Prelube pump?

[SnowDrifter]

Have an '05 Tahoe that sits for a while and gets one [censored] of a dry start if I con't crank it for a few seconds before starting it. Been trying to find an electric prelube kit for it but all I find are the cheesy canister units which IMO are tremendously overpriced for what you get anyway.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? Or help me piece together something <$300?

 

[Propflux01]

Maybe something like this?

http://www.engineprelube.com/prelubekit.html

 

[SnowDrifter]

The canisters just strike me as cheesy though

Or perhaps any other ideas on how to resolve the issue?

When the vehicle sits for >4 days, it has a pretty loud knock/clatter/whatever you want to call it immediately on startup. Sitting for less time; no issue. Sitting in cold weather, it takes >2 weeks to do the same.

Here's the sound in question

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm6-qebzd6M

 

[demarpaint]

I think your best bet is to build one yourself. You'll need a pump
similar to this one,
pump
that can handle pumping oil in cold temperatures. Then you'll need hoses
to use to pick up the oil from an adapter made to fit into the oil pan drain plug.
Mine has 6 sides one has a nipple on it, another an Allen screw at the
6:00 position to use for oil changes. At your oil sending unit you
install a Tee fitting which threads into the block where the oil sending
unit goes. The sending unit gets screwed into one side of the tee, the
other side has a nipple with the hose coming out of the exit side of the
pump. You can plumb in an oil filter there, which is optional. Now find a spot to mount the
pump, mine sits on the wheel well. It is wired up to a toggle switch
mounted under the dash.

Here is a picture from a brochure I had for mine. It will give you an idea of what it looks like, and what you might need. The kit was universal and contained a lot of parts not needed.



Please note this is about 30 years old, and all I have is this picture
of the brochure, but it should give you an idea of what you need if
you're handy.

 

[Artem]

You're still hoarding a 30 year old brochure?!? Goodness gracious demarpaint. That's some PreLube Love right there.

 

[Propflux01]

Originally Posted By: Artem
You're still hoarding a 30 year old brochure?!? Goodness gracious demarpaint. That's some PreLube Love right there.


look like their still around:

http://www.rpmindustries.com/engine-prelube-system.html

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Artem
You're still hoarding a 30 year old brochure?!? Goodness gracious demarpaint. That's some PreLube Love right there.


LOL. Actually you're correct, I thought all I had was that picture of the brochure. I have a folder in my file cabinet marked "brochures & manuals" I have a hard copy of it. I also have the owners manual from my 88 E-150, and Evinrude outboard engine in there along with some other oldies but goodies. I take care of things and try and preserve them, it is a form of OCD I have, no exceptions here. LOL It bothers my wife.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Propflux01
Originally Posted By: Artem
You're still hoarding a 30 year old brochure?!? Goodness gracious demarpaint. That's some PreLube Love right there.


look like their still around:

http://www.rpmindustries.com/engine-prelube-system.html


Cool! I guess the company was bought out.

 

[Kira]

"You're still hoarding a 30 year old brochure?!?"

He provided an invaluable reference library service. I often wondered about pre-oilers. Makes some sense, no?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Does it have a clear flood mode? If so, just hold the gas to the floor and crank for 10 seconds or something before it starts.

 

[CT8]

2005 and you now worry?

 

[Artem]

Originally Posted By: CT8
2005 and you now worry?


I thought the same thing. Pull the injector fuse and crank it a few seconds after hibernation to get the oil flowing.

Unless the OP plans to keep the truck indefinitely, I don't see a need to bother.

Are there any UOA from the engine showing high wear?

 

[CR94]

100 times the engine life, huh?! On an engine that would ordinarily last only, let's say, 20 years or 300,000 miles?

 

[SnowDrifter]

Originally Posted By: CT8
2005 and you now worry?


Well.... Yeah? It only has 130k on it. Bought it at 115k. Nicest car I've ever owned and they're pretty long lived as it is. Should go quite a while longer with good care
Originally Posted By: Artem


I thought the same thing. Pull the injector fuse and crank it a few seconds after hibernation to get the oil flowing.

Unless the OP plans to keep the truck indefinitely, I don't see a need to bother.

Are there any UOA from the engine showing high wear?

Last time I ran a UOA on a vehicle to check for wear I was quickly educated that a UOA is not at all indicative of wear on the engine. Has that changed? Never bothered with one since
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Does it have a clear flood mode? If so, just hold the gas to the floor and crank for 10 seconds or something before it starts.


I wasn't even aware this was a thing. Took some playing with, but it turns out it does! Appreciate the help. Starting is fairly low stress on internals yeah? If so, not sure there's a huge need to fuss with a lube system (more parts to fail). Thoughts?


As to flood mode on this: Key to run, accelerator to floor, then crank

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: CR94
100 times the engine life, huh?! On an engine that would ordinarily last only, let's say, 20 years or 300,000 miles?

Man, now you tell me.

Should I get one?

 

[Artem]

Of course a UOA won't show all the things going on with the engine but if say your pistons are dry rubbing the cylinder walls after sitting for a while and bearings are exposed to extended no oil pressure starts over and over, your wear rates would be elevated, thus showing that the dry starts are indeed causing excess wear.

If the UOA shows nothing of the sort, then obviously the dry starts aren't causing THAT MUCH wear to warrant any action to fight it and the engine will still last another half a million miles if you wanted to keep it that long. Just sayin...

On top of dry engine starts, you've got all the other components supposedly suffering as well. Transmission is dry, brakes are rusted and calipers are sticking, AC compressor, water pump, alternator, etc. it's a zoo if you really think about it.

 

[demarpaint]

My reason for buying one was similar to the OP's. I installed mine 7/1/89 with 9,500 miles on the van, my spreadsheet goes back to day one on all my vehicles. This was done with an oil change prior to a vacation. The user profile of the vehicle then would often have it sit for weeks, occasionally months at a time. I wanted to eliminate dry starts. It also has two other often forgotten features, one of which might benefit older turbo users, I'd say all turbo users but rather not debate it. You can set it up to a toggle switch like I did and run the pump to circulate oil to cool the engine off after a long run, or in extremely hot weather. In fact it might even help any engine in extreme heat. It can also be hooked up with quick connectors, and you could pop it off from where it enters the oil galley and place the hose in a container and flip the switch and drain the oil.

We also had one on a boat powered with a Chevy 250 I6. It made changing the oil very easy, that boat sat weeks on end as well. Is it needed? No. Can it help? Sure, it was fantastic in the boat. This is Bitog and many of us enthusiasts think, or thought out of the box.

As far as the advertising, I'm not one who buys into most advertising. But if I think a product might benefit me and I have the desire to try it, I might just buy in. That was the case back then.