Need for a Dry Sump System for racing

[R Thomas]

I would like to hear from racers regarding the need for Dry Sump oiling in FFR Race cars. It seems the cars pull enough G's that wet sumps aren't up to the task. I know Dry Sump's are expensive, but replacing engines seems more so.

[Gordon Levy]

A really good pan and an accusump goes a long way at helping but if you have a really capable car and driver and a track with long turns it can be an issue. A full dry sump system is around $3K. The good wet sump pan and accusump with cost you over $1000. $2K difference to save the engine. Good investment. Many of the race cars we build have been going dry sump because we are generating a lot of G's through the turns.

[RogerH]

Race cars also use dry sumps to keep oil off of the rotating parts. You need just to keep a small amount of oil circulating to keep things lubricated, but too much in the sump will cause drag on the rotating parts too. Basic dry sumps will be compartment type steel welded pans. When I worked in NASCAR, we had complicated aluminum machined pans for road courses that sucked as much oil off of the crank as possible, to help prevent oil from dragging on the rotating parts, and handle left AND right turns! If you plan on racing a lot, and not just a weekend here and there, dry sump is the way to go.

[Jim Schenck]

What I believe is the difference for any of our cars comes when you introduce aero, slicks or both. The stock challenge cars on Toyo RRs or equivalent are fine with a true road race pan, but the same car with a wing and splitter on Kumho 710s was not fine even with an accusump. It also can be very track dependent, Watkins Glen, Thunderhill, or any track with a real long fast sweeping turn or turns is very hard on the oiling system, where a track like VIR with more switchbacks and slower hairpins can be made to work with an accusump.

[Tom Mauldin]

I have a question on this subject. I bought the Virginias for Lovers 1992 road race NASCAR driven by Hermie Sadler. The car has no engine or trans in it now. I want to do a carb'ed LS, maybe even the one from Blueprint. The question I have is, what changes in the engine assembly are needed to change an engine from a wet sump to a dry sump other than pan and oil pump?

[Gordon Levy]

Call me, we have a ton to talk about. Yes to the dry sum.

[Jim Schenck]

Tom,

If you get the right LS you can get one with a factory dry sump, either the LS7 or the LS3 out of a manual Grand Sport hard top Vette. You can also use those components to convert another size LS to dry sump but it does require a crank change to have the extra gear to drive the two stage pump. Although they are not quite the full race part that the belt driven multi stage pump systems are the simplicity is tough to beat, just two lines and an external tank.

[Tom Mauldin]

Hey Jim,

I had thought of going the stock route, but finding one then getting it up to 600+hp would be more than buying a crate motor and changing the pan and plumbing the dry sump system. I have a 5 stage dry sump oil pump, and the tank and filter system are still in the car from the NASCAR 18 degree engine that was in it. I just want to play with this thing for a while without spending a fortune on fuel when I take it out.IMG_0912.JPG