Any problems cranking engine a bit without starting it?

[Motorhead]

My truck sits sometimes for a week or two at a time without starting it. I was thinking of being able to crank the engine with the starter only without the ignition switched on to pre-oil the engine before lighting it off. Anybody see any problems with hooking up a momentary button to just turn the starter without the key on? With ALL the electronics on our late trucks, I don't want to screw anything up. Case in point, When I worked at UPS I had an old Ford package car (1970) with an inline 300 Ford 6 cyl. This thing got driven balls out every day! When you hit it trying to start it, it rattled a bit until the oil pressure came up. I used to turn it over without pulling the choke and crank it for 2-4 seconds first before pulling the choke out and letting it start. It never rattled doing it that way.
So what do all you diesel Gurus think?

 

[MuddFlapp]

Chris, I used to do that with my '97'. Pull the electrical plug and shut down the fuel pump after an oil change then turn it over until I saw pressure on the gauge. Couldn't see any problem but no benefit either.

Gene

 

[TCDiesel]

No, you should start it, its a fuel thing not a lube thing, cranking HPCR will not help until its running, you cannot stir the tank or fuel system by cranking it.

 

[Bill Stockard]

My truck isn't a daily driver and may be parked two, three, and sometimes four weeks at time. It cranks, starts, and runs just like it had been started and run the day before. There's no need to pre-oil the engine. Engine and engine oil technology has come a long way since the old '70s era Ford 300-cid 6-cylinder engines.

Bill

 

[cerberusiam]

Problems? Definitely. Craanking too long on the starter is just going to wear it out that much faster. You should not engage the start for more than 10-15 seconds at a time. It won't build much oil pressure in that short of time at 200 rpms. Start it and let it idle till oil pressure comes up.

 

[p-Bar]

If your really worried about it Summit Racing has pre-oilers. Interesting how UPS went from diesels back to gassers

 

[mwilson]

My truck isn't a daily driver and may be parked two, three, and sometimes four weeks at time. It cranks, starts, and runs just like it had been started and run the day before. There's no need to pre-oil the engine. Engine and engine oil technology has come a long way since the old '70s era Ford 300-cid 6-cylinder engines.



Bill

Plus any of the old 300 and 302 Ford engines would rattle upon start-up if they did not have a Motorcraft FL-1A filter on them.



I stopped a lot of them from rattling simply by selling the customer an FL-1A Motorcraft. Cheap repair. I don't know why it worked but it did as a rule.



Mike.

 

[Motorhead]

Problems? Definitely. Craanking too long on the starter is just going to wear it out that much faster. You should not engage the start for more than 10-15 seconds at a time. It won't build much oil pressure in that short of time at 200 rpms. Start it and let it idle till oil pressure comes up.

I know that you don't want to turn the starter very long. I want to crank the engine 2-4 seconds BEFORE starting the engine. I am just looking to prime the oil pressure after sitting for a time. Do you see any issues with the electronics?

 

[cerberusiam]

No issues with the electronics but 2-4 seconds is not going to build any pressure or flow.

 

[Bob4x4]

There can be issues if you use a remote starter without disconnecting the truck side of the harness. If you feel the need to crank a late truck and do not want it to start disconnect the solenoid wire at its disconect in the engine compartment

 

[AH64ID]

I have done this on my 05 before, but I disconnected all the injector harnesses. In less than 15 seconds I had oil pressure, but it takes more than 2-4.



I have let my truck sit 6 weeks and it is normal at startup, 8-9 weeks and it sounds a little different. It takes the oil a long time to leave the bearing surfaces, 2-4 weeks is not long enough.



My dad routinely did this on his 3406 Cat every spring, but it would get shut off in August and not started until late April. .

 

[Motorhead]

Thanks guys... Was an idea but sounds like it is not feasible without a lot of hassle.