Need Advice - Air in Oil Line between reservoir and pump

[cajones2]

Over the summer I had some mice setup shop under the engine. I was able to successfully evict them shortly after realizing this. This fall i pulled the engine to get the varmints out of there, clean out their condominium and check all my wiring and hoses for chewing and what not. I got everything back together, but looking back i should have bled the air out of the oil line between the reservoir and the pump since it is mostly air now. I tried to hold the throttle open and shoot a little air in there but that did nothing. I am wondering if i can use a couple gallons of premix and let the engine pull the oil in. I really don't want to have to pull the engine and drain, but would if i have to.

Do you think running a couple gallons of premix would purge the air out of the oil line ok? Would the additional air be a problem causing the fuel/air mixture to run lean?

Thanks guys! -Craig

 

[no1chevyboy]

first did you remove that line at any time?

 

[cajones2]

Yeah I did remove the line. I disconnected it to pull the engine out. Then I replaced it with a new line when i put the engine back in. There was some oil that ran down the line a little bit, but not too much.

Another thing i was thinking i could do is: Disconnect it from the reservoir and use a syringe to slowly "inject" oil into the the line to fill it.

 

[no1chevyboy]

ok there is i believe a bleed screw on the pump to bleed the air out between the res. and pump, or you can run pre mix and at idle hold pump wide open and air will work its way out

 

[cajones2]

Is there a way to access this bleed screw without having to remove the engine? Thanks for your input, I appreciate it.

 

[no1chevyboy]

if you can see oil pump its on top (small bolt with washer)

 

[TREBB]

If it's the same oil pump as the 700 use if look at the top of the pump right where the cable goes down to it, you should see a screw with a flat head or 8mm I think that should be the bleed screw. Just crack it open and let the oil run out. You don't need to remove the screw it has a hole in the center and side to let the oil out.

As a safe measure you should also run a tank of mixed to make sure the air finds its way out

 

[cajones2]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice. I ended up mixing up 3 gallons of fuel at 50:1, removed the oil injection cable from the throttle lever and while the sled was at idle, I pulled the cable such that the oil pump would be wide open. I could see the oil work its way down the line. I did this before I checked back to read about the bleed screw, I will remember that for future reference. Thanks again fellas!