Pre-lubing engine after lengthy shutdown.

[samert111]

My Cummins engine manual suggests during long periods of storage that before starting the engine one should disconnect the wires to
the injector pump fuel solenoid and crank the engine over to pre-lube the engine before starting it.

Am I the only one that actually does this?

I got tired of crawling up in there to disconnect the solenoid so last weekend I installed a toggle switch in the start up circuit to the solenoid. This circuit is only energized until the engine starts and then it goes dead.

I used a weather proof switch with a rubber boot. I then took one of those small weekly pill boxes with the individual compartments for
each day of the week and cut the end ompartment off. Drilled a hole in the plastic cover to mount the switch and another small hole in
the back of the box for the 2 wires coming out of the switch. Open the cover and the switch pivots out of the box if needed and now
it's totally weather proofed. Spliced into the solenoid start circuit (wire # 137 on a Spartan chassis), soldered all the connections and used shrink tubing to protect the connections.
Mounted the switch box on the coolant reservoir bracket so it's not real noticeable.

Bonus is it can also be used as a theft deterrent when your away or in storage.

Not sure if this would work for an electronic engine also but works great on my mechanical C8.3.

[samert111]

My Cummins engine manual suggests during long periods of storage that before starting the engine one should disconnect the wires to
the injector pump fuel solenoid and crank the engine over to pre-lube the engine before starting it.

Am I the only one that actually does this?

I got tired of crawling up in there to disconnect the solenoid so last weekend I installed a toggle switch in the start up circuit to the solenoid. This circuit is only energized until the engine starts and then it goes dead.

I used a weather proof switch with a rubber boot. I then took one of those small weekly pill boxes with the individual compartments for
each day of the week and cut the end ompartment off. Drilled a hole in the plastic cover to mount the switch and another small hole in
the back of the box for the 2 wires coming out of the switch. Open the cover and the switch pivots out of the box if needed and now
it's totally weather proofed. Spliced into the solenoid start circuit (wire # 137 on a Spartan chassis), soldered all the connections and used shrink tubing to protect the connections.
Mounted the switch box on the coolant reservoir bracket so it's not real noticeable.

Bonus is it can also be used as a theft deterrent when your away or in storage.

Not sure if this would work for an electronic engine also but works great on my mechanical C8.3.

[Mike Canter]

Steve, that is a great idea about the switch. I always prelube my motor if it has been longer than two weeks since it was run. I can get to that plug from the top but it sure would help to have a switch. I use the battery boost switch so I use all the batteries when I spin it over to see oil pressure.

[Ray,IN]

In another Cummins thread, this was discussed. The electronic engines were said to have this feature in the computer. The engine will not start until oil pressure is detected.
BTW, the Cummins definition of long-term is 30 days or longer.

[Mike Canter]

Longterm might be considered longer than 14 days but I know that after 14 days the oil pressure takes much longer to come up so that is why 14 days. I don't see much difference on the initial rise in oil pressure between 14 days and 30 days. I believe tha after 14 days that all the oil has run off all the parts and bearings,

Most electronic motors have a safety circuit that they have to see oil pressure within a certain time frame or they will shut down or they have to see oil pressure before they will start that sensor is probably located real close to the output of the oil pump or owners will get irritated real fast on the amount of cranking time required. I don't believe that oil has reached the upper part of the motor by that time especially after long term storage

[samert111]

My little green Cummins engine book considers 7 days or longer as extended shutdown.

Normally my engine starts immediately and takes about 3-4 seconds to show oil pressure. The first time I tried it with the bypass switch off I let it crank for about 5 seconds a couple times but it never showed any oil pressure. When I flipped the switch and started the engine I had oil pressure immediately.

[Mike Canter]

Steve, I spin mine over until I actually observe the needle on the guage start to rise.

[Ray,IN]

I only repeated what the Cummins RV portion of their website(late 1990's) used to state. That portion is long-gone, or I just can't re-locate the page.Personally I think you guys are right,7 days or longer. My '96 B 5.9 took a long time to register oil pressure after a week of sitting.

[tom wilson]

my 1996 cummins manual said 30 days, but i never pulled the wire off the shutoff valve. just turning the key without the preheat wait gives the engine several revs to get oil flowing.