Dear Bill,
We manufacture an oil cooler line adaptor block that goes between the
oil filter adaptor and the block of the engine. The route that the oil
follows is: out of the pump past the main oil pressure relief valve, through
the filter, then out to the cooler and then back into the main galley of the
engine. This prevents cooler failure due to oil pressure surges when the oil
is cold and also filters the oil before running it through the cooler. This
should keep the cooler clean in case of engine debris problems.
We measure the oil pressure directly out of the main galley instead of the
standard location and have installed an adapter block in this oil line where
there is a 30 # switch to turn on a low oil pressure light as well as the
pipe going to the oil pressure gauge. We have constructed a special "pick
up" that is basically a rectangular box with a screened bottom. the bottom
of the box is in the same location as the open end of the standard pickup
tube but the opening faces the floor of the oil pan instead of being a
horizontal tube with an open end. The open bottom of the box is about 3/16"
off of the bottom of the oil pan.
The oil pump has been hand massaged, the drive slot bottom radiused and
glass peened, the suction side of the pump body cover "ported" and smoothed,
and all of the clearances blueprinted.
With correct engine clearances, this system has no trouble making 90
psi + at 5000 rpm with kendall gt-1 40 oil. It idles at 50 psi with oil at
170 degrees.
With a "deep" alloy sump the oil level can be run 1 quart under the
"full" mark and have no oil starvation with "vintage " race tires. With yoko
A 008R race tires we have experienced oil starvation only under one set of
circumstances. That is hard braking, followed by a left turn and then
immediate hard aceleration. We have installed horizontal surge baffles on
both sides of the pan to prevent oil going up the side of the block from
centrifigul force. Next we are going to try the same type of horizontal
plate at the front of the pan to prevent oil going forward up into the block
under hard braking. I hope that this should solve the current problem. the
next thing might be to move the pickup forward in the pan. I have been leery
of "trap doors" as I like to have as few moving parts as possible.
Especially when you can't see them move!
The special pickup by itself makes a big improvement. We have never
found it necessary to use an Accusump.
Regards,
Greg Solow
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