oil in distributor hole

[Bruce Adams]

If an engine has been idle six months, is it necessary to dump some oil into the distributor hole before starting, or is there enough cling already?
Thanks

[PC/SR]

Better to do it. The new oil will fill the tubes to the crank and cam shafts, get some oil onto those bearings without waiting for it to pump up from the pan.

[WestCoast]

yes oil will drain from every thing from sitting, I don't like to start an eging with dry surfaces, I pull coil wire and crank engine till I get some oil pressure

[31Tudor]

You can always crank the car over with the starter for probably about 10-15 seconds with the ignition off. That will pump quite a bit of oil into the valve chamber and then let it sit for a few minutes to let the oil run into the mains. Then go ahead and fire it up. The rods will also dip into the oil as well.

[Kurt in NJ]

I took apart an engine recently that sat for 15 years, there was still enough oil in the bearings to drip off the journals

If you have stock Babbitt properly done with oil wells and grooves there is no need

[1crosscut]

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I agree with post Kurt but doing as 31Tudor suggests wont hurt a bit.

[Marco Tahtaras]

Originally Posted by Kurt in NJ

I took apart an engine recently that sat for 15 years, there was still enough oil in the bearings to drip off the journals

If you have stock Babbitt properly done with oil wells and grooves there is no need

Yep, I tore down an engine I set aside 25 years prior. All the bearings were wet.

[Tom Wesenberg]

In Minnesota my cars are parked and not touched for 6 to 7 months every year through the winter. I just turn the key on and fire it up.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Always interesting for gentlemen to offer their honest opinions such as those presented above, based on actual past, "hands-on" experience.

Such responses can help one to wonder about the origin of often re-written Model A assumed myths that keep popping up on all sorts of Forums.

For example:

Just because it rains more often where hundreds of frogs are slaughtered for human consumption, (in wet "rainy" sub-tropical regions), this does not prove the old myth that: "If you kill a frog it will rain." LOL

[rocket1]

Minnesota,6-7 month winter,YIKES!!

[Bruce Adams]

THANKS, everyone.
It was SO easy to do, I figured I would change the oil prior to starting though I did it in the fall, and I added oil to the distributor hole under the theory that easy and good can't hurt.