it would be!

Ahhh... 

Just thinking about it. Not much a person can do for prelube other than pull the fuel pump relay. Cranking over has little load per say vs. running with 30 pounds of boost pull a trailer. Starter will turn in over slower than idle.