Info needed: Engine Pre-Lube after storage

[Lynn Eades]

As Hanno has mentioned his Ford, I think the time is right to bring up this aspect. I would suggest the first thing that could be a problem in an older type engine is that an exhaust valve MIGHT stick, due to rust forming on the dry stem. Not uncommon in flathead Fords and Jeeps.
If things like oil pumps are "in tolerance" then enough oil will usually hang up in there to form a good "seal". the effect being that oil pressure will come up immediately.
More damage (wear) will come from how that engine is warmed up to operating temperature, by which time the clearances in that engine will be correct and minimal wear takes place. Hence the need for a good functioning thermostat for a quick warm up. This also applies in every day use.
Crank journals (main and big ends) will hold oil for ages however gudgeon (crank)pins are more inclined to dry out by comparison. The advice here is a fast idle after start up to get the oil thrown up there.
I hope this helps.

[Phil Waterman]

Lynn

Brings up a very good point on valve stem rust on older engines that are store for long periods. Back in my teens (late 60s) I worked at a summer camp in New Hampshire that stored a number of vehicles for nine months out of the year. Every thing from a 1941 Chris Craft, 48 F3 Ford truck with 337 engine, couple of Covair Greenbrier vans, 53 Chev Station wagon with 216, to couple of Chevy vans with 6 cylinder engines.

From the age of the equipment they must have figure out the storage process. Other than the normal winteriseing. One step sticks in my mind, each engine was fogged out. Once the vehicle was in position for storage up on blocks the engine was started airfilter removed and with the engine running at a fast idle oil was squirted in until the engine stop. Yes there was a lot of smoke. Once they stopped we would pull the battery replace the air filters.

Must have worked pretty good because when I visited in late 80s many of the same vehicles were still in use.

I suspect that oil must have coated everything top end of the engines pretty.

A personal view I hate it when I see or hear people gun the engine once it starts to get the oil pressure up. My approach is to start the engine and let it run under 400-1000 RPM just fast enough to keep running. I like electric fuel pumps for priming the carb.

Having said that I try to run and hopefully drive all my trucks at least one a month during the winter.

Cheers Phil

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

A personal view I hate it when I see or hear people gun the engine once it starts to get the oil pressure up. My approach is to start the engine and let it run under 400-1000 RPM just fast enough to keep running.
Cheers Phil

Conversely, it is a bit much to expect that turning the engine over at hand-cranked speeds will create enough suction in the oil pump inlet to lift sufficient oil from the sump to pre-lube the entire rotating assembly.

I've found that if the battery holds sufficient charge (after a period of storage, it would be sensible to put it on the battery charger for a top-up), then disconnecting the ignition (pull the coil HT lead) and cranking the engine for 10-20 seconds on the starter motor is enough to prime both the fuel pump and the oil system. Reconnect the ignition and BRUUM!

[Les Kovacs]

Hi Rob...I hear you...anything sitting for 6 months or less does not require a pre-lube and yes the Idea was to get the oil pressure up to pre-lube all parts before the first seasonal start......I assumed this would cut down on initial start wear. I do use Shell super with no alcohol (as per no alcohol in gas web site). I just do not want to have to rebuild this engine...I would like the best maintenance for this jeep and that includes oil changes every 500-700 kms (oil is cheap) with trans, transfer and axel oil changes every season (about 1500 miles or 2400 kms). Again, fluids are cheap-rebuilds are not. Any other suggestions to good M38A1 maintenance (outside of the military TM's) would be much appreciated.

Cheers to all for your input...

lesk

[rob love]

With oil changes that frequent, I suspect you will strip the oil plug holes before you suffer from any oil related failures.

Unless you are parking in the rain, or driving through deep deep water, the gear box oil changes are excessive. I would suggest the same thing on your engine, but neither is it good practice to leave old oil in for the winter season.

The Willys engines were only good for about 20,000 good miles, and another 15,000 lower compression miles. But a lot of the engine wear I saw over the years may have been due to poor air filtration over lubrication related failure. Scored cylinders were the norm.

Now you are not likely to be driving in as dusty a condition as the Jeeps were during their service, nor are you likely to be driving for 8 to 12 hour trips at 55 mph. Those were likely the true killers.

If there is one thing that I think would likely improve the life of the engine, I would say it would be to install a paper filter inside the oil bath housing and do away with the oil bath. If you are looking for evidence of which is more effective, have a look to see how many oil bath filters are produced today. Virtually none.

[chris vickery]

What’s wrong with starting your vehicle once a month instead of all this debate over pre lube, oil pressure etc?
I pretty much do this for all the equipment that I own, including everything from my chainsaws, lawn and garden equipment and military vehicles. Sure it looks strange running my push mower out in the snowy driveway but at least when spring comes I never have a problem.
And yes, keeping up with the use of premium non ethanol fuels is the key to success.

[rob love]

The problem with the once a month starts is that it eventually depletes the batteries. As well, if not run until operating temperature it can result in contamination of the oil.

When I was attached to army units, the infantry or artillery would theoretically start their vehicles once a week for stables parade. Understand that these are diesel vehicles, some with no additional source of heat. They could spend the better part of the day boosting and then running the vehicle for a half hour, then shutting it down at 3PM. There was no way the batteries were going to recharge, especially when they were at -15 to -35°C. Then we had the special soldiers who would crank the 5 ton until either the truck started or the solder would fly out of the starter windings. We mechanics would prefer if those guys just left them alone.