Oil prime question

After sitting with the oil pan off all winter from last year I try turn it over with assembly Lube and the valve cover off to see if any oil comes up I don't see any oil I see the chain well lubricated my question is is since it was empty all winter do I have to prime it somehow right now no plugs are in it so it's easier to turn over and I'm making sure that the cam guides are well oiled with assembly Lube but I don't see no oil coming up where would I see it coming up in the passage I remember last year when I had a seal valve cover gasket the front cam I can see oil down in the sump but I don't see any this time any recommendations what I need to do I'm at that point right now I need the help thank you

What bike do you have? I know that it can take a while for the oil to get up there, especially if you have an oil cooler. Also, why was the oil pan off all winter  ? I sure hope nothing happened to the internals in that time. for my gpz, which I split the cases on, I had to start the engine for a bit before oil got to the top. 

KZ 1100 D1 spectre why would anything happen to the internals I was changng all the gaskets that's why I had it off

82

Youll never turn it over fast enough by hand to pump oil to the cams. 
when spinning fast enough.oil is pumped to the cam journals and seeps out the journal to lubricate the valve buckets.

I would be careful cranking a J motor with the cover off, without the chain guide in the cover the cam timing will move and risk damaging valves- don’t forget to back the tensioner off before you fit the valve cover

So if I put the valve cover on how am I going to be absolutely sure I'm getting oil to the top

And I was cranking with the starter plugs out and I wasn't seeing no results

You said you cannot see any oil in the sump. You must be absolutely certain that the oil is at the proper level before trying to start the engine. If the level is too low, the oil pump may not be able to pick it up at all, and the engine will likely seize shortly after startup.

To the best of my knowledge, the starter cannot spin the engine fast enough to pump oil.

If the Low Oil Pressure warning light goes out shortly after startup, then the top end is getting oil. If the bike was running ok before you replaced the gaskets, and nobody has done something daft like reinstalling the cam bearings incorrectly, or left a shop rag in the sump next to the oil pump pickup, there should be no problem.

 

Well my thoughts are to put the valve cover on without the gasket so I have the tensioner like Wookie said in place then start it and if I get oil leaking I'm good and I'll put the gasket on and if I see the oil gasket light go out I'm good I think but yes I made sure I got the proper level of oil in I'll keep updated when I go back by the bike tomorrow thanks everybody for the help

TexasKZ wrote:

You said you cannot see any oil in the sump. You must be absolutely certain that the oil is at the proper level before trying to start the engine. If the level is too low, the oil pump may not be able to pick it up at all, and the engine will likely seize shortly after startup.

To the best of my knowledge, the starter cannot spin the engine fast enough to pump oil.


 

I don't know about these low pressure Kaw motors, but every motor I have built I have spun on the starter with the plugs out until the oil light goes out before I started it ?

I'll try that. I wasn't watching the oil light I didn't think it would go out while it was not running. So I guess I'll pull the plugs back out I tried short bursts to turn it over and see if I can get the oil light to go out if it don't well I'll put the valve cover on without the gasket started for a short period of time to see if the oil light goes out if it does I'll wait a few seconds to see if I can get some oil leakage and if I do then I'll put the gasket sound like a plan.