Oil engine

RVG8tor · #1 09-29-2010, 03:22 PM

I have an engine that I thought I would be using by now, I want to use something to spray oil on the inside of engine. Since the engine has the nozzles directed at the cam I thought if I could send oil though system under pressure without turning over the engine this would be a nice way to periodically oil the inside of the engine.

I found this on ebay, before I buy does anyone know if this would work. The engine is on on the plane right now but is assembled as it came from Mattituck.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PRE-L...mZ370277428735

Cheers.

David Paule · #2 09-29-2010, 04:30 PM

There are two generic types of pre-oiler. This is one of them, basically a pressure device. Some of these are accumulators which are permanently installed; it's not clear if this is one of those but it looks like an external tool. And beyond that I know nothing about it.

The other kind is an oil pump that's electrically driven. The one on my Cessna 180 is from Oilamatic, http://www.oilamatic.com/, and has worked flawlessly since I installed it sixteen years ago.

It is attached to the firewall. There's two new hoses that supply it with sump oil and convey the pressurized oil back to the engine. Both hoses connect to existing engine locations, the engine itself didn't need modifications.

It takes about a minute to generate 50 psi when the engine's cold. Cold or hot, with this running, the difference is sharply noticeable when you're turning the prop. Definitely worth adding.

My only connection to the company is as a satisfied customer.

longranger · #3 09-29-2010, 07:28 PM

I bought a small pressure pot from McMaster-Carr, and a few dollars of odds and ends from the local hardware store, and built my own. This is on a Continental, but I assume you have access to the oil galleries on a Lyc too.

Noah · #4 09-30-2010, 10:48 AM

Save yourself $150 and just use a clean propane tank. Drain the gas and remove the valve, dump in your oil (no more than 1/2 full, probably a lot less), put the valve back in, and pressurize to no more than your oil pump max pressure with shop air or nitrogen. Flip the tank over so the oil will come out, and hook up a flexible hose to the oil gallery access plug on the front of the Lyc. Open the valve and let her flow!

I also have the Mattituck spray nozzles and this is what I do. Just make sure the tank is REALLY, really clean. Or use an in-line filter just prior to the engine.

RVG8tor · #5 10-06-2010, 10:03 AM

Thanks for the replies, I just have one more question. I assume that I can do this procedure on an engine that is not connected to an airplane. I have my engine as purchased from Mattituck, it is still on the original wooded deck it was shipped on. My schedule building has been thrown way off so I have had this engine a year already and want to do what I can to preserve it. I am close enough (3-6mos) to mounting the engine on the plane and don't want to do the fill it with oil thing. The engine is stored in my basement garage, the temperature stays a constant 55-70 degrees. I run dehumidifier and that keep the humidity down to 40%. There are no external signs of oxidation on any of the parts, I have desiccant plugs in the cylinders even though they are nickle.

So shooting some pressurized oil through the engine as is every couple of weeks should get me through till I am ready to start the motor?

Veetail88 · #6 10-06-2010, 10:46 AM

but I've been under the impression that they fogged the engine with oil before shipping, and that, with the dessicant plugs, I didn't have to worry too much about it.

My motor is on the airframe, but I'll not likely be running it for the first time until spring.

If I'm wrong, someone, please point that out. I'll be monitoring this thread as well for your collective wisdom.

Veetail88 · #7 10-06-2010, 11:04 AM

right after that last post so I went diggin on Mattituck's site.

Found this in an FAQ post there.

"Is My TMX engine preserved for shipping and storage?

Yes, the engine has been preserved and should be good for 6 months from date of preservation. If the engine is stored in a controlled enviroment..no dramatic temp changes day to day and humidity is controlled, then the preservation will last for a year. If you are not going to use it in that time- frame, the best bet and preferred method would be to run the engine and re-preserve it. If that method is unavailable we recommend you buy a couple of gallons of preservation type oil and an inexpensive pump up garden sprayer. Plug up any open holes that are exposed to the internals of the engine and install the preservation oil less a quart in the engine. Now remove the top spark plugs and get the garden sprayer. Install the last quart of preservation oil into the garden sprayer, set the sprayer nozzle on mist, pump it up and fog the cylinders through the spark plug holes. Turn the engine over a few times manually, using the crankshaft. Re-fog the cylinders and reinstall the top plugs. Don't turn the crankshaft again until you are ready to start the engine or are redoing the entire operation. Now get a few friends and lift the engine up and slowly rotate it counter clockwise around the crankshaft axis. In another words you would lift the engine and hold it as if it were installed in the aircraft, now rotate it as if the plane were in a 90* left bank, now slowly rotate it to inverted and then to a 90* rt. bank and the back to straight and level.....nothing like doing an aileron roll without an airplane! Doing this a couple of times will allow the preservation oil you installed to coat the internal parts of the engine. The engine weighs approximately 260 to 300 pounds, so the friends need to be able to lift and control the engine as you rotate it. You don't have to hold the engine the whole time, if you have some bubble wrap or even several old blankets to pile on the floor, just lift the engine, rotate it and gently set it down for a few seconds on the bubble wrap or blankets. They will spread the weight of the engine evenly across all surfaces they touch.

You should do this every 4 or 6 months with new preservation oil each time, if in an uncontrolled environment and once a year if in a controlled environment."

RVG8tor · #8 10-06-2010, 11:44 AM

Veetail,

I have the information from Mattituck and since I really don't have the manpower to roll the engine myself, I am thinking the tank system with pressurized oil going through the engine will lubricate and preserve the internal parts of the engine much like the rolling of the engine would. I know I was good the way the engine was shipped for a year but I have used that up so I need to do more, just trying to find options that don't require 4 guys to roll the engine over.

My thought is to do the pressurized oil thing then with the engine on the hoist I can lift the engine from the side to near 90 degrees of roll and move the oil around that way.

Not sure what holes I would have to plug doing this.

Keep the inputs coming. I have a query into Mattituck about my idea. I know they have told me of customers that have electric pre-oilers installed that use them to coat the internal parts of the engine during the nonflying season. The spray nozzles are perfect for this type of system. I still don't know if I will go to the expense of an installed pre-oiler, but the pressure tank system before a first start seems like a good idea.

RVG8tor · #9 10-06-2010, 02:16 PM

I received a reply back from Mattituck. Mahlon watches this forum, the tank I proposed in the first post will work fine as well as the ones suggested in this forum. He said to use 50 psi to make sure everything on the inside gets coated. Then to mist the cylinders through the spark plug holes. He also said not to turn the crank shaft.

Thanks again to everyone.

PS anyone use the marine accumulator bottles to pre-oil before start. They have a lot of them on ebay. Just wonder if this is doable on a lycoming.