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Auto chassis lube priming

Phillmore
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Auto chassis lube priming

Post by Phillmore »

Continuing from the mention of this on "Daimler for sale" thread, I have three Conquests that need the system priming and as I currently have no means of pressurising the system I was wondering about alternatives. If I understand the system the exhaust manifold heats the oil in the lower tank, a valve opens and allows oil to flow to the metering valves. So . . . . .

With engine running and everything hot won't oil flow to the valves if they are unscrewed without pressure being applied? Would a thinner oil help this process (adding correct grade once everything is flowing)? If that fails could the system be primed by sucking the oil through from the valve end?
Andy

1954 Conquest Mk1, 1956 Conquest Mk2, 1957 Conquest Century Mk2, 1955 Austin A90 Westminster

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theoldman
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Re: Auto chassis lube priming

Post by theoldman »

I have successfully primed two of these systems.

A bit long winded, but without the special Daimler priming pump.....................

Disconnect the top union on the expansion chamber.
Apply heat to the bottom chamber by means of a camping gas type blowlamp (nice and gently!) until the bottom chamber is at about 60 centigrade (just too hot to hold)
Let it cool down and repeat ad nauseam (well, it may take half a dozen tries) until you see oil flowing from the top chamber "hole".
Reconnect the union and slacken the meter valve on one of the rear spring hangers
Repeat the heating process until oil flows.
Work your way back to the front of the car doing similar (once you have the back spring hangers done the rest is fairly quick to do)

Unless of course anyone else has a quicker way!!

Cheers

Neil
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Phillmore
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Re: Auto chassis lube priming

Post by Phillmore »

Thanks Neil,

Not sure I fully understand how the system works after reading your suggestion. I thought it all worked from the lower expansion chamber due to heat and the valve, and the upper chamber was just there to replenish the lower chamber?
Andy

1954 Conquest Mk1, 1956 Conquest Mk2, 1957 Conquest Century Mk2, 1955 Austin A90 Westminster

John Hitchins
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Re: Auto chassis lube priming

Post by John Hitchins »

Neil out of interest you mentioned the Daimler pump, do you know how it worked, only out of interest.

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Re: Auto chassis lube priming

Post by Stan Thomas »

There is a simple method of priming the lubricating the system - but you must be VERY careful how you do it!!

Disconnect the oil outlet from the expansion bottle.

Then either obtain a spare reservoir cap (or modify the one you have if originallity is not that important) and fit or solder a tyre valve in the centre. Then with a tyre inflator set at no more than 5 psi SLOWLY pressurise the system in small stages, keeping the reservoir no more than half full to keep a (compressed) air space.

When oil emerges from the expansion bottle - re-connect up.

If you elect to have the tyre valve permanently attached, you can give the system an extra charge at any time.

Stan.

Phillmore
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Re: Auto chassis lube priming

Post by Phillmore »

theoldman wrote:I have successfully primed two of these systems.

A bit long winded, but without the special Daimler priming pump.....................

Disconnect the top union on the expansion chamber.
Apply heat to the bottom chamber by means of a camping gas type blowlamp (nice and gently!) until the bottom chamber is at about 60 centigrade (just too hot to hold)
Let it cool down and repeat ad nauseam (well, it may take half a dozen tries) until you see oil flowing from the top chamber "hole".
Reconnect the union and slacken the meter valve on one of the rear spring hangers
Repeat the heating process until oil flows.
Work your way back to the front of the car doing similar (once you have the back spring hangers done the rest is fairly quick to do)

Unless of course anyone else has a quicker way!!

Cheers

Neil
Ok now I've seen the exploded diagram in the manual it makes more sense. I had assumed (wrongly) that the reservoir fed into the TOP of the expansion tank not the bottom.
Andy

1954 Conquest Mk1, 1956 Conquest Mk2, 1957 Conquest Century Mk2, 1955 Austin A90 Westminster

John Hitchins
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Re: Auto chassis lube priming

Post by John Hitchins »

It sounds like the old brake bleed (easy bleed) system of years back using the tyre as a pressure source.

Phillmore
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Re: Auto chassis lube priming

Post by Phillmore »

So are the metering valves fed oil on a "pulse" basis (ie just on the heat expansion phase) or is there a continuous feed once the system is primed?

I have oil going to some points but others are dry so do I miss out the expansion tank priming stage and just heat the tank and slacken the "dry" valves?
Andy

1954 Conquest Mk1, 1956 Conquest Mk2, 1957 Conquest Century Mk2, 1955 Austin A90 Westminster

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theoldman
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Re: Auto chassis lube priming

Post by theoldman »

Yes - one "shot" per warm up.

If you have dry points, either ther's a blockage on that line, the flexi hose has collapsed or there is muck inside the lube point.

Yes, disconnect and see if over a period the oil comes through.

If not, you will need to chase back to the nearest 3/4 way union where you are getting oil and work from there

N.
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Phillmore
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Re: Auto chassis lube priming

Post by Phillmore »

I suspect that some oil has just found it's way to some points but not others after the tank ran dry? But you could be right Neil and there is a blockage somewhere.
Andy

1954 Conquest Mk1, 1956 Conquest Mk2, 1957 Conquest Century Mk2, 1955 Austin A90 Westminster

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