wcbcruzer

Well after many hours of research, planning, and actually finding the right parts to buy, I have finally come up with my own homemade preluber. I first got the idea from dodgeram.org:

http://dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/prelube/index.htm

After calling the actual Preluber manufacturer, I found out that the kit costs about $1000! At that point I began looking into making my own. Making the kit was definatley not as easy as I anticipated. The biggest problem was finding suitable parts. Then I ran into a bunch of unexpected costs such as the 3/4" hydraulic hose. That cost close to $10 a foot and I needed at least 7 feet. Another high cost was the 1/2" stainless steel Parker check valve which runs about $120 from MSCDirect. But thanks to Ebay and a some friends I made at Ace Hydraulic here in town, I managed to get by without having to pay that much.

The kit I made is very different from the kit that Preluber sells. Although they are both based on the same concept, which is to pump oil from the oil pan to the oil filter. I bought a special drain plug which has a hole in the middle and two 1/4" NPT ports, which I used for the oil source for the pump.

One main difference in my kit is that I relocated the oil filter in addition to adding the preluber. I moved the filter right next to the oil drain plug under the truck. Not only will it be easier to replace the filter, with the relocation kit (from Perma-Cool) I was able to add the check valves that I planned. I had to special order the relocation kit directly from Perma-Cool as the kits they normally sell for the Cummins does not allow you to use the stock size Fleetgaurd filter. Instead it's designed for a smaller filter such as the Fram P08. But I definately wanted to use the Fleetgaurd Stratopore.

In the end, I'm happy with the results although I ended up spending a tad bit more than I wanted to. With the engine off, and the preluber activated, I build about 30 psi of oil pressure. Then once I start the engine, I turn off the preluber via a switch after about 10 seconds.

HappyGA

Man, that oil filter looks like it is hanging mighty low. Hope you don't do much off-roading.

Not a bad idea though.

Joe Diesel

good going, sounds like a slick set-up!!

rockwithjason

Which shurflo pump did you use?

wcbcruzer

Its Shurflo #8000-643-236. Not a bad little pump. Max fluid temp. is 180 F. This is the only pump Shurflo recommended I use for this type of application.

Thanks for the comments. Yeah, the oil filter does hang kinda low. Nothing to be worried about while driving on-road though. But now it's beginning to bother me a bit. I really don't know where else to put it though...

Cummins4Life

This might help?
http://www.citydiesel.net/catalog/Dodge/remotemount.php
http://www.citydiesel.net/catalog/Do...lcolorlong.htm

wcbcruzer

Hmm.. Guess it's not a bad idea. I'll have to take another look at my setup. I'll work something out.

2500CTD

So how long can you run the preluber? Just until it builds oil pressure?? What about an oil accumulator? <--Probably not enough volume? Nice job I like that idea.

wcbcruzer

Yeah, you just run it till it builds oil pressure, then leave it for a few seconds after you start the truck. Normally takes 5-10 seconds to build pressure depending on how long the truck has been sitting.

What's an oil accumulator? Is it the tank that you hook up to the oil pressure line so it fills up whenever you have the engine running?

2500CTD

Yip, it can have an electric solenoid also that closes when the ignition is killed. Hold the oil under pressure. When the key is turned on, valve opens oil runs into the engine. Oil accumulator

TN Redneck

Ok here is a stupid question so please be kind.

Could you put the preluber on a timer to run after you shut down to keep oil going through the turbo? If so would this help with shutting down warm or is exhaust flow required to cool the turbo?

wcbcruzer

Yes it can be done. However, not with the pump I used. The reason being you'll probably destroy the pump since the motor oil will be hotter than 180 F at normal operating temp. There is a Tilton pump made for pumping differential fluid to an oil cooler on race cars. That pump can handle oil up to 300 F and that would be suitable for what you're looking for. It's the exact same as the Shurflo pump I used except it can handle hotter fluid and it costs more. Here is the link:

http://store.summitracing.com/defaul...=KeywordSearch

As for the exhaust flow, I'm not sure. But I don't think you need exhaust flow to cool the turbo. The main reason you're supposed to "cool off" the turbo before you shut off the engine is to prevent the oil inside the turbo from "coking." Meaning that the oil will bake itself into charred clumps in the turbo's bearing housing. So as long as you keep the oil moving through the turbo (whether the engine is on or off) it will prevent the oil from coking.

2500CTD

Well by nature if the exhaust is cooler at idle, then after a run, yes the exhaust would help cool, but it is not necessary. Kinda like 300* is cool than 400* but I aint touching eitherone of those with my hands. Heck, if you where really ambitious, you could also rig up an electric pump to keep coolant flowing also. They do this on some race cars, however their main water pump is the electric one. We would be better off I believe using and aux water pump that you could run off the same timer as that oil pump? To go even further, add a heater element in both fluids, then in the morning the water and oil would be up to operating temp with out even starting the motor. Not sure if it would have any type of drawback? Cold pistons?? Just thinking outloud