Engine oil change system

Abstract

A method and system for continuously replacing engine oil in an internal combustion engine includes an oil replacement cylinder which uses positive displacement of new oil with old oil. The oil valve may be reduced to a fraction of typical oil volumes utilized in prior art lubrication systems.

1 . A system for continuously replacing motor oil in an internal combustion engine including an oil pump, said system comprising: 
 (a)a crankcase attachment for receiving the output of the oil pump;    (b)oil filter means for filtering oil received from the crankcase attachment;    (c)an oil return line for returning filtered oil to the motor;    (d)an oil replacement cylinder comprising an internal piston which separates a new oil portion and a used oil portion;    (e)an oil bleed line having a flow control means for bleeding a portion of the oil received from the crankcase attachment to the used oil portion of the cylinder; and    (f)an oil replacement line connected to the new oil portion of the cylinder and to the motor.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the piston comprises a used oil seal, a new oil seal and a buffer zone separating the used oil seal and the new oil seal.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the buffer zone is filled with new oil.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the flow control means comprises a needle valve.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the flow control means comprises a low volume pump.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the flow control valve further comprises a drip assembly for visually monitoring flow rate.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a low oil monitor switch operatively connected to the cylinder and activated by the piston when the piston approaches the new oil end of the cylinder.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising a warning light operatively connected to the low oil monitor switch.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a low capacity crankcase.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the crankcase attachment is adapted to connect to a conventional oil filter mount.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein there are two oil replacement cylinders, wherein a first oil replacement cylinder receives used oil and a second oil replacement cylinder expels new oil and the first and second cylinders are interconnected by a line which contains buffer and displacement fluid.  
     
     
         12 . A method of continuously replacing motor oil in an operating internal combustion engine including a crankcase and an oil pump, comprising the steps of: 
 (a)reducing the volume of the oil in the crankcase by at least about 25%;    (b)providing a crankcase attachment for receiving the output of the oil pump; oil filter means for filtering oil received from the crankcase attachment; an oil return line for returning filtered oil to the motor; an oil replacement cylinder comprising an internal piston dividing the cylinder into a new oil portion and a used oil portion; an oil bleed line having a flow control valve for bleeding a portion of the oil received from the crankcase attachment to the used oil portion of the cylinder; and an oil replacement line connected to the new oil portion of the cylinder and to the motor; and    (c)diverting a portion of the oil pump output to the oil replacement cylinder and thereby displacing new oil out of the cylinder and into the motor.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the oil volume is reduced by at least about 50%.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the oil volume is reduced by at least about 75%.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the crankcase is modified with a low volume oil sump.  
     
     
         16 . A lubricating system for a reciprocating compressor driven by an internal combustion engine comprising: 
 (a)a low volume oil sump within the engine;    (b)an oil reservoir;    (c)means for pumping oil through the engine to lubricate the engine;    (d)means for drawing off oil from the engine to lubricate internal moving parts in the compressor; and    (e)an oil level controller associated with the oil reservoir and the oil sump for maintaining a desired oil level within the sump.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein one or both of said oil pump means or oil drawing off means comprises an oil pump.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein said oil level controller comprises a float, a lever arm connected to said float, and a valve operated by said lever arm for controlling flow from the oil reservoir to the oil sump.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein oil flows from the reservoir to the sump by gravity feed.