Plumbing of pre-oiler.

[Bobb]

Installing a pre-oiler has been a dream of mine for the 41 years I've owned my baby. After reading the forums of a diesel enthusiast's site, I ordered a Flojet 2100 agricultural pump ( http://store.waterpumpsupply.com/fldepu21260p.html ). These folks plumb them into their oil systems with great success. The advantage over the other pre-oiler offerings is that it can't lose pressure over the l-o-o-o-o-ng and c-c-c-cold Canadian winter, it weighs less and costs less. My intention is to use a 'T' from the oil return line for supply and pump it into one of the oil gallery holes on the side of the block. I intend on installing a simple mesh filter before the pump and a one way valve at the outlet of the pump.
I invite comments (or raspberries). My only question is whether this will interfere with normal oil flow when the engine is running. I don't see how since the supply side (the oil return line) is unpressurized.
Thanks folks.
By the way, I was a longtime member of the American Jag-Lovers forum but drifted over here when I discovered that you folks are much more 'techy'. As a 41 year veteran of the RCAF (I was an aircraft tech) I really like that.

[Gfhug]

Bobb, it's interesting to hear this concept on a car engine having only come across them in old aero-engines. Infrequently run Merlins certainly benefit from pre-oiling, though it would take two minutes to get oil to all the galleries.

Not questioning your proposal, but whenever I've taken the cam covers off the cam lobes always seem to have a film of oil on them. Is there something about operating in cold winters (do you drive much in the cold?) to need pre-oiling? I presume you have a sump heater?

I'll be pleased to hear how you get on.

Good luck

Geoff

[mark10337]

I've always wondered where the Sump heater plugs in.

[Bobb]

I cut my teeth as a tech on the Argus (Canadian version of the Brittania, used for long range Maritime patrol). While we didn't pre-oil, we would dilute some oil with avgas prior to start below a certain temperature. One person would be on a headset with the flight engineer and would count the engine rotations as the FE primed the engine and injected the diluted oil. After so many rotations he'd flip on the magnetos and "Cough, blam, choke, wheez and kapow!", it would start belching smoke for a few seconds until it was running smooth.

Anyway, back to the question at hand, I know that heavy engines and many trucks use a pre-oiler prior to every start and these engines are notorious for longevity. I too have noticed oil in the valve bearings when I do adjustments but she does sit all winter and frequently goes a week between drives. Now that I'm retired I hope to drive her more once the engine is rebuilt.

My baby lives in my heated, attached garage so she never gets cold soaked. I'll drive her until the salt trucks come out, with my record being a chilly -10ºC. It was a crisp and clear morning with no wind. I went for my usual Saturday morning drive along the St John river (beautiful, twisty and windy, and devoid of traffic at that time) into Fredericton for shopping. I was reasonably cozy in the car and the rest of the day warmed up into a pleasant fall day.

[Gfhug]

Bobb, I would guess by the lack of responses that no-one has had experience of doing this sort of work, though maybe someone will come up with details of how they've done it.

But I'd have thought that if your car is kept in a warm garage then there would be little need to pre-oil, as the oil would not have become overly thick and heavy, especially if you have the sump heater. You're almost starting the car in normal British climate like that where we have no thoughts of pre-oiling.

And if you're running the car regularly then that should keep the oil in the important places for starting. If you do plan to lay-up the car for a few months then why not plan to take off the cam covers after that and run oil along the cams? Might be a easier solution to your concerns?

Geoff

[Series1 Stu]

Well, yes Geoff, but it is an interesting project any way.

[jagwit]

I ordered a Flojet 2100 agricultural pump ( http://store.waterpumpsupply.com/fldepu21260p.html ).

Whilst I like the concept of pre-oiling, please note the following:
1) the link you sent refers to a WATER pump - which raises the following questions:
2) Will it cope with the viscosity of engine oil?
3) Will it cope with the temperature of the oil?
4) Will it cope on a chemical level with engine oil?

[dal2.0litrefrogeye]

Hi I put an acusump in to my Ultima s small block Chevy engine . It was on the car primarily to keep the oil pressure up from the reserve 5 litre tank if any surge happens when cornering fast it's was engine oil pressure controlled along with relay and solenoid. But a bonus by product was when the ignition was turned on the pressure valve would see no engine oil pressure and turn the solenoid valve on which would let the tank expell it's contents around the engine before the engine was turned over. I would see around 35 psi on the gauge before cranking ...... very reassuring after a little lay up .... am tempted to add one to my E