My LS1 drysump experience

[tir33d]

As you all may know I blew my motor due to running out of oil around corners. Only long term option was to install a drysump system.

In the end I went with a 4 stage system from ARE (drysump.com). Now this is not for the budget conscious. Kit came with pan, pump, reservoir, breather can and drive pulley and balancer.

Here is a pic installed onto motor, note how shiny my extractors are now (had them HPC coated).

The new pan saves a heap of room, but creates its own problems, for a kit that is supposed to bolt onto a LS1 there are some major shortcomings. Had to trim half the starter mount and the rear fitting would have prevented it being tightened.

Oil pump has been removed from the motor and blocked off, we are now using the rear point of entry behind the bung pictured below. This was another hassle, paid $100 extra for the fitting to take a -12 line and screw into the orifice, it arrived and was 2mm to big. Had a mate make one out of a bit of steel instead.

And of course nothing comes with the kit to plumb so you have to buy extra gear. Total extra expense $1000.

Was hoping to keep this all really neat, but reality of space changed some plans.

Now we managed to get it all plumbed up and started and we were horrified at the pressure output of this little pump. At idle on minimum setting we saw 80psi on cold oil, 70 when hot, touch the throttle and your over 100psi. After seeking advice (thanks Pete) we came to the conclusion that the pump is too powerfull for a motor built to last more than 24 hours (most with this set up have much higher clearances). My fix, as I was unwilling to play with cutting or replacing springs in the pump unit, was to purchase a Petersen external pressure regulator. (the red thing below) This now has us set at 35psi at idle with a top at 70psi at 6000.

While the car was on the hoist we also fitted some Techno toy caster adjusters. Now have -2.7' camber, 6' caster and 2mm positive toe.

Motor is another 200000km job, installed new bearings, lifters, stainless valves and cam )230/230@110.

Have some larger injectors to install prior to tuning on Friday.

Been a mad rush but car is finished and ready 1 day early. Heading to Eastern creek on Friday (there is an open day for cams licence 2LS).

Anyone want to give me a time to go for??

Little idle clip on hoist,

[peter mc]

looks good mate, nice fix with the oil presher have not seen that before ..Have you checked the vac in the motor ,make shore its not to high you should have 3in ,if you have more you may have problems with the seals

[RB30X]

Wow, you've just splashed a few quid there mate.

 

Re the oil pressure, can you just get a different sized pulley for the pump to reduce pressure?

 

And all that effort for your oil system but your breather set up is still factory? You've even got the carbon canister/fuel tank vent hooked up to your flash fast manifold. With all that extra oil pressure I'd be increasing the size of your rocker breathers and venting them into a catch can or the next engine build will be becuase you sucked a gut ful of oil vapour into the engine through the manifold.

 

Nice cam idle too.

 

Dont be shy with the videos at your next track day, I'm keen to see you wipe the floor with you competitors .

[tir33d]

As Pete mentioned, motor should be running on vacuum now, actually pulling the oil. The old motor used to suffer from oil vapour, this one will have an opposite effect. My mate and I both have the same system (although mine is running lmao). The gearing is what is supposed to work, it is a 50% reduction from crank speed and should work. You can change gears but we are only talking 2 or 3 teeth which would have only given me 7% - not enough.

They say that a proper race motor can be turned over with about 20ft pound pressure, average street motor more like 60. The race motors have higher bearing tolerances to enable to free spin. Because this is basically a street motor that is why I had the pressure issue.

Now for anyone who know me knows that I can "talk the talk" and my other racing buddies have been geeing me up. One mentioned that I will be lucky to get under 1.50 at the creek. Upon talking to a local who spanners on a super sedan he gave me some corrallation times between wakefield. Their super sedan does a 1.02 at Wakefiled and they say the short course at the creek should yield the same time. Long track they are doing 1.33-34. He thinks I should crack under a 1.40 if everything works. My oh my am I gonna be "talkin" tomorrow.

 

[260DET]

Good luck at EC, go the S130

[Veloce]

Geeez mate, looks like you've had a few offs, time to pressure wash that underside 

 

Are you now able to drop the engine an inch or two with the slimer dry sump? Might not be worth the effort but lower centre of gravity is never a bad thing.

[tir33d]

The space saved with the drysump was then taken with the lines running from the pan to the pump. If you were to start fresh things would be different, but lowering my motor and changes angles and clearances with exhaust piping was a extra headache I didn't need.

Eastern creek is a diabolical track, corners seem to go for ever. I think I only found 2 apex's out of 12. Lots of cars so never got a clean lap but still ended up with a 1.50. Also had to drive without power steering which I will never do again.

Car seems reliable and no pressure problems,heading to Wakefield for a play with some mates on Tuesday, might have to strap on my secret weapon, if I can get a good lap a 1.04 maybe even a 3. that would be nice.

 

[Mikelly]

I know this is an older thread, and I'm digging it up because I'm in the middle of building out an LS1 with drysump for my S30 Zcar.  My question is this.  Was there a specific reason you didn't use the ARE 3 stage setup that uses the factory oil pump?  Seems like it would save some  of the headache with the fitting on the block you have to have made.  Interested in hearing how this setup has held up over the last year.

[tir33d]

The reason for the larger set up was to eliminate issues, race car boys all feed pressure with the same pump, a few extra lines but when you can then adjust your pressure. Ls1 have pressure problems when the heat up, can easily show little to no pressure after track work coming into the pits. Qq

The actual system has been foolproof, aside from taking a while to find the right oil level for the reservoir. the initial oil pressure problem was solved with the bypass, but this could be done with springs internally within the pump, my setup was ridiculously tight at the adjuster so I opted for something a little further away.

I am happy with the ARE products, would recommend.

Never thrown or snapped a belt and my poor motor normally lives at 6500-7000 rpm.

[Magnet]

Im sure its been mentioned, but a budget fix is an accusump, very common in drift/track cars.

 

http://www.accusump.com/

 

It's an external pressurized reservoir that provides oil pressure when needed. Also creates oil pressure before you crank which is cool. This paired with a baffled sump usually does the job with budget in mind, obviously dry sump is the bomb if you got the $$$

[tir33d]

You could spend $2k on accusump and good baffling and prob work fine, I was preparing to spend decent $ on built motor but couldn't justify the risk. I was using prior a big moroso pan, think it was 6.5 ltr usable, but broken motors are no fun.

Dry sump can save a lot of space, easily mount coolers and filters. Mine was finished at just over $5k, my mate spent an extra $1000 cause he put the reservoir in his boot, extra line and fitting add up.

I am not rich, I can only justify about $5k per year investment, so it was a big call. But to step forward that was the path. Was getting ready for a motor, but now have to rebuild/reshell. That's this year gone.

A friend races sports sedans and they have been buying used NASCAR equipment of eBay, he hasn't had a problem in over a year of racing and he spent under $2000. Me personally with $20k+ worth of motor, I would have spent extra and bought new, but he has proven me wrong.