I have an electronic pre-luber on one of my engines. I get about 30-60 psi before I start the engine and it does start easier than normal. I never ran a UOA on that engine and always ran Mobil 1 5W-30 until now. The next change will be VP racing 5W-30. For the expense and headache of putting the system on, I doubt if I will do something like that again. Since I was relocating the battery to the trunk I did have a place to put the pump, otherwise good luck in most engine compartments. I could see it on a new diesel pickup truck if I were planning on getting a few hundred thousand miles on, but otherwise I think good maintenance habits would be more cost-effective. One good thing though if you have turbo you can set the pump to run for up to 5 minutes after engine shut-down to keep circulating the oil.
Cold starts
- Thread starter heathenbrewing
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JHZR2
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I have an issue with that... With a block heater, or a combination oil heater/pump, I think you'd be OK... but Id be VERY hesitant to heat my bulk oil without changing the characteristics of the engine block, via its temperature.
Oil's viscosity will change as it heats. Engine metal parts expand and contract with temperature. Should you have thinner, warm oil, coupled with cold, smaller parts (which equates to larger gaps/tolerances), I would fear that protection would be compromised at a time when it can do its worst. When warm oil, which isnt up to its additives' activation temperature anyway, hits cold metal surfaces, there will be a lot of heat transfer, making the oil much colder, compared to the amount of heat imparted into a semi-infinite bulk of metal. So, youll have thinner oil, without actve additives, in gaps that are larger/looser due to the bulk temperature.
Does it make a difference?? I dnt know. But I know that if I wanted to do anything, Id do itin this order:
-block heater (does more to impart heat to the whole engine)
-pre oiler (preferably with an oil heater, but not necessarily)
-coolant heater with flow assembly (more complex, but sure adds heat throughout)
-oil temperature gauge (so that i can tailor my driving, knowing that Ill have cold, dry startups).
JMH
I can see the value of these in racing where you may temporarily suck air due to vehicle dynamics and the accumulator keeps oil pressure up. They were called Accu-sumps back in the day.
As far as a cold start, I doubt there would be much difference. All the important wear surfaces have an oil film anyway.
BTW who's engine is wearing out prematurely from this?
Or is this another case of BITOG lubrication OCD....
As far as a cold start, I doubt there would be much difference. All the important wear surfaces have an oil film anyway.
BTW who's engine is wearing out prematurely from this?
Or is this another case of BITOG lubrication OCD....
The vehicle I use it for sits all winter and during the rest of the year does not get used on a daily basis. I did it when the engine was replaced and its only been started dry a couple of times. For a normal vehicle a pre-luber is probably over-kill. Even for this application it might be but I do know that I've done just about everything I can to reduce wear on that engine. It also happens to be my most expensive engine at about $8000 just for the short-block and the heads, plus another $2500 for intake and headers and I'm still not done. Next is a better oil pump, crank scraper and oil pan. Also, the coldest ambient temperature its normally started at is probably about 50F with 70-80s more common. None of my other vehicles would I consider putting a pre-luber on because I expect them to run until I get sick of them, or the rest of the vehicle falls apart around the engine. Money is better spent on a high quality oil, good filters, and UOAs, and performing all of the other necessary maintenance that normally gets neglected i.e. trans service, coolant flush, differential fluid, etc.
fwiw, Toyota Hybrids have a coolant "thermos" to aid cold starts. I dunno what not an oil thermos?
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