Will my oil system accomodate an accusump?

[Curt C.]

Been researching the Accusump and it seems like it is a great product. My ride does see open track 4 -5 times a year so I thought it might be a good idea. However, I am concerned that it will not work properly with my current setup. I am using a Mocal sandwich adapter with an integral thermostat and an oil cooler. Filter is mounted to the sandwich. Hence, if oil temp is not hot enough, oil bypasses the cooler and remains in the engine. So, if I plumb an Accusump in, oil will be introduced at startup (pre-oiling). No oil, or very little oil will see the cooler lines until temp opens the thermostat. I believe the effects of this will be running 3 extra quarts of oil in the pan until thermostat opens? Until the thermostat opens, there will be very little pressure in the cooler lines and the Accusump will not fill back up because it is sensing too low of pressure and disgorging its contents. Am I looking at this properly? How do you guys run thermostats with Accusumps?

Curt

[Bob Putnam]

I think that your best bet is to use the block fitting for the oil pressure tap. Put a "T" in between the block and the oil pressure sender/tap. It's not ideal, but will flow enough oil for those "oops" times. The picture doesn't show a "T", which should be in the middle of the extension.

[Ken Oikawa]

You could use an oil filter used on Super Cobra Jet and Police Interceptor 429 engines. It has inlet/outlet ports for oil cooler.
This oil filter adapter can be used with SB Fords.

[Roscoe]

Curt,
I'm using an Accusump as a pre oiler but have a dual filter, cooler and thermostat. I solved the problem of pumping oil into the external accessories by installing a check valve. Was this the issue you were referring to?



Roscoe

[Curt C.]

Bob,

That is a great idea. If I understand correctly, I will hook the oil pressure sender to the T as well as a single line feeding the Accusump. Can I use aluminum fittings for this? What size NPT is the block fitting - 1/4?

Roscoe,

Not exactly. I know my initial description of the setup is a little confusing. Let me try again. I am using a Mocal sandwich or collar between the block and the filter. This collar has two 1/2 fittings (one for the out line and one for the in line that run to the oil cooler). The sandwich also has a built in thermostat so one does not have to use an inline thermostat like in your setup. If the oil is not up to temperature, the oil flows from the block through the collar, through the filter, back through the collar and then back into the block. When the oil gets hot, it will flow through the collar to the filter and then gets routed to the cooler. Hence, when the oil is cool, it will completely bypass the cooler and there will be no pressure (or minimal) in the oil cooler and cooler lines. Now, if I plumb the Accusump into the oil cooler lines, the unit will disgorge its contents at start-up (pre-oiling). However, the Accusump will not fill back up until the oil gets hot enough to open the thermostat as there will be no pressure in the oil cooler lines until the thermostat opens. The result of this will be running 3 extra quarts (the capacity of the Accusump) of oil in the block until the oil gets hot enough, opens the thermostat and pressurizes the lines/Accusump. This is not a good thing right - running too much oil in the engine? Clear as Mud? I think Bob has provided the correct answer.

[Bob Putnam]

Curt,

Unless you can keep everything very, very short, I would be more confident with a steel fitting out of the block (which I'm pretty sure is 1/4NPT). If you can fit it, try bringing the oil hose out with a vertical fitting, then up along the block with support clamps. That way there'll be less stress on the piece that threads into the block.

I hope that makes visual sense.

[Back in Black]

I have the discrete thermostat...I will simply install the accusump (have a 3 qt electric unit ready with SS lines) in the line from the filter adaptor, and before the thermostat...with a nice *T* fitting...

[Curt C.]

Thanks Bob. As always you have been a great help.

Back in Black, when I installed the oil cooler my vision did not include an Accusump (didnt even know what one was). I thought having the T-stat in the collar was great because one would avoid having to buy an in-line T-stat and the four AN fittings to accompany it. Plus, there would be four less potential leak/burst areas in the lines. Oh well, I am continuing to learn and very much enjoying it.

[ls1ac]

Most systems with a bypass use a three way valve. This stops the flow from going through the cooler, but the return pipe is still connected to the system. This means that when the system is under pressure after startup the oil will be returned to the accusump by way of the retun line. It will not stay in the crank case.

[Ant]

I am not convinced that an Accusump is necessary, as I know of engines that have done 300,000 miles and have given no problems with a normal oil system, my thoughts are that an engine has a certain amount of oil on the bearings/other surfaces etc which still does its job on startup, until the surge of oil from the pump arrives, which takes a few turns of the starter. Is there any supporting evidence of its value, or just something else to add weight and expense to the vehicle build?

Ant

[Roscoe]

Ant,
In the northern US there are periods of time between drives. This can vary from a few days to a month or more. I have always felt better, after having the car sit for a long period of time, flipping that switch and pressurizing the oil system in the engine.
Roscoe

[BLACKJACK]

HI, GUYS,

I'M JUST "LOCKING-ON" SO I CAN AUTOMATICALLY FOLLOW THIS THREAD.

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY,

BLACKJACK

[Back in Black]

Is that she will spend months at a pop,.. idle in the garage....and at startup I will feel better knowing she gets a shot of oil instead of running dry for 10 seconds.

If your car is a daily driver...and you are in a tropical climate...and you don't road race...I don't think it's generally needed.

It does look kewl tho

[wilf leek]

Curt - I have the exact same Mocal sandwich plate with thermostat that you do, and an Accusump plumbed into the return oil line from the cooler. I have a (big and expensive) non return valve also in the system, effectively before the accusump take off lfrom return side of the cooler. All lines are run in -12 aeroquip hose.

It all works fine - the accusump refills with oil after preoiling the engine, even though the oil thermostat has not yet opened.
The reason being that the oil cooler is still pressurised (above atmospheric) by the oil system in that condition (because it can still "see" the post-filter side of the oil system). It is the flow that is diverted by the thermostat, it does not stop the oil cooler from seeing oil pressure at any time. If you don't believe me - try cracking open a cooler union when the engine is cold but running!! (have plenty of rags ready).

The non-return valve is essential to stop the accusump oil reserve from running back into the sump via the oil pump (pre-oiling condition).
Like you, I mainly fitted the accusump to protect the engine during my 2 or 3 times a year open track sessions, but I also really like to be able to pre-oil the engine before starting it up, especially when it has been sat for a couple of weeks after being shut down from scalding hot!

BTW - take a very close look at that Mocal take off plate - I had to do some serious grinding on mine to open up the oil passages - especially around the internal porting for the thermostat, and near the hose take off ports.

HTH

Wilf

[Curt C.]

Wilf,

Thanks for the information. I know that the Mocal Thermostat stays open a little; just didn't know it was a enough to pressurize the Accusump - Woohoo! I understand the check valve and how to plumb it. I will bore the Mocal unit while I have it off. Again, thanks.

Curt