My el-cheapo preluber idea

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
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Apr 19, 2008
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After hearing what the GM preluber cost ($170), I got motivated to build something of my own.

Start with $9 cheapy garden sprayer, add spool of 1/4" clear tubing ($2) and a 1/4" x 1/4" hose barb ($2) and wallla....homemade engine preluber for all of $13!

The sprayer uses its own in-tank pickup, but I changed the black plastic hose/valve with the clear tube. It plugged right into the barbed fitting that screws into the tank. I only used about 3 feet of the clear hose out of the 10ft in the spool.
I unscrewed the front oil galley plug and screwed the hose barb right in. Thought for sure the galley was metric threads, but that wasnt the case. The fitting did not leak whatsoever.

The 15w40 oil started flowing the minute I began pumping. We just had to pump the tank up a few times as the oil level dropped, but that was to be expected. I figure it took roughly 20 minutes to put all 10q in.

Sorry for the phone pics.
 

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duramaximizer

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May 4, 2008
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I don't understand. Why are you trying to prelube the motor. I just put a 0 in the main fuel injection even and let the oil pump lube the engine. I figure it took 50 revolutions for it to prime and oil pressure to come up in the truck. I would like to think there would be enough assembly lube for it to spin over that many time. Good idea I guess.
 

TheBac

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Isn't that the coolant drain plug :rofl:

Chris, you are just cruel. :eek: Coolant plug is down lower, flush with block. Oil plug is in line with the sending unit....




Assembly lube may be ok, but I dont trust it holding while the engine lubes itself. That takes time. An awful lot of wear can occur in that short time.
I figure this filled the filter, ran oil thru the pump, etc.

You dont have to do it if you dont want to, but I thought it wise. For $13, I couldnt go wrong.
 
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ripmf666

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Sep 20, 2006
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I would not care if it cost the 180 bucks for gm's preluber. Way to many ports for that oil to go before getting to my bearing first on girst turn over. Gm tells you to fill the filter with oil then pump 2 or so qts in. With the top turbo oil line off once it starts coming out of there your done. Then top the pan off with the last 7 qts.

The side oil plugs are 14mm with a 1.5 pitch.
 

TheBac

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Apr 19, 2008
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Yep..thats how I was going to do it, Henry....then we said what the heck. It sure took a while for the oil to make it back to the pan. :rofl:

Thanks for the fitting size. The 1/4" barb I used screwed right in and tightened up with no leaks...so they must be very close in size.
 
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ripmf666

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Sep 20, 2006
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Yep..thats how I was going to do it, Henry....then we said what the heck. It sure took a while for the oil to make it back to the pan. :rofl:


I bet atleast you did not have to pump it alot build pressure and let her go. Sears has a new spayer that works with there 19.2 volt battarys hmmm wonder if that would work no pumping just hit switch lol.
 

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
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Apr 19, 2008
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I bet atleast you did not have to pump it alot build pressure and let her go. Sears has a new spayer that works with there 19.2 volt battarys hmmm wonder if that would work no pumping just hit switch lol.

No, not very much at all. Just had to pump it a couple times as the oil level went down to keep pressure up.
I should have taken the time to plumb in my old oil pressure gauge, it would have been interesting to see what pressure the sprayer was putting out.

Oooooo....an electric one? That would be pretty cool.
 
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messejme

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Mar 7, 2008
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Might as well mount that sprayer tank under the hood and every time you run it pump it a couple of times before you start the motor. Might make it to 5 million miles on that engine:thumb:?