Engine Pre-Lubers, do just that, they are outboard engine oil pumps which take oil from the oil pan and pump the oil into the engine via the engines oil galley, oil filter or oil pressure sender port depending on the installation. They are for use on both Diesel and Gas Engines. They operate when the key is turned to the "on" position prior to starting. When you turn on the key the pre lubrication pump starts. The pre luber supplies oil to the interior of the engine the same as the engines oil pump, but at a slightly lower pressure 5 to 10 lbs on the main Cummins Diesel and 10 to 30 lbs on the Westerbeke Diesel Generator. The oil pressure gauge will rise, and when it does, you wait a half a minute or so and then it is time to crank the engine up. In models with a turbo, the pre-luber will also run after the engine is shut down to prevent the oil in the turbo bearing from "coking " and to remove additional heat from the turbo bearing. Oil trapped in a confined space with no flow and excessive temperatures will 'coke' or thicken and harden up like tar. Robin Dick from Cummins Marine in Charleston says, there is no need for running the pre luber after the engine is shut down unless you go from full RPM to engine off. Just idling your boat in to the dock will bring down the turbo temperature nicely. I, have installed three pre-lubers on our 4600 SCB with Cummins 450C's and Westerbeke 12.5 KW generator. I used the 3/8" hose on all three installs. This was fine on the Westerbeke but I had to replace the 3/8" hose with 5/8" hose on the suction side from the sump to get adequate pressure to shut down the low oil pressure alarm. I'm now working with Racor and have installed 10 micron LFS filters to "polish" the lube oil as well as pre lube the engines prior to starting. The system now run for 5 minutes after the engine is shut down and the oil is hot. The best time to clean it. . (Photos below) Here's the skinny, Cummins recommends the use of per-lubers in their engines on their website. I have spoken to 3 of their service people in the field and numerous others at boat shows. None have ever seen Pre-Luber installations. None could tell me from their experience how to do it. I have installed them but am torn on their usefulness and have no recommendation to either use them or not. Your decision should be based on (1) Your boating use. Do you use your engines weekly, If so there is most likely some residual oil on the bearing surfaces when you crank the engine and your wear surfaces are protected. Most of the wear that an engine receives is during start up when there is a lack of oil on the bearing surfaces. (2) How long do you plan on keeping the boat, and how much do you enjoy having the mechanic down at your boat. If you plan on keeping the boat for an extended period of time you will want to pamper your engines, Pre-Luber installation is about $1,000.00 per engine. It is not to be entered into lightly and without a good amount of soul searching, this is not an area of black and white. The generator was another question. I run my generator quite a bit less than the main engines so it should require more care and oil before starting up. Again another "judgement call." If you find yourself on the fence, just remember that if you use quick connect fittings you can use the Pre-Luber as an oil pump to drain the spent engine oil for oil changes. I now buy 5 gallon tubs of Shell Rotella T oil for my oil changes. I pump out the old oil into 5 gallon buckets and drop a tube in the new tub of Rotella T and pump in the new.

I've had a 15 hp Yanmar diesel in my 30' sailboat for 10+ years and it always ran without a burp, every time, all the time with only yearly oil changes. Pre-Lubers are available from ;

ESP Products
2203 N. Charlotte Street
Pottstown, Penn. 19464

Ph: (610) 970-8944

They are on line @
http://www.pre-luber.com/preluberproducts.htm
You can see photo of them below.

Pre lubers (black) are located on the stringers to the right and left of the red Racor fuel filters, their electronic controls are located above the red Racor fuel filters

Pre Luber on Westerbeke Diesel, with quick connects for oil changes.

Here centered is the (black) Racor LPS filter (10) micron with quick disconnects for oil changes.

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send your name, hull #, and tip, if you have one to James, @BilleGates@aol.com

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