40. Starting the engine

The next big step in the restauration phase is starting the engine.
The Holley is clean and the basic settings are made, the fuel pipe and pump is working, the throttle and choke cables are working, too.
OK, only a little bit of wiring is an open task.

The electronic ignition system was looking bad.

By the way - I want to know, what is inside this Lucas 2CE Constant Energy box...
I found a GM-HEI module and some other parts. Interesting was, that the GM-HEI module gets the ground over the housing, so the -ve should have a very good connection to the alu housing. And do not forget to add some thermal paste between the module and the housing. This will keep the module cool.

The connection diagram can be found in the web.

Now the fuel pump, the fans and the starter have to be wired.
I use some remaining automatic circuit breakers. They are ideally for a temporary wiring. You can switch on /off the electric loads and in case of failure everything is save.

 Looks really professional, or ?

The oil pressure gauge is one with a capillary tube - should work.

Ah, oil and all the rest of the fluids.
LSD                 - check ( the good one from BMW for limited slip dif )
Gear box         - check
Engine oil         - check ( a little over the max, cause the filter is empty )
Water              - check ( 8l clear rain warter are ok for testing )
Fuel                 -  check ( 5l are enough )

Next is a test of every single part.
The starter is running when pressing the green button, the fans are turning, the fuel pump is running and the Holley stays dry. The ignition is the only part, I did not test.

Then the big moment - press the throttle one, two times and fire the green button - and the engine runs.

At this moment you should hold your eyes straight on the oil pressure -gauge. The needle should move to something so you know, the oil is there... but my needle does nothing. Carefully push the throttle some times - nothing. After 2-3 minutes I give up and stop the motor.
Shit... bad luck.
As this is my first Rover V8, my next step is to treat Google...

I found, that the oil pump does not bleed itselve and you have to prime it first.
One advise was, to open the pump and fill it up with vaselin. This will help to prime the pump.
Another solution was to remove the dizzy and turn the oil pump with an adapter and a drilling machine until the pressure rises.

The first advise sounds not so good for me. I do not want to have vaselin in the oil, so I start to make a adapter for the oil pump.

Will not win a beauty prize, but it does its job. After 1-2 minutes !!! free turning, the 1000W drill primed the pump and has to work hard. The oil presure rised to about 5.5 on the gauge and the oil can be seen at the cam shafts.
Mount the dizzy and find the correct position was a little bit tricky.

Second try.
Push the throttle two times  and fire the button - the engine is running and the oil pressure can be seen. The motor is much more quiet than before. The rattling noise is gone.

The idling speed is very high cause the Holley setup and the ignition time is not set up now - but it is running.
Well done !

Ups, now the exaust is getting hot and the black paint and the thermal isolation starts to create a bad smelling smoke.
After it was vanished, I took the camera an made a short movie: