questions about oil control

[olds48]

I have been doing a little thinking about oil pan baffles,windage trays and crankscrapers,Seems like an easy/cheap way to pickup up some power with parts that seem to me could never give any problems.But I have some questions.

Pan baffles
I am talking about the ones that go between the oil pump and rear main cap.Not the ones built into the pan itself.Since there is no way to dyno something like that(that I know of),does anyone have any experience that showed you that it really helped?I understand the idea is to keep oil off the rear of the crank by preventing it from "climbing".But,when the oil drains down the back of the block,around the dist. shaft(which it seems it would since you're accelerating forward),wouldn't it kinda "waterfall" off the baffle and fall into the crank anyways?

Windage trays.
I have seen the louvered ones go for about $25,and the screen type go for as much as $125.What is the difference between the two.And,will the oil find it's way thru the tray to return to the sump quick enough?

Crank scrapers
Okay.Let's say the engine turns clockwise looking at it from the front.I can understand the scraper being on the passenger side of the block.It would scrape the oil off the crank onto the BOTTOM side of the scraper,and it would fall back into the pan(if it didn't just caught up in the crank again?).But it seems to me that the scraper on the driver side of the block would collect oil on TOP of itself(since the crank is turning "down" into it)and that the oil would be more in the way than if you just ran a scraper on the pass side.
Can the oil drain off the scrapers,especially the driver side,without getting caught up in the rotating assembly?

I have little experience with this stuff and NO experience with oil control at all.My "race" motor is running the bone stock system that the General put in the BBC's,and I have had no issues with it so far.Any advice or opinions on my system as a whole(not just what I asked about)would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[johnracer]

I'm no expert, but here's my opinon anyway:
Pan baffles
Yes the oil will sorta "waterfall" down, but not anywhere near the volume that it will climb the pan.

Windage trays
Both types work. I've never really liked the screen ones just because they look cheap. With either, the oil returns to the pan plenty quick.

Crank scrapers
Don't put one on the driver's side for the reason you described, just on the passenger side. The idea is to keep the oil in the pan.

Now for the real question. Does any of this really do any good?
IMO, it depends on what you're expecting. Chevy oiling systems are very good from the factory, so, unless you really wind your engine to the moon, you won't significantly improve it. Anything you can do to keep oil in the pan to be used for lubrication, is good. Just don't expect your car to be quicker or faster.

I'm sure on a dyno, an engine will make more power by controlling windage, but not enough to show any real improvement on the track.
An exception to this might be an engine that sees very high rpm....

[olds48]

The only experience I have had with crankscrapers is looking at them in a catalog. :D They always show two of them in the picture.Is it common practice to run just the one side,or do some guys run both sides?

Either way.Thanks for the reply johnracer

[johnracer]

I'm pretty sure you use them on the pass side only....

[olds48]

Makes sense to me :D

[dslowride]

Hi, just my 2 cents. I have tried with each of these on small block chevys.
The best money and power is in buying an oil pan set up for your engine. There is HP savings in oil control.We track test all the little things we can, one 355ci engine we swapped pans, adding a scraper with windage tray-our car picked up 1/10th in the eighth mile.

Magazine tests on dynos say anywhere from 10 hp to 25 depending on the level of power and cubic inches. :roll:
I say if you can afford it try it. Good luck.

[jmarksdragster]

Well here is my 2 cents, use the DEEPEST sump pan that will fit. Look for oil control so you don't lose pressure at any point in the run. Unless you are running a class car, don't look for HP in the oil system. And run an accumulator in anything faster than 10.00, any car if you can afford it.

[olds48]

What "triggers" that accumalator exactly?I understand the principle of it,but have never had first hand dealings with the workings of one.

[curtisreed]

What "triggers" that accumalator exactly?I understand the principle of it,but have never had first hand dealings with the workings of one.

Low oil pressure. The oil in the accumulator is is pressurized to the pressure your oil system has, when it drops the accumulator pushes oil into the system until the pump catches up.

Curtis

[cepx111]

Here's a thought.... I invested in a Hamburger econo series oil pan , it has allot of features built into it. Trap door baffling to keep the oil in the sump area during hard deceleration, a built in crank scraper and a diamond stripper windage tray and it has notched pan rails which accepts strokes up to 4.50 with steel rods and 4.25 w/ aluminum rods. I paid about $200 dollars for mine which is very affordable considering some of them fancey racing oil pans can run into the $500 to $1000 range with a quickness. I always use one of them oil pump baffles too.

http://www.jegs.com/i/Trans%20Dapt/969/1488/10002/-1

Goodluck, Charles

[olds48]

What "triggers" that accumalator exactly?I understand the principle of it,but have never had first hand dealings with the workings of one.

Low oil pressure. The oil in the accumulator is is pressurized to the pressure your oil system has, when it drops the accumulator pushes oil into the system until the pump catches up.

Curtis

So there is no low oil pressure switch/solenoid that opens a valve?It's just the higher pressure that pushes it out of the accumulator?

[Tod74]

What "triggers" that accumalator exactly?I understand the principle of it,but have never had first hand dealings with the workings of one.

Low oil pressure. The oil in the accumulator is is pressurized to the pressure your oil system has, when it drops the accumulator pushes oil into the system until the pump catches up.

Curtis

So there is no low oil pressure switch/solenoid that opens a valve?It's just the higher pressure that pushes it out of the accumulator?


It has compressed air and a spring I believe. OIL psi over rides the spring and fills the acumulator and when oil preasure gets low enough the cylinder in the accumulator pushes oil into the system. not sure if there is a spring or just air...

I could be wrong but that was how I thought it worked.

[olds48]

So how do you refill it when it empties?

[johnracer]

Basically, you fill your crankcase like normal, then add oil to the accumulator per manufacturers spec. Usually 2-3 quarts. Install cap and air it up with shop air to the pressure your engine runs at idle hot. From there it's automatic. It'll dump if the pressure falls below that point & refill when it's higher.....most have a solenoid and switch so you can turn it off or use it to prime the engine on cold start.

[olds48]

Okay,I think I got it.Thanks for all the help guys.I really do appreciate it.

[olds48]

Okay,I had another thought.If the accumulator dumps,say three quarts,will it suck it back into itself?Three extra quarts in the pan could get a little rough.

And Charles,thanks for the info on the pan.I didn't know you could get one that cheap.That's probably the route I'll go.Like I said,I haven't had any problems,just want to prevent any.

[johnracer]

Yes, kinda. Basically the oil pump will push oil back into the accumulator until the set pressure is reached.

[Tod74]

In order to use it to prelube the motor for start up you must have a shut off valve. If you have the manual valve you have to close it while the engine is running oir the oil will drain back into engine...that's why the electric valve is prefered, you can wire it in with your ign if you want and it will be all automatic....


http://www.accusump.com/accusump.pdf/instructions.pdf

[olds48]

Yes, kinda. Basically the oil pump will push oil back into the accumulator until the set pressure is reached.

When you cut your motor off and pressure drops to zero it will empty.Right?So now you got 3 extra quarts of oil in the pan!!!Is that safe?Sounds like alot of extra oil in the pan to me :?

Tod,thanks for the link.That helped alot

[johnracer]

Some accumulators have a manual valve on the outlet and some have a solenoid valve. If the valve is open when you shut the engine off, then yes it'll dump into the pan. However, when you restart the engine, the accumulator will refill with that 3 quarts. The extra oil in the pan, without the engine running, shouldn't matter.
A buddy of mine has one with a solenoid valve. He just turns it off before engine shutdown so he can use it to prime on next cold start.

[olds48]

Thanks for all the info guys.I appreciate you taking the time to straighten me out. Eric