generator 20 as starter generator 20 operates the machine tends to heat up and therefore it is desirable to circulate cooling oil to the starter generator 20 for economy of weight and complexity preferably the oil used for cooling starter generator 20 is obtained from the general oil system of the engine however in order to alleviate the problem of bearing cavity flooding if the engine oil system were fully powered up during starting the present invention instead provides intermittent oil flow pulses sufficient to cool the starter generator 20 and yet insufficient to undesirably flood the bearing cavities at least until such time as the air pressure in bearing cavities is sufficient to seal them to do so the controller 26 which can be for example the electronic engine control eec can be provided with software instructions to command the electric oil pump 24 to intermittently pulse the oil supply during engine start as mentioned the pulsing large enough to permit extended motoring of the engine without overheating the starter generator 20 and yet small enough to prevent bearing cavity flooding for instance instead of providing a full flow the oil pump can be operated intermittently for a short period of time thus providing short limited burst of oil in order to lower the initial oil flow to the bearing cavities normal operation of the oil pump may then begin after the start up either instantly or progressively i e the length and or strength of the intermittent bursts can gradually be extended to transition to normal operation maximum oil flow is not required and in.