i had a 280 motor put in my 240z. i had a mechanic rebuild it. he wanted to pre-oil before i started it. i want to start it today. is it posssible to pre-oil this engine? would it be worth waiting for?

Pull the spark plugs, turn the engine over until you get oil pressure. Put the plugs back in and fire it up. Doing this fills the filter as well as puts oil in all the galleries.

Good luck and make sure you have water in it too! Many people have forgotten that little omission.

Pre-oiling is a good thing. I always do this before an engine goes home with its owner. After a rebuild, I screw a mech. oil pressure gauge in the side of the block. Then, for an L-type engine, a modified distributor drive shaft minus the gear is inserted and engaged in the oil pump drive. Then with a low speed drill motor, the pump is turned untill all cam squirters, or lobe oil holes are flowing oil. While this is being done, the oil pressure is checked. Then the pump is removed, and the dist. drive gear is installed, along with the distributor. Now the engine is ready to be installed and fired up without cranking on the engine.

Phred