Warbird Information Exchange

Can any owner or person who maintances Merlin engines give me any directions were to connect a pre-oiler pump to the engine.

To my point of view , the easiest is to use the connection which is used by the oil pressure gauge. This I believe is just after the oil pressure regulator unit. The unit we are using has a installation guide but I think because of product liability only says to connect the pomp to a suitable entrance...........

Any pictures will be greatly appreciated.

This Merlin I am talking about is installed in a P51, but Spitfire installation pictures are welcome too.

Thanks for any help.

Pim Pouw
Early Birds Foundation
Netherlands

My Friend, search Glenn Wegman on the Forum. He is one of the finest Mustang mechanics around.

He will lead you to the truth.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Pioneer Aero has a fitting that attaches to the oil dilution port next to the main pickup on the bottom of the oil tank. It incorporates a standoff and in perforated with small holes to keep big chunks from being sent to the engine.
Also are you pressurizing the main oil system or just the upper cam racks?
Rich

Ray is not around for me to ask about the hookup, but I am pretty sure my preoil pump feeds the whole system not just the cams.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Both systems are possible ( camshaft - main system ) pre-lubrication.
I think we will go to the camshaft as the first priority to pre-lube. I think it's a personal choice and both options work fine.

I have to think about using the oil dilution outlet as source for the oil into the pre-oiler pump. This outlet is at the complete bottom of the tank. The risk of pumping sludge into the sytem is possible. I think I will fabricate a kind of a stand pipe through the draincap which assures me of pumping fresh motoroil.

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Pim Pouw

Early Birds Foundation www.vroegevogels.org/
the Netherlands

Fokker G1 replica project www.fokker-g1.nl

I will try to take a photo of the fitting we have that uses the oil dilution pick up.
This fitting as mentioned in the previous post has built into it a stand pipe and mesh screen to prevent debris from entering the pump.
It was provided as part of a preoil kit from Darton and sold by Pioneer IIRC.
Rich

Here is the oil dilution port pick up as used with the pre-oil kit.



AN -10 fitting where the hose connects to inlet of pump.
Rich

Using the oil pressure gauge port for the pick up for the pump or for pressure output of the pump?
We have the output of the pump connect to the gauge port on the regulator. There is a T, the output hose from the pump is -6 hose with a check valve to prevent flow back into the pump while the engine is running. There is a reducer for the gauge hose which is -4. The fitting on the regulator came with the preoil kit and is -6 to replace the stock -4 fitting.
The inlet to the pump is -10.
Rich

without creating a boxing match on the site what sort of oil will you be using? S or W? there seems to be good arguments for both and I've got all sorts of barrels (blue and red) around the hangar. Would like to have just one type? Jim

Some pics of the pick up on the oil tank.

Pre-oil pump on left. -10 inlet line disconnected at the moment.

Outlet of pre-oil pump is -6 line. It interfaces with the stock -4 line which goes to the Oil Pressure on the 3-1 cockpit gauge. There is a check valve to prevent flow back into the pump and oil tank. What is normally a -4 line from the regulator on the engine is replaced with a larger -6 line and there is a special fitting on the regulator.
Rich