Pre Lubers
 

I'm curious to see how many people are actually using Pre Lubers. This may have been discussed previously and I just missed it.

Anyone at all using them ?

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I installed one last year. It's the canister type that stores oil pressure. Seems to work, once you turn the key, the pressure gauge jumps and there's pressure.

I'm sure the pump ones are a littel better.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

3 years on my Accusump system, one plus of this system is that it allows you to run about a quart low in the pan.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

If the oil system is designed correctly, there is no need to install an accusump system. After 50 years of engine building we have never used or needed one.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I'm using the Eickert kits. Basically a fuel pump that draws from the bottom of the pan. Besides pre lubbing I have a disconnect that allows me to change the oil with the boat in the water.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I had them on my boat and sold them:D .Ive never seen any probs from not having them.I just wouldnt rev a cold motor and let the oil pres come up first.

Maybe a oil heater in cold climates ,but then its to cold to boat anyway.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

Still it's nice to have oil pressure before starting a motor that has sat for 3-4 months, yes?

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I have preluber oil pumps from http://www.pre-luber.com/
I build 40-45 PSI of oil pressure before starting the engines.
Feels good, especially if the engines have been sitting for some time.
The pumps also make oil changes easy.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I'd say yes but only to a certain extent...

If the motor isn't turning over you will only be getting oil pressure to a couple journals and not very much up top... That's why you have to manually turn the motor over when you prime it for the first time. The rotating assembly holds most of the oil when the motor is shut down anyway.

I'm no scientist or engine guru but that's my opinion...:drink:

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I think it's a little better than that, with the valve covers off you can see oil at the rockers after about 25-30 seconds. I would guess that most of the bearings should be seeing oil by that point with roughly 1 - 1 1/2 quarts of oil being pushed through the motor.:drink:

Re: Pre Lubers
 

Preluber for the last 10yrs... Not needed, but it sure is handy for priming a motor that has sat for any lenght of time.
I use the preluber everytime I start the motor.. Maybe for the next ten I wont use it and see if it makes a diff.
I know a lot of guys dont, but I know of instances where they should have. Then of course we are a proud lot and most guys wont tell you when their stuff breaks..

D ick

Re: Pre Lubers
 

Pre lube seems absolutely a logical and good thing to me. After sitting 3 months, it has to be a good for the moving assembly !

I can't understan why more are not in use.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I agree with using a Pre-Luber. Might not be necessary but it cant hurt anything.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

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Re: Pre Lubers
 

I must agree with wobble. I've hit my pre-luber with the valve covers off and have seen oil. Not to mention I've been using my pre-luber for a couple of years and the two times that I've had to tear down my motor the bearings have looked great.

Just my two cents.....

Re: Pre Lubers
 

KE Lubers, everytime time I fire up, pulls/holds 30 psi cold, drains 14qts in under 30-40 sec. Wouldn't be without them.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I do not know if you need them or not, but the man that builds the motors for our race boat will not let a new motor he build leave his shop unless you have one on board.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

If you've ever disassembled a properly built and maintained marine engine that was run within it's intended parameters you'd notice an almost total absense of wear.

I just took apart a 330hp 7.4 with 1300 hrs, many at WOT and was absolutely amazed at the the almost total lack of wear. Good oil, changed at proper intervals, and it just didn't matter that the boat sat a couple weeks between uses for 13 years.

The only time marine engines wear out is when they're spun too fast, run too hot, or other high power stuff. There's really no startup wear.

Prelubers have long been one of those "can't be a bad thing" add ons. I'd say in a marine invironment with good synthetic oil they've got to be close to useless. Oh yeah, and if you're too cheap to use a good synthetic, why are we even talking about a preluber.

But like they say "can't be a bad thing", and they're certainly less expensive than a lot of other stuff we put on our boats :) And if you get the right kind, they make oil changes faster.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

Every motor I 've ever taken apart has always still had a film of oil on all the bearings. Motors that have sat months before tear down.

I'm not to worried about the motor that sits idle for a few weeks. Between the oil film and the couple sec delay for pressure to register at startup, not sure I will ever have one.

Bottom line, can't hurt anything though.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

This is how my ESP Pre-Luber turned out.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

i am installing one ..i plan on making a bracket and mounting to the transmission...i am going to make a rubber mount for the filter to attach to the lower water crossover pipe between the coolers..think i have about 200.00 in parts.. that may or may not save thousands in repair...

it's probably not needed , although i always belived that some engine wear does occur during start up...

i'm not a engine builder ...

just my pennie's worth..

Re: Pre Lubers
 

The difficulty I have seen with all the prelubers is the tiny fitting sizes. All my oil lines are 12AN. Conversion tees to go from 12 to whatever the pre lubes have are nearly impossible to find.

To get size 12AN check valves, I had to wait 7 months for goodridge in England to make two of them and they were $250 each!

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I think with stock type applications you can certainly build a case for not needing pre lubers. When you have substantial $ invested in a good high performance motor, to say pre luber insurance is wasted $ is an easy statement to make, especially when you are not the one underwriting the iron cost. :D

Re: Pre Lubers
 

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Mine was a # 6 line plumbed into the oil filter adaptor.It ran for somemany [?]seconds ,built oil pressure usally around 40psi then cut off then I cranked it.The pick up side was in the drain plug and I could dran the motor with it also.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

Strip;

Is yours essentially a fuel pump? What is the black controller box?

Re: Pre Lubers
 

KE used to use the Weldon pump. You can get them from Kinsler Inj. but they aren't cheap.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

It seems to be an oil pump and electronic control module (ECM) from http://www.pre-luber.com/
The ECM can be connected to the ignition switch, so when you turn on the ignition the oil pump will be started by the ECM for a certain amount of time. Depending on the ECM type post lubrication (after engine shutdown) is also possible.
I have the oil pump from the same company, but I decided against the ECM. I basically installed simple switches to turn on the oil pumps instead, so I can control for how long I want to prelubricate.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

You dont need to worry about -12 fittings on a pre-luber. All of my oil lines are -12, but the pre-luber lines are -8. No oil flows through the pre-luber lines when the engine is running. You dont need to worry about flow porblems. The only oil that runs through the -8 lines is oil pumped from the pre-luber. ESP sells an inexpensive check valve to keep the oil where its supposed to be. If you look at the picture I posted, the check valve is the brass thing screwed into the starboard side of my oil filter head.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

he had switched to the aeromotive that i pictured. he also made the bracket to have the ability to mount to a flat surface.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

No its just made for the oil.its a http://www.pre-luber.com/ kit the black box is a timer ,When ya key on it turns the pump on a few seconds .also when key off its runs for a little while

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I was thinking about finding adapters that go from 6 or 8 to 12. those are hard to find. But I now see how you did it. The hose you have up and over the pump, Is that a recirculation hose to prevent priming problems?

Re: Pre Lubers
 

No, that is a by-pass. On the port side, on the bottom of the blue hose, you will see a 45lb check valve. That is too limit the pressure the pump can build to 45 psi. It is supposed to save the pump from extra load.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

What happens when your out on the water and the check valve decides to chit the bed?

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I guess you can add 1 to the list of 10000 things that can ruin your day.
Seriously, there are guys who run this system without the check valve installed. I guess the pump itself stops the oil from back flowing.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

Now that's Faith.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

Any idea on the flow these little pumps put out at 45psi? How much current does the motor draw at 45psi?

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I dont know how much flow the pump is rated for. ESP offers 2 pumps, a 10 amp and 15 amp.. The one I have is the 15 amp.

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I am goint to try to upload a plumbing diagram, Hope it is right side up:D

Re: Pre Lubers
 

I have the 15 amp pump from ESP too and also use it for oil changes, but I have never measured the time it takes to pump the oil out of the engines. That could give an indication of the flow. My boat is in winter storage so I am not going to change oil anytime soon.
May be somebody else have noticed the flow of the ESP pumps during oil changes ?

Re: Pre Lubers
 

What the flow of oil is through the engine is probably another matter when the pump is connected to the oil system of the engine. Anybody that knows what the flow is of the ESP system when connected to an engine ?