Masterlube not working...

[maverick1]

My Masterlube stopped working and I plan on sending it in for repair.
Can someone please let me know what bolt I should ask for from the GM parts dept to fill the hole where the Masterlube braided oil line attaches to the engine?

[silver]

did you maintain it during usage, meaning did you fill the canister back up with air when it got low?

[Radowick]

GM engine plug # 11588547

But I would suggest you verify the oil-air ratio in the tank first before tearing it down. The system has a simple shut off valve and a floating ball as a internal shut off.  It couldn't be a simpler system mechanically.   But the system must be monitored to keep the air to oil ratio within limits. The air in the tank gets absorbed into the oil faster than you might imagine. It only requires a air pump so checking it every few weeks should be no more a bother than the other features you regularly inspect, like checking tire pressures.  Masterlube told me that letting all the air be absorbed creating a total oil fill of the tank is the very last thing you want to have happen.

[Heywood-Yablowme]

"The air in the tank gets absorbed into the oil...."

  The air NEVER gets "absorbed" by the oil. Yikes.That is the last thing you would ever want.   
  The air pressure "reservior" above the oil level does tend to leak out of the top gasket at the filler on the Masterlube tank,(if it does not seal well) allowing reservoir air into the outside air,which would then allow the container to fill with additional oil on engine startup.  I find the gaskets are usually the culprit..most of the time.(Had one bad schrader valve)  If you notice your Masterlube gauge low between outings,it is usually the gasket that is the culprit.
  It does require some maintenance to keep it at proper levels. I run mine about 60psi with 1.5-2 qts in the reservoir,hot engine,(my arming switch on) 
  Note: If you leave your key in the on position with the car not running long enough (2-3 minutes),it will discharge the 1.5/2qts. of Masterlube oil into the engine/pan.  It usually will refill the reservior on startup,and repressurize.Make sure you don't run right out on track with those extra qts. of additional oil,or you will aerate you pan oil.(from crank contact)  I hooked up a toggle switch so I can interrupt power to the release valve,thus stopping the key on/oil dump scenario.If you forget to turn the arming switch on,it just eliminates the Masterlube from working as a backup oil pressure system,and does not hurt anything.
The Masterlube is a simple setup,and much cheaper than a dry sump,but not as maintenance free as I would like for it to be..

[Radowick]

The explaination given earlier is exactly how the owner of Masterlube told me at length when I thought my system had a problem 3 years ago. Now, does the air stay in the oil somehow or is it simply being carried away in very small amounts to escape while in the crankcase is for him to explain. He even went on to say that the better the quality of the oil, the more air will be "absorbed". So full synthetic oils are the biggest  "consumer" here.  These are the mfg.er's words.  I am just sharing here. 

[quote="MadMaxAtom and company"]
  Note: If you leave your key in the on position with the car not running long enough (2-3 minutes),it will discharge the 1.5/2qts. of Masterlube oil into the engine/pan.
[/quote]
It is at this time with all the oil drained out that the system and into the engine that the gage should show to have approx. 30 psi of air pressure left in the Masterlube tank.  If not, now is the time to make it so.

I did repeated tests on my tank after it cooled off and over days at a time and never found much loss of pressure. The only way I could see noticable pressure drops was from "cold" reading before a drive to "cold" the day after the drive. Meaning the loss was either associated with hot oil in the system or seals leaking only when hot causing my leaks only during the drive.     

[Heywood-Yablowme]

I don't buy it. Aerated oil is counterproductive to lubrication. Oil does not absorb air,unless agitated into a mixture. I do not see how pressurized oil entering a sealed vessel can "mix" with a pocket of air,as it is not sprayed in,or agitated once in the reservoir. I do not dispute that you were told this,however,I believe the "owner" of Masterlube is in error.  When I was first having loss of air in my Masterlube,(2007) I also called,and was told the oil was absorbing oil.I asked how was this possible,as air and oil do not "mix". If anything,the incoming oil would give up any air it had picked up throughout the engine,increasing the air pocket in the Masterlube!  The only time my Masterlube lost it's air "reservoir" is when the seal at the top of the canister was faulty.If it was because the oil "absorbed" oil, there would always be a measurable loss of the air reservoir during a specific time interval of operation,and this is not so. Since going to a different seal than what Masterlube supplies,my system has not lost pressure once. Not one time. As far as synthetic oil being able to hold more air, I believe that is pure horseshit as well. According to everything I have read and understand about synthetic oil,the reason it is so good at lubrication is it's very tight,precise molecular structure,allowing it to have a thousand small rollers per linear inch vs. petrol oil,which has a hundred big rollers per linear inch. That is why synthetic protects better with less viscosity as it does not have the bulk that is part of the natural structure of petroleum based oils. Synthetics can withstand much greater heat without breaking down thermally,which is a vaporization of the fluids structure. This is exactly opposite to what the owner of Masterlube would have you believe.

[Radowick]

[quote="MadMaxAtom and company"]
Since going to a different seal than what Masterlube supplies,my system has not lost pressure once.
[/quote]
I found the same thing when first tiring to find leaks early on. The O-ring appeared to be cut up from getting squeezed into the threads. I replaced it with a better fitting O-ring and never had a leak there either.

[maverick1]

Thanks for your input guys.
I am the one who had an exhaust leak which melted lots of wiring and the Masterlube gauge.
I tried putting air into the system using a portable air pump, but the gauge will not move.
I'm thinking I damaged something with the exhaust leak.
Can you please let me know what seal/o-ring you gents are talking about? Where on the unit?

[Radowick]

see this site:

http://masterlube.net/systems.htm

When I unscrewed the hex plug/schrader valve (approx. 1" accross the flats), the O-ring under the plug's hex shoulder that is squeezed between it and the yellow tank's machined port was damaged. The O-ring was too big to fit in the engineered space. It squeezed out and was cut by the threads or the sharp corners of the machined port. The plug was also screwed on with way too much force.

[Heywood-Yablowme]

I had my filler plug machined to accept a copper washer. No more leaks.

If you are putting air into the tank and there is no gauge movement,but you seem to have tank resistance to adding more air(like inflating a tire) I would suspect the gauge. If you are adding air and there is no resistance to entering air,your electric operating valve may be defective (stuck open)or the valves seat may be obstructed with debris. You can look inside the tank to see if there is oil and or if the ball check valve is functional as well.

[nickpoore]

Check the gauge.

My gauge broke.
The dial was turned ALL the way clockwise, so that it was forced against the stopper at the end of the travel.

From my perspective the gauge never moved.
However, when I examined it closer, I realized that the gauge was not "stuck on zero" - instead it was maxed out, and stuck.

Also, call the guy.
He is VERY talkative.
He will tell you that his product is so great that it never breaks.  He could well be right.

Check the gauge.

Nick.