Preoiling , rarely started engine

[tttype]

Am firing up the Ttype for first time in a few years & need to build oil pressure before turning engine over.
Don't really want to pull the cam sensor as may have to start the engine every few months & repeatedly removing cam sensor will be a pita.

Anyone use a preoiler to fire up their occasionally run Buick ?

Any suggestions ? recommendations to style or brand ?

 

[kidglok]

Am firing up the Ttype for first time in a few years & need to build oil pressure before turning engine over.
Don't really want to pull the cam sensor as may have to start the engine every few months & repeatedly removing cam sensor will be a pita.

Anyone use a preoiler to fire up their occasionally run Buick ?

Any suggestions ? recommendations to style or brand ?

you can unplug the injector harness and crank it, or ignition module

 

[earlbrown]

I'd just fire it up and run it. Ever torn down an engine that layed around for years?...... The mains and rods journals are oily.

 

[delcowizzid]

http://www.accusump.com/

 

[buickGN3:16]

Reach under the balancer & unhook the crank sensor, it will spin over but not crank up..


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[TurboBuRick]

You guys like to gamble. Dry cranking is the worst thing you can do to a motor.

The right way is to pull the cam sensor and prime the oil pump.

Rick

 

[bryesh]

Here is my opinion / experience:

I think starting an engine that has been setting for a time without pre-lubing is far better than starting an engine with an empty oil filter (i.e. after oil change) without pre-lubing. There will be far fewer crank rotations until pressurized oil winds up on bearings (ever noticed how long til the oil light goes off after an oil change?).

I've personally started engines that have been setting for 10 years or more without pre-lubing and have had no issues. I have a SBC that has been setting in my mom's (dehumidified) basement since 1998 or so and looked the other day and even the cylinders are still oily. I thought it would be locked up and rusted, setting without heads on for all these years, but that thing looked just like it did when I put it away back in the day. IMO an engine in a car all buttoned up is in a far better situation then a short-block setting without heads and just an unsealed plastic bag covering it. So its safe to assume that oil will be present at the bearings after setting for a few months.

My uncle reconditions machinery for a living and has fixed countless engines and air-compressor pumps that have literally been setting for decades. Most of those you can’t pre-lube even if you wanted to. Often even after they have been locked up they will run fine.

If you want to be ultra safe then there is nothing wrong with pre-lubing, I just don’t think there is much advantage. Another thing to think of is that every time you remove that cam sensor it opens the opportunity for debris to find its way into your engine. Be especially careful to tighten your drill chuck bc if the drill slips when the pump pressurizes, it will likely dump metal shavings straight down the hole.

 

[john keskes]

Am firing up the Ttype for first time in a few years & need to build oil pressure before turning engine over.
Don't really want to pull the cam sensor as may have to start the engine every few months & repeatedly removing cam sensor will be a pita.

Anyone use a preoiler to fire up their occasionally run Buick ?

Any suggestions ? recommendations to style or brand ?

Unplug the ECM at the Battery ( small brown wire ) & crank it over.

 

[Nick Micale]

As long as the engine does NOT have synthetic oil in it, you should be fine be cranking it over a few time before firing it after sitting a very long time.

The problem with synthetic oil is it will drain off bearing surfaces and cylinder walls in a few days, and a regular oil will always be there.

My original 1987 9K mile car has been sitting a LOT over the years and I am confident it has no damage due to dry starts.

 

[GNONYX]

This was written on July 14, 2012, http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/engine-pre-luber.380165/#post-3056874

And my write up on March 21, 2010, http://turbobuick.com/forums/threads/pre-lube-system-installed.313903/

The system I still used is, http://www.engineprelube.com/installation.html

Few things I changed:
Oil pressure gauge on top of the accumulator tank
Installed a Flow Control Valve
Delay timer for the accumulator tank valve
Relocated the accumulator tank and place it on the fan housing unit, as you can see in the picture

 

[Buick Mark]

Just crank it till it fires

 

[hiboom]

adding a pre lube system to me and this is just my opinion would be another thing do deal with that I don't' need like leaks my engine leaks enough with out adding extra fitting and hoses LOL. my cars set a couple of months at times and never had any ill effects after starting

 

[vacuum 6]

http://www.accusump.com/

Yup love my two qt one, works great!

How I mounted.

http://picasaweb.google.com/m/viewer#album/100482172816436415130/5620655804652291665

 

[TurboBuRick]

The concern is how long it takes before oil pressure actually comes up. A pre oiling system is ideal but when you don't have it and a car has sat for a few years why gamble? Specially if it's a flat tappet cam. That will take the biggest hit.

These motors are not v8 Chevy's either. No comparison. Oil pump in a Chevy is in the pan. On the Buick motors it hangs off the front of the timing cover.

I remember one time starting a car that hadn't run in while. It never did build oil pressure. Valve train sounded lovely.

Pull the cam sensor and prime the oil pump. Run it for a good minute after it primes. Get the oil up to the top end.

Rick

 

[tttype]

Thanks for the opinions.
Was hoping someone had an electric pump system. That would be optimal but requires a line from oil pan.

GNONYX how does your timer work ?
Your system have to be preloaded with air to supply the " spring " ?

 

[Heisenberg]

The concern is how long it takes before oil pressure actually comes up. A pre oiling system is ideal but when you don't have it and a car has sat for a few years why gamble? Specially if it's a flat tappet cam. That will take the biggest hit.

These motors are not v8 Chevy's either. No comparison. Oil pump in a Chevy is in the pan. On the Buick motors it hangs off the front of the timing cover.

I remember one time starting a car that hadn't run in while. It never did build oil pressure. Valve train sounded lovely.

Pull the cam sensor and prime the oil pump. Run it for a good minute after it primes. Get the oil up to the top end.

Rick

LOL - Rick - not matter how many times you post it- it will be ignored in favor of some more exotic or expensive system.
"Yeah - so anyway - forget the easy way to prime this engine - now about that computer controlled pre-oiler?"

 

[GNONYX]

Thanks for the opinions.
Was hoping someone had an electric pump system. That would be optimal but requires a line from oil pan.

GNONYX how does your timer work ?
Your system have to be preloaded with air to supply the " spring " ?

I don't know of others oil pressure, but my oil pressure at start is 65* at start up, and 25* when the engine is hot.
The timer was installed to captured the highest oil pressure for the next pre-lube engine start up. I believe the timer has a range of 30 sec - 5 min. Once I turn the key on and not the engine, the marine valve opens up and the previous oil pressure the accumulator tank has inside (60*) will go throughout the oil passage way.
My set up is to close the valve around 1 minute, and I also have an in-line fuse holder with a red indicator to tell me if the fuse is blown.
You can verified this by looking at your oil pressure gauge inside your car. Without the timer once the engine oil is hot, you park the car, the oil pressure is around 25*, you turn the engine off, and that is what the accumulator tank is going to hold 25* of oil pressure for your next cold start up.
On the photo you will see a regular bicycle air valve, that 's if you want to add more air into the accumulator tank to increase the pressure.
This timer was additional cost from the same place the pre-lube system was purchased.
I installed the extra oil pressure gauge on top of the accumulator tank; you don't need one as long as you have an oil pressure gauge inside your car.

There are times I don't start the engine for couple of months and the accumulator tank still holds the oil pressure in.

Don't get me wrong, I had to replaced the marine valve since it was leaking and allowing oil to go through the engine, but the company replaced the valve with no charge.
Let me know if you need anymore info more this pre-lube system

 

[TurboBuRick]

LOL - Rick - not matter how many times you post it- it will be ignored in favor of some more exotic or expensive system.
"Yeah - so anyway - forget the easy way to prime this engine - now about that computer controlled pre-oiler?"

All I can do is try. What gets me there are some pretty reputable guys in this thread telling people it's ok to dry crank your motor. Worse than that unplug the coil and module so it won't start resulting in even more dry cranking. NOT SMART!

It's pure common sense. Never dry crank a motor to get oil pressure.

Rick

 

[vacuum 6]

Don't need electronic pump just an electronic solenoid. Accusump has them. Capture or release oil from inside the car.

For racing purposes the mechanical valve is better.

 

[GNONYX]

With this per-lube oil system (http://www.autoenginelube.com/howitworks.html) I installed, don't have any electric pump, in fact it's similar to the Accusump system. I did saw other system with electric pumps, electronic control box, which is more of a complex system and also creates more electrical problems.

It all depends on how you want to make it work for you, whether it's for a race set up to control a manual valve inside your car, to a simple clean factory look while still maintaining a pre-lube oil system.