Engine Preoiler

WOOT · 10-09-2009, 09:21 PM

Does anyone have any experience with an engine preoiler setup? It seems when my vans sits for a week or so the valve terrain is loud when it starts up, probably the hydraulic lifters (Yes it is a Diesel & yes I do run the heavier weight oil). Of course after I drive down to the store & restart it, then it is easier starting, without all the valve terrain noise. Sounds fine when I drive but the start up makes me wonder. I know it is due to dry engine componets on the upper end but if upper end is dry then so are the bearings. I'm wondering if these things work? It would be worth it to put one on if it is the real deal.
I found a site that sells the units.......www.autoenginelube.com
Thanks Woot..........

**BroncoHauler** · 10-10-2009, 09:49 AM

No personal experience, but sounds like a good idea to me.

I seem to recall when turbos on cars first became popular, that some outfits sold oiler that would continue to run after the engine was shut down so the oil wouldn't get cooked in the turbo bearings.

Herb

LenS · 10-10-2009, 12:14 PM

You didn't say what weight oil you are using. There is a trade off between weight, running oil film thickness, engine oil pump up on cold start. Lower viscosity oil is better for pump up on start up and higher viscosity oil provides thicker oil film thickness when running. Both are equal in carrying engine heat away and cooling component.

The majority of engine wear comes during engine start up.

Most modern engines have anti-drain back valves to keep oil in the top end longer. It is either a check valve in the block oil gallery or build into the oil filter specified for that specific engine.

Ford_6L_E350 · 10-10-2009, 02:44 PM

I think most diesels are noisy when cold, and when the pistons, etc. get up near operating temps they quiet down. I don't think it is the valve train.

But, I do think it is every 6.0 I've ever heard.

Mike

WOOT · 10-10-2009, 03:34 PM

Mike,
I think you are right. This is the first diesel that I have owned. I didn't put the weight of the oil on the post due to I didn't want to open up the discussion to oil weights, viscosity, Etc. The question was more about the Preoiler & if anyone had an knowledge of. If I have led anyone astray I apologize. Let me recap........
Does anyone know anything about Preoilers?
Thank You Woot....................

Steve_382 · 10-10-2009, 05:04 PM

This probably won't relate to a diesel, but at one time I had an 88 Olds Calais with a Quad 4 overhead cam engine. When you started it up, the sound was really noisy. I added Slik 50 on about every 3rd oil change and it made the noise level drop about 75% or more on a cold start. I think it left a teflon coating on the valve train parts, etc.

**daveb** · 10-10-2009, 07:12 PM

I know a guy who had the AMSOIL unit. He had nothing bad to say about it and I think it was for a diesel. I always assumed he was talking about a turbo pre oiler because I know he had a Ford pickup with a 7.3
http://www.syntheticoilnlubes.com/amsoil_pre_oiler.html

WOOT · 10-10-2009, 10:45 PM

Dave,
I thought th AMSOIL set up was about the same thing as a remote oil filter, specificly for the AMSOIL brand fluid. Does it pressurize when the key is turned on? The whole idea behind the preoiler is that it will create oil pressure before the engine ever turns over, thus avoiding dry bearing/valve terrain start ups.
Woot.........

saabman · 10-11-2009, 04:44 AM

HI just a thought or two:

Not on my van but my Mitsu 3.0 V6 has valve clatter at start-up... I found that some oil filters don't have a non-return valve and the oil drains back into the sump... hence the noise at start-up. But with a filter with the non return valve the oil doesn't leak back down... and no noise on start-up

With diesels you expect clatter until the combustion chambers are up to temp. remember that it is the compression of the diesel/air mixture that ignites not a spark... when cold the combustion is not as full as when hot... this also can explain the odd puff of smoke when cold...

Only my 2 cent

By no means expert advice...

WOOT · 10-11-2009, 10:18 AM

Hey Dave,
I spaced it, how I missed that link I will never know. I'll have to research it a little but it looks as if the Amsoil setup is even smaller than the unit I was looking at.
Thanks for the information.....Woot
Saabman,
I knew about the oil filter and the clatter from the combustion chamber but maybe I'm looking too far into this. I had read the post about the guy that was adding 2cycle oil to the fuel, lubricating the injectors & this perked my intrests. I got to listening to the engine a little more than usual, got to reading about start ups & here we are. I guess the bottom for me is does these things work? If it is going to reduce friction by any means then it should be worth its weight in GOLD. I know that we have quite a bit of money tied up in these units & whatever we can add to extend its life (you know, trade in value for the new SMB) then it would be worth it.
Thanks everyone for the inputs...Woot