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MG MGB Technical - Oil primer pump

Some years ago there was a product you could buy that was a small electric oil pump that could be hooked to an engine. The pump would be started prior to starting the engine to prelubricate the engine and supposidly reduce the wear during the time between initial turning over of the engine and the oil getting to all the engine parts.

Anyone know if this worked or if it is still available?
Bruce Cunha

Bruce - This product is still available and what the advertizing hypurbola says about most of the wear ocuring at start up is true, but... If this was really a problem would one be able to get several hundred thousand miles out of modern engines that don't rely of such pumps to prelub the engine prior to starting it? Unless the enigne has sat for a long period of time without being started (several months at least), there is still oil in all the bearing surfaces to lube them when the engine is started. The other thing to think about is that excessive wear does not occure, even to surfaces that are not lubed during short periods of running at low speed so that no heat is built up in the bearings. In all, I would say that if it makes you feel better, go ahead and install on of the pumps, but they are entierly unnecessary in normal driving situations. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Bruce

Not a pump, but MasterLube markets Prelubricators. They're essentially an accumulator tank, that is charged w/ pressurized oil whilst you ran your engine the last time. Here's their site: http://www.masterlube.net/home.asp

I'm contemplating one for my MGB, because it sits long enough to force the oil out of the bearings. I have to crank it over about 60 times to pressurize the galleries or it rattles like hella. Admittedly, a tough fit inside the B's small engine bay though. But I've got a friend who uses one on each of his vintage Ferraris, and loves them.
Terrence Goodell

Accusump is another choice for oil accumulators. They have manual units and electric versions.

http://www.accusump.com/

David

Bruce I agree with David D You would be far better starting the car more often. The main thing that suffers from dry starts is the camshaft and lifters and no amount of priming the system will stop that completely. Look for a brand of filter with a good anti drain back valve. Then let me know and i'll buy one too. Denis
DENIS

Another tip is to ditch the inverted filter and go to a hanging type used on some '72-'74 cars. It uses a much smaller element but the drain-back is eliminated. BTW, a benefit and the prime reason most accumulators are used is to prevent oil starvation when heavy cornering uncovers the oil pickup.
David
David

I have long experience with heavy trucks, and paid much attention to this subject. The rule of thumb at the time was that a single cold start was equal to 1000 miles on the road. About the time I got out, 1990, the latest research was showing that the figure may well be 5 or 10 or more times that. Remember that diesels self lubricate cylinder walls, due to the oil & wax content of the fuel, while gasoline engines wash the lube off the walls, esp. when cold. Lack of oil pressure is part of the problem, cold engine condensation and contamination is the rest. It takes approximately 20 minutes on the road to get oil temps to running figures. Only after that does the combustion and other water condensate begin to evaporate, which is why stop & go driving for short distances requires frequent oil changes. It has been found that with the correct filters, engines can not only run for more than a million miles, they can do it on the SAME oil! The filters are changed regularly on schedule, the oil is analysed for things like antifreeze contamination, and the only oil used is make up from the filter changes. While I have been a life-long advocate of frequent oil changes, I was steadily inching my way up to where I was changing oil in the 35000 mile range, with a filter change between. I used a block heater to keep it warm whenever possible, and analysed oil regularly. Made a BIG difference to the bottom line and reduced waste oil problems hugely at 12 gal per change! If I had had enough nerve I think I could have been changing at 100k with no trouble, the analysis always said to keep going.
FRM
http://www.usachoice.net/gofanu
FR Millmore

I have a TD and a BGT that may sit for a couple of weeks inbetween usage. They also stay in a storage facility all winter. Both start up fairly quickly (a few cranks of the starter), so probably no more wear than on most modern cars, but with the cost of rebuilds for these cars, anything that may assist in reducing wear might be a good investment.

I do use a cylinder lube spray, and pour oil over the valve rockers prior to the end of winter start-up.
Bruce Cunha

This thread was discussed between 16/06/2004 and 17/06/2004

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