building an engine prelube

[mwood7800]

Has anyone tried to make a prelube, looks like a tank, solenoid valve, pressure hose tied into the oil passage and an on off switch might work.

 

[Anonymous]

Oil, being hydraulic, is not compressable. You can't just pump it into a tank and have it come back out under pressure.

The Moroso units I believe use a spring piston inside to push the oil back out when the valve is opened.

Money ahead to buy their kit I think.

 

[Anonymous]

Mike, there are several places on-line that have the kits ..... I'd use one of those because all of the design work has already been done for you
and it would just be a matter of hookin' it up.

Last time I looked I think they were in the $450 range, but that was a
couple of years ago.

K.

 

[jim]

This one has been around for years:

http://www.accusump.com/

Jim

 

[PatoLoco]

I have a push button that lets me crank my engine over with out having power to the ignition or fuel pump. I know that this is not the best priming system but it is a lot better than starting the engine with no oil pressure.

 

[mwood7800]

If I wanted to use a seperate pump for perlube only where would I plumb the pump to pressure my 540?

 

[jim]

Here is a lycoming oil system oil flow diagram:

Jim

 

[Anonymous]

I have a push button that lets me crank my engine over with out having power to the ignition or fuel pump. I know that this is not the best priming system but it is a lot better than starting the engine with no oil pressure.

This actually helps a lot. Most of your bore wear comes from corrosive gasses that are created by combustion and at startup there is no oil to wash them away.

Also, with no combustion, there is less pressure on the bearings so they have time to build up the pressurized layer of oil that keeps them from wearing.

A Chevy that has had clean oil and no detonation usually shows very little bearing wear when torn down for a rebuild.