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Oil prelube before starting

True that the great portion of wear on any engine comes on startup. However, the majority of that wear is in areas that are not affected by oil pressure. When an engine is started, the greatest wear is in the area of the piston skirt where it is free to make contact with the cylinder walls as it is centering itself during the initial rotations of the crankshaft.
Wear to bearings, cam lobes, lifters, and the valve train is minimal as they are protected by the trapped oil which is deposited and left in place on their surfaces from previous runs.
Overall the wear to all componants is minimal and, in a properly maintained engine, should offer no adverse effect to the life of the engine.
Really, the only time I personally feel that prelubing is necessary is during the initial startup of a freshly overhauled engine, and if you are starting an engine that has been setting untouched for an extended period of time.

Back in the day when rebuilding engines, part of the assembly procedure used to put a coat of STP oil treatment as the cylinder "prelube"...stuff is kinda sticky but slippery at the same time...normal handcleaner/solvent after the deed still had trouble thinning it out off your hands under running water. :small3d031:As far as "normal" maintenance after winter storage or the like, Glider's procedure works, and the teaspoon of oil or WD40 before the long term storage is good idea...
 
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