Pre-oil before first run?

Anyone got any suggestions on how to pre-oil
a Lyc. O-320 before its first run?

Dave 'it might just be a train' Hyde

"Dave Hyde" wrote in message
...

Anyone got any suggestions on how to pre-oil
a Lyc. O-320 before its first run?

If it's the first run after overhaul, then the assembly lube should do
its job. If it's new and has already been test run, then it's the lifter
faces and cam that might be dry. I think you're 'sposed to get it up to
splash speed immediately after starting to minimize the scuffing.
There's probably a good recommendation at the Sacramento Sky Ranch site.

Wayne

Here is part of a post I made a while ago to the BD-4 email list:

Get a cheap 1gal poly gas can (any kind of strong sealable container will
do) and a bolt-on style tire inflation nipple. (Both available at any
discout auto parts store.) Drill the gas can cap for the nipple and bolt it
on. This is the pressurization point. Run 1/4 copper tube through the gas
can vent hole and down to the bottom of the gas can, and epoxy it in place
above and below the vent hole. (Don't worry if it will leak a bit, this
isn't rocket science.) Hook that up to the oil pressure pick-off point on
the engine, using some hose to a pipe nipple at the engine. Fill the gas
can with oil, set your air compressor pressure regulator to about 20 lbs,
and pressurize the can. In a couple of minutes, all of the oil will be sent
through the engine, getting everything nice and oily. Don't forget to
reattach the aircraft oil pressure line to the engine after pre-oiling.

I ran 6 qts through, and then cranked the engine right away. Oil pressure
was immediate, even as the engine cranked. Total cost for this pre-oiler
rig was under $15. I have used it a couple of times since, very handy.


"Dave Hyde" wrote in message
...
Anyone got any suggestions on how to pre-oil
a Lyc. O-320 before its first run?

Dave 'it might just be a train' Hyde

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 05:59:46 GMT, "Dave Anderson"
wrote:

Here is part of a post I made a while ago to the BD-4 email list:

Get a cheap 1gal poly gas can (any kind of strong sealable container will
do) and a bolt-on style tire inflation nipple. (Both available at any
discout auto parts store.) Drill the gas can cap for the nipple and bolt it
on. This is the pressurization point. Run 1/4 copper tube through the gas
can vent hole and down to the bottom of the gas can, and epoxy it in place
above and below the vent hole. (Don't worry if it will leak a bit, this
isn't rocket science.) Hook that up to the oil pressure pick-off point on
the engine, using some hose to a pipe nipple at the engine. Fill the gas
can with oil, set your air compressor pressure regulator to about 20 lbs,
and pressurize the can. In a couple of minutes, all of the oil will be sent
through the engine, getting everything nice and oily. Don't forget to
reattach the aircraft oil pressure line to the engine after pre-oiling.

I ran 6 qts through, and then cranked the engine right away. Oil pressure
was immediate, even as the engine cranked. Total cost for this pre-oiler
rig was under $15. I have used it a couple of times since, very handy.

I've seen something similar made using a 20# LP Gas cylinder.
The valve assembly is replaced with a new one containing a dip tube
and pressure connector for the air.

In these the pressure was quite a bit more than a above and as I
recall you could put up to 10 quarts of oil in one (possibly more).

I watched Jack Yoder use one to pre oil a couple of engines.

Roger Halstead (K8RI EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
www.rogerhalstead.com
N833R World's oldest Debonair? (S# CD-2)


"Dave Hyde" wrote in message
...
Anyone got any suggestions on how to pre-oil
a Lyc. O-320 before its first run?

Dave 'it might just be a train' Hyde

Dave Hyde wrote:

Anyone got any suggestions on how to pre-oil
a Lyc. O-320 before its first run?

Dave 'it might just be a train' Hyde



Dave,

Lycoming's service instruction 1241c (still active) addresses the
subject of pre-oiling after overhaul,

http://www.AirplaneZone.com/NewsgroupPix/si1241c-1.gif
http://www.AirplaneZone.com/NewsgroupPix/si1241c-2.gif

I'll leave that SI up for a few days. As Wayne correctly noted, and
assuming you have just overhauled your engine, the assembly grease
that you hopefully put on your cam lobes and follower faces will
last through pre-oiling and engine start even if the engine takes long
time to crank up. When you assembled your oil pump you should have
"primed the pump", as it were, by drenching the installed impellers
with engine oil.

When I overhauled my Lyc O-320 many moons ago, I hand turned the prop
(no spark plugs in cylinders) with the line to the oil cooler
disconnected until oil started to flow from the line. Then, as per SI
1241c, I pre-filled the oil cooler, attached the oil cooler line, and
cranked the engine with the starter until engine oil pressure showed
on the cockpit oil pressure gauge. Pressure came up in less than 5
seconds. Then I put the plugs back in, did a final check, turned on
the electric fuel pump, did another check for fuel leaks, and fired up
the engine while a buddy stood by with a fire extinguisher watching
for leaks etc.

Have fun!

David O -- http://www.AirplaneZone.com

"Dave Hyde" wrote in message
...
Anyone got any suggestions on how to pre-oil
a Lyc. O-320 before its first run?

Dave 'it might just be a train' Hyde


We use a pre-oiler here. We adjust the airpressure to the oil-filled tank
to cruise pressure and run the pressure oil from a line on the tank to the
oil galley on the engine. Then we watch until the oil gauge shows the
pressure we want. Which is higher in a Lyc than in a Cont. But it seems to
me 30 psi should do it.

I know an engineer-restorer who has made his own pressurizer from a handheld
pump-type insecticide sprayer. He welded or soldered a screw-in fitting
onto its business end. I saw him get 20 pounds on an old Continental
before cranking it, which is fine.

I may have pressurised mine a little too much because I fouled my plugs.

For a new engine or newly rebuilt engine the manifest weight of authority
hereabouts is that you should pressurise with a pre-oiler before cranking
the engine.

To All:
I use a blow-molded garden sprayer, plugged into the main oil gallery via a
barbed hose fitting in the pressure port. I keep pressure on the bottle until
I see oil at all of the rocker arms, indicating the push-rods have filled.
Pre-luber is then removed, oil pressure sender replaced, sump topped up.

I've used this method for more than twenty years on VW engines. And one or two
others :-) Seems to work okay.

-R.S.Hoover

David O wrote:

Lycoming's service instruction 1241c (still active) addresses the
subject of pre-oiling after overhaul,

Thanks to all - I have the service instruction, I was looking for
other ideas on pressurizing the system. Bought a sprayer today,
if it works I'll use it, if not I'll just cold-crank the engine.

Acro/tailwheel refresher starts tomorrow.

Dave 'one-armed paperhanger' Hyde

The method that I have used on automotive engines is to take an old
distributor shaft with no cam gear on it. Remove the distributor from
the engine block, chuck the old shaft in a 1/2 drill, stick it down the
shaft hole until it engages the oil pump and spin away. I have been able
to develop full oil pressure on new engines that way. Would a similar
concept work on a magneto shaft hole?

Dave Hyde wrote:

David O wrote:

Lycoming's service instruction 1241c (still active) addresses the
subject of pre-oiling after overhaul,

Thanks to all - I have the service instruction, I was looking for
other ideas on pressurizing the system. Bought a sprayer today,
if it works I'll use it, if not I'll just cold-crank the engine.

Acro/tailwheel refresher starts tomorrow.

Dave 'one-armed paperhanger' Hyde


--
Bruce A. Frank, Editor "Ford 3.8/4.2L Engine and V-6 STOL
Homebuilt Aircraft Newsletter"
| Publishing interesting material|
| on all aspects of alternative |
| engines and homebuilt aircraft.|

Cy,

We are all here to learn...well some of us are. Do you know have the
energy to elaborate as to why? Or do you just enjoy being abrupt?

I do know the answer now because Veeduber went to the trouble to
privately email me and explain the differences between the engine
designs. You had a chance to enlighten others here on RAH. I am sure
there would have been one or two who would have appreciated a more
complete answer.

Cy Galley wrote:

In a word NO!
"Bruce A. Frank" wrote in message
...
The method that I have used on automotive engines is to take an old
distributor shaft with no cam gear on it. Remove the distributor from
the engine block, chuck the old shaft in a 1/2 drill, stick it down the
shaft hole until it engages the oil pump and spin away. I have been able
to develop full oil pressure on new engines that way. Would a similar
concept work on a magneto shaft hole?

Dave Hyde wrote:

David O wrote:

Lycoming's service instruction 1241c (still active) addresses the
subject of pre-oiling after overhaul,

Thanks to all - I have the service instruction, I was looking for
other ideas on pressurizing the system. Bought a sprayer today,
if it works I'll use it, if not I'll just cold-crank the engine.

Acro/tailwheel refresher starts tomorrow.

Dave 'one-armed paperhanger' Hyde


--
Bruce A. Frank, Editor "Ford 3.8/4.2L Engine and V-6 STOL
Homebuilt Aircraft Newsletter"
| Publishing interesting material|
| on all aspects of alternative |
| engines and homebuilt aircraft.|