Are accusump systems suitable for daily driving?

[pwn]

Is an accusump only going to be good for say 20k miles before giving out or anything? I am in the process of selling my car for an exige (cayman s), and I would like to track the exige -- but not without proper oiling and fueling fixes first. I will also probably do the oil pan as well.

Thanks

[fzust]

I can't say in terms of mileage, but I have had one on my car for 4 years. Its a pretty simple system. I would say "go for it"

[elise/europa]

Since for me I am not fully convinced about the benifit on track, for sure it is like putting on garbage for street use. Maybe it can be interesting with turbo to fill oil after you stop.

It is long to explain what I am not convince for track. An oil pan is a lot better investment. But again, not required on street.

If you have too much money and you want to find a way to use, send me a Paypal...

[pwn]

Originally Posted by elise/europa

Since for me I am not fully convinced about the benifit on track, for sure it is like putting on garbage for street use. Maybe it can be interesting with turbo to fill oil after you stop.

It is long to explain what I am not convince for track. An oil pan is a lot better investment. But again, not required on street.

If you have too much money and you want to find a way to use, send me a Paypal...

[Darth G-F]

I am not sure I understand your question. You want to know if accusump is ok for street? You won't even need the Accusump on the street. I had one in my Caterham I would only use it on the track. I mean come on, the stock oiling system is capable of coping with traffic and running errands to the grocery store...

You want it on the track, but again, only if you really are pushing the car with Hoosier and/or wings. Otherwise, the stock oiling system really ain't that bad. The Moroso pan is a good idea. But again not a necessity unless you are really digging into the car's capabilities.

You WILL need a fix for the fuel system. Turbophil's fuel swirl pot or sector111's new fuel tank both seem to do the trick.

Good luck.

[Vishus_1]

My 260 has an Accusump. Fortunately I don't really need the trunk and don't use my car daily.

But one drawback I can see to having an Accusump for daily usage is that takes up most of the area of the trunk, gets VERY hot and makes the trunk even more useless.

Depending on what your intentions are - this may not be a big deal, but I won't put anything in my trunk with that in there.

[pwn]

Guys...read my post again . This isn't for just street use.

I will be tracking the car, but it will also be driven on the street regularly. I will have separate wheels with slicks etc for track use, so obviously I won't NEED it while on the street. Mechanically speaking, it should be OK then? Someone told me the accusump doesn't actually kick in unless the oil pressure drops below a certain number of #, so I guess really I shouldn't ever be technically using it on the street?

Fueling is a no brainer...I'll either use phil's solution or go the sector111 tank route. I come from the subaru world, so I am all to familiar with what fuel starvation can do in a forced induction environment. :|

Good to know it gets very hot (sounds obvious), but as long as it is in the trunk (which I don't plan on using ) I should be fine. The most I ever carry around with me is a backpack, and that goes fine in the passenger foot well.

Thanks!

[ggelise]

Remember you get the pre-oiling benefit for street use. Also the units can be rebuilt down the road but should last a long time.

[Drmike]

Originally Posted by elise/europa

Since for me I am not fully convinced about the benifit on track, for sure it is like putting on garbage for street use. Maybe it can be interesting with turbo to fill oil after you stop.

It is long to explain what I am not convince for track. An oil pan is a lot better investment. But again, not required on street.

If you have too much money and you want to find a way to use, send me a Paypal...

When Lotus designed the 211 a key design requirement was low weight

I suspect thefore they didnt throw the accusump in for no good reason

[elise/europa]

Please find my answer bellow. maybe it will be difficult to understand. The original text was in french and included into a book I did about engine. I just used a web translater to generate the english version. Other than what you will read below, to be honest, I just don't understand the vision of Lotus about the Accucump. I don't know the deal that have with Toyota. It is like they buy the engine and they don't want to modified or open it. It is like the by-pass cooling tube going to the oil filter sandwich, the sandwich is not there, but the tube is there returning to the return pipe. Why they don't spend time to develop a oil pan, just don't know. I running with Hoosier tire R6 on track, I am an agressive driver, and my engine conrod bearing are like new when I am inspecting them. The oil pan like Moroso at MWR is maybe adding 2-3 pounds, mainly caused by the additional oil capacity.

The system of accumulator is by far the solution without which I do readily, it would really be necessary that I would be in a dead end to choose this solution. But if the solution exists, it is that it has its merits. We will see them together. All d' access, an accumulator is a system where one accumulates oil to be able to make use of it at the favourable time. An accumulator functions thanks to the decreases in pressure. The construction of an accumulator is generally based on a cylinder having a sliding piston inside this one, where of with dimensions one finds a gas like air or nitrogen, and other the oil of the engine. Operation is rather rudimentary but nevertheless subtle in its use. The first time that this system is installed, one makes sure that the oil level in the engine is sufficient to be able to transfer a part in the accumulator from it. With the empty accumulator, one adjusts the pressure of gases with approximately 5 psi of less than the minimal pressure of the engine moving normal of race. Then one starts the car, one opens the valve (manual or electric) controlling the opening of the accumulator, then part of the flow of the pump is diverted to fill the accumulator. It should be understood that during this time, one decreases the flow available to the components of the engine. When the pressure of the engine is stabilized, one can close the valve of insulation of the accumulator. One can then turn off the engine. It is necessary to check the oil level of the engine, then to add some so necessary. At this stage, the system is ready and operational. At this time, you will observe that the pressure in the pressurized section corresponds to the oil pressure of the engine in operating condition. Figure 17 9, diagram of connection of a system of accumulator. Figure 17 10, Accumulator When one starts to go on the track, one opens the accumulator, this one will allow to provide a certain quantity of oil if the pump starts to aspire air in turn. Indeed, when the pump aspires air, the oil pressure falls, the accumulator provides oil to the drain and the outlet side of the pump to try to minimize the losses of pressure. Obviously, the system is useful only if the pump aspires air. It is thus a system which functions when that really does not go well, when the casing with oil does not do its work. Personally, which I do not like of these systems is that the potential problem of aspiration of air arrives in turn, whereas the power used of the engine is not maximum. Then, the accumulator uses part of the oil flow of the pump to reload itself when one engages in the straight line where the engine is requested to the maximum. Personally, it is at this time that I wish that oil be conveyed as well as possible with the components of the engine. Illusions should not be made, when the accumulator spit 2 liters with the engine, it should well be realized that oil is now in the engine, the oil level thus becomes abnormally high being able even to go to join the crankshaft. Lastly, the accumulator is often charged when the oil pressure is rather high. After 30 minutes to be rolled thoroughly, the oil pressure inevitably will drop due to the lower viscosity of oil. One finds oneself once again with a level of oil abnormally high in the casing. The accumulator is thus a solution of last recourse. It is much more advantageous to work over again the casing with oil to obtain more margin, or to make the jump towards the dry casing. Normally, a system of accumulator is at least the price of one casing to oil.

[...m...]

...but does anyone manufacture a true dry sump system suitable for our motor, e/e?..

[Simba]

There's not much to an accusump, and nothing that will readily wear out. The electric valve versions probably have a finite number of cycles, but I've never heard of one croaking.

The Moroso pan and some kind of fuel starve solution are more critical items than an accusump. On a street car, the only real benefit would be, as was mentioned, reduced bearing wear due to pre-oiling.

[Simba]

Originally Posted by ...m...

...but does anyone manufacture a true dry sump system suitable for our motor, e/e?..

Never seen an off the shelf offering, but there's no great magic to it. Lots of pumps from Titan, Pace, etc.

I've been playing with a setup for a while-- maybe one of these years I'll get around to finishing it.

[plastique999]

I have an Accusump FS if interested

FS: ACCUSUMP with all upgraded lines and valves