By Chris Tropea
Jun 10, 2020
It's no secret that oil starvation on track can cause serious engine damage. Womp, womp. What can be done to prevent this issue? One way is to use a dry-sump oil system like the one we installed on our Project Corvette Z06 from Aviaid. Presented by CRC Industries.
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6/10/20 9:24 a.m.
In reply to ChrisTropea :
Is it possible to use a 3 stage pump for scavage only ? Reason, V12 uses giant 2.30 rod journals x12, 3.00 mains x7, cam bearings x14, oh and jack shaft for distributor with 3 bearings.
The stock oil pump is 7" diameter driven off the front of the crank.
6/10/20 11:41 a.m.
Face it. the real reason for dry sump is that the engine can be lowered fo better CG.
6/10/20 12:04 p.m.
Not true at all! The flywheel ( or ring gear for automatics) is still the lowest part of the engine assembly.
the reason for dry sump is just as given. Under high G cornering or stopping hot oil slides sideways up the engine or forward up into the timing chain case( or both)
Bottom line, there is no oil around the pickup and it only take a few revolutions of an engine with no oil to be damaged.
If you think it can't happen to a street driven car you are wrong. In 1953 Jaguar went from wet sump engines to dry sump for the new 1954 D type. Racing Tires back then were 5.3 inches wide with treads. Hard rubber too, durable enough to run the 24 hours of Le Mans. Not the gummy stuff available for today's cars.
6/10/20 12:20 p.m.
Heating a priming the oil is nice also
6/10/20 4:29 p.m.
Curious what mods you made in the engine once you removed the oil pump. Maybe this will be covered in Video #2 ???
6/10/20 4:39 p.m.
In reply to 1970MGV8 :
The original oil pump remained in place. I just used a 4 stage Weaver pump. Rerouted the oil passages.
The stock system works kinda backwards except for cars sold in Germany. The cooler cools bypassed oil which is real high percentage of oil pumped when cold and as the oil heats up less and less go through the oil cooler.
6/10/20 4:46 p.m.
To deal with the high pressure when cold issue I was forced to use a pair of big Fram HP 1 filters and never rev the engine above 2000 RPM until oil temp reached 150 degrees. Even at 2000 RPM oil pressure was 120 PSI Remarkably the SU needle UO was perfect, pull the choke down for rich start and in less than 2 minutes you could shove the choke in and it would sit there idling smoothly.
6/11/20 2:23 p.m.
In reply to frenchyd :
I do run a Dry sump on our MGB V8 but run a modified Buick front timing cover and feed oil into it. I was just curious about the LS motor with the oil pick up and the pump removed what mods were made on pressure side of the oil system so it just doesn't dump into the pan
6/11/20 5:47 p.m.
In reply to frenchyd :
I was just being facetious, Hence the emoji (sp)
6/12/20 12:18 a.m.
I can't say for everyone, what I did is to pipe tap and use Allen head plugs various places on the V12 which is relatively easy since it's aluminum. A cast Iron LS can also use pipe taps with plugs. ( I assume, since I used them on my Iron block 3.8 liter engine)
Great care must be used on start up since the pressure bypass is deleted as well. Very few oil filters can handle the very high pressure of a cold start. Fram HP 1 is the only one I've found. But the next weak link on the system is the oil cooler. Nothing I've found handles much over 100 psi.
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