Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 11, 2025 ...

Engine pre-lub idea

July 23, 2024, 09:44:25 pm

Nice to pump some engine oil through engine before it runs on its own.

On coaches with fuel shutoff solenoid, some have installed a new relay near Aux start solenoid, relay is powered with a dash momentary push button.  Normally/closed relay points carry the Aux start wire current that feeds the fuel shutoff pull-up winding. 

Press dash momentary push button to activate new relay, opening normally/closed points, disconnecting fuel solenoid larger pull-up winding.  Cranking engine will pump some engine oil through engine, but not start because fuel solenoid stays closed, keeping fuel from flowing to injectors. 

Continue cranking engine for a short while, then release dash momentary push button to open fuel solenoid with its pull up windings to start engine normally.  Fuel solenoid will stay open to keep engine running with solenoid's ignition-powered smaller holding windings.

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Re: Engine pre-lub idea

Reply #1 – July 23, 2024, 09:51:36 pm

Perhaps a solution to a non-problem.

When was the last time you heard of one of these diesels failing due to lubrication  failure (not counting being "murdered" by running out of oil, severely overheated, etc)?

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Re: Engine pre-lub idea

Reply #2 – July 23, 2024, 10:21:11 pm

I put a pre-lube system in my coach so I have oil pressure before I turn the engine over.

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Re: Engine pre-lub idea

Reply #3 – July 23, 2024, 11:51:52 pm

Used to have preoilers on 8v92 birds. I put a few on 6v92's u300's just for fun. Same coaches had insulation pads on the turbos. Unknown if those things helped. Late 80's. My m11 will not fire until the oil pressure comes up. Not sure on 8.3's?

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Re: Engine pre-lub idea

Reply #4 – July 24, 2024, 12:00:33 am

That's the best Peter. We had a big 12v motor driven pre luber on our old Dodge 440. Found plugs on side of engine to pump oil from pan to upper part of engine. Thanks for the old memory reminder. I think it ran on a timer. . .

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Re: Engine pre-lub idea

Reply #5 – July 24, 2024, 11:09:26 am

On mine I have a switch on the dash and press it and watch the oil pressure come up and after the
engine is started I let go of the switch. I have just wired it so the starter will not engage unless the
pre-oiler switch is held down.

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