[Nochmal]

At an autox event yesterday the problem of the 2ZZ oil pan allowing the oil pickup to go dry during extended high G maneuvers was mentioned, so I'm thinking about it again. I know people have said they think they have heard that Lotus has redesigned the oil pan and maybe added baffles, but has this been confirmed or debunked?

I did a search and haven't found anything conclusive...maybe someone here knows for sure.

Thanks,

 

[Randy Chase]

I thought Toyota had already redesigned it for the later year 2zz... like 02+????

We know that Lotus added more oil cooling.

 

[babak]

I thought Toyota had already redesigned it for the later year 2zz... like 02+????

We know that Lotus added more oil cooling.

Didn't Lil comment on the oil pan redesign a while back? I cant find the post. Also, Randy, I'm curious...would the extra oil cooler and the lines to/from it change the total oil volume?

 

[_JD_]

Didn't Lil comment on the oil pan redesign a while back? I cant find the post. Also, Randy, I'm curious...would the extra oil cooler and the lines to/from it change the total oil volume?

Forgive me as I'm no Randy, but as I recall (it might have been ACP the 111R owner) that the total volume is roughly 8 quarts and that during oil changes, only about half of the oil can be changed to fresh oil as the coolers and their plumbing retain much of the systems oil and they are difficult to drain.

 

[Modern Wedgie]

The pre-02 2zz-ge motor had oil starvation issues. They were resolved after 02, but I dont know how they were resolved. Perhaps someone can find an engine schematic.

 

[ace3]

if i remember correctly (which i usually don't), they did baffle the oil pan after the pre-02 models.

I, unfortunately, had a '00 model, and the pickup went bone dry while cruising through a near-1G left-hand sweeper....

turn #4 here....

 

[smoseley]

I, unfortunately, had a '00 model, and the pickup went bone dry while cruising through a near-1G left-hand sweeper....

Ouch, what was the result?

 

[ace3]

Ouch, what was the result?

pickup goes dry, and a little 10mm 'stake bolt' that holds the rocker shaft in place busts. problem is, is when the bolt snaps, the whole shaft starts to move, and then the VVLT-i "switchover" only works occasionally.

Car ran just fine afterwards. No check engine light or anything. When it went dry, it was almost like the engine shut off for a split second, then started going again.

Plenty of people were having this same problem, and my car was still under warranty at the time. Toyota fixed it, no problem. However, just as it is supposed to happen, when i was taking the tech for a test drive to show him the problem, the cam switchover was working just fine.

They said "we'll have to charge you $X to take the valve cover off, and you'll have to pay it if we can't find anything wrong with it." Luckily, they found it.

 

[ace3]

oh yeah - and the OTHER problem was, after Toyota came out with the required TSB documentation for the service departments, they mis-quoted the correct torque specifications for the bolt.

I don't remember the exact numbers, but the bolt was supposed to be put in with something around 25ft/lbs of pressure ... the TSB doc said to torque it to 80ft/lbs.

People were getting their cars fixed, and then snapping the new bolt again within days or weeks of getting it back.

 

[vvtlikick]

I've never heard that the lift bolts breaking was related to oil starvation. ???

I thought it was just a design flaw in the bolt.

 

[Nochmal]

if i remember correctly (which i usually don't), they did baffle the oil pan after the pre-02 models.

I very much want to believe that but I haven't found anything substantial to confirm it on the Net. Has anyone else seen a confirmation? Perhaps my Google skills aren't up to snuff...

 

[Modern Wedgie]

I never heard of the lift bolt breaking for that reason either! I do know of the mis-print on the manual though...and its scary to think that a mechanic wouldnt see that as an obvious misprint...80ft-lbs is a lot to torque a 13mm bolt (not sure if thats the size, but it was a small bolt like that and possibly even smaller).

 

[ace3]

it's been a couple of years since it happened, but i was under the impression that the loss of oil pressure resulted in the "sprinker system" on the head to stop, which created too much friction, and finally making the stake bolt snap.

stake bolt snaps, the head of the bolt falls into an oil return channel, which limits the amount of oil left to flow back to the pump, resulting in low oil pressure, ultimately making the cam switchover work sparingly.

I've been known to be wrong before, however.

 

[ACP]

I know for sure that this is not an issue for the 111R, Exige or Fed Elise. Lotus did an enormous amount of high g track work around the Toyota Engine and oil starvation issues. Some markets will have twin oil coolers as standard but I'm not sure if this is directly related to starvation issues or not.

 

[Arno]

Something to ponder though...

The 'track' version of the S2 Exige introduced recently has an Accusump in the luggage area.

Things that make you go hmm??

On road tires and regular suspension it's probably no issue, but on a road-racing circuit with LSS and A048's it may be an issue on high speed corners.

Bye, Arno.

 

[ace3]

Something to ponder though...

The 'track' version of the S2 Exige introduced recently has an Accusump in the luggage area.

Things that make you go hmm??

On road tires and regular suspension it's probably no issue, but on a road-racing circuit with LSS and A048's it may be an issue on high speed corners.

Bye, Arno.

As i've said a few times before, an Accusump will be one of the first "mods" i'll be doing to the car. I fully trust that Lotus has probably taken care of any oil starvation issue, but i don't know ... prior experience has me a little scared. Accusump is just a plain good 'ol idea anyway.

And the fact that the Exige had one in it further set my mind at ease for ability to easily plumb into the motor.

 

[zvezdah1]

Only the motorsport exige was fitted with an accusump wasn't it?
Chris

 

[GabbaGabbaHey]

Looks like someone is having fun testing that baffled oil pan in Alabama...

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1316291

 

[sleepless]

So, has anyone confirmed if the oil pan is baffled in our cars?

Has anyone installed the accusump???

 

[Lotus F1]

Didn't ForceFed state that they found the oil pan to be faulty in design and now make a baffled versoin for all their Turbo kit's as well as for people who are NA but run on a track? They stated it to be an important and much needed mod for the Toyo lump!