Figuring out proper oil level. Zetec, raceline, Accusump, remote filter, oil cooler.

[Vovchandr]

Went to a shakedown track day yesterday locally to test everything and make sure I can get the car in good shape for next week.

 

 

Discovered a bunch of issues and remembered one that was never well addressed since I bought the car.

 

 

What should my proper oil level be?

 

 

My car has quite a bit of pluming going on.

 

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15581&stc=1

 

I have a 2.0 Zetec non SVT, raceline oil pan, Accusump system (2qt I believe), remote oil filter and oil cooler on radiator)

 

If you're not familiar with Accusump here is a link https://www.cantonracingproducts.com/canton-24-126-accusump-marine-2-qt-kit/

 

Raceline oil pan > https://www.raceline.co.uk/products/part_section.asp?SectionID=40&CategoryID=2

 

 

Directions from raceline are pretty clear

 

Once the engine has been installed in the car, fill the sump with precisely five litres (5.28qt) of your chosen lubricant, measuring carefully to ensure accuracy.

 

it is recommended that owners recalibrate the oil dip stick to suit their particular vehicle installation.

 

Ideally this should be done immediately: however, it may prove desirable to get some miles on the engine first in order to blacken the oil sufficiently to obtain an accurate dip stick reading

Dip the oil and carefully scribe a line on the dip stick corresponding to the maximum oil level

 

I have some misc marks on the back of my dip stick but it's hard to tell which one I should reference. I guessed before but this became an issue on the track yesterday.

 

The logic is as follows 5qt engine with oil pan creates a new level on dip stick + 2qt for accusump which should not have much an effect on level if it gets charged and remains charged but then there is still margin of error for it being properly calibrated and plumbing. + oil for remote oil filter and lines + oil for oil cooler and plumbing.

The reason I bring this up is because after troubleshooting a missing oil dipstick tube seal, I added oil to what I thought should be a proper level and on my return my catch can was completely full of oil and made a mess in the engine bay. Level was still showing high. No foaming so I dont think I had crankshaft whipping.

 

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15582&stc=1

 

I dumped it, cleaned things up and did a few more rounds. Accumulation was minimal at bottom of the can but this event caused me to address the oil level situation as clearly I dont have it narrowed down.

 

Any educated advice/guesses as to what my volume should be? Once figured out I'll scribe a new line.

 

(5L) 5.28qt engine + 2qt accusmp + 1 liter oil filter/cooler?

 

Put 8.28 quarts, charge/pressurize the accusmp and scribe? Or should I set accusump to not charge and scribe the line with it discharged?

Edited June 23, 2019 by Vovchandr

[Vovchandr]

Accusump information

 

TESTING YOUR ACCUSUMP™

 

Check the Accusump's ability to fill.

Make sure your Accusump™ is working correctly. After the pre-charge has been set according to the installationinstructions, run the normal engine shut down procedure: with the engine oil pressure up, close the valve on theAccusump™ (cut the power to electric units) and shut the engine off. The pressure showing in the air gauge shouldbe close to what the engine oil pressure was during shut down. The oil level in the oil pan should be at the full mark.

 

Check the Discharge

Open the valve (power up the electric units) with the engine off. You should hear the oil discharge into the engineand see the pressure on the air gauge drop down to the pre-charge setting and the pressure on the engine's oilgauge go up. If not, reset the pre-charge. The engine oil level will be above full by the amount that was stored inthe Accusump™.

Check the Refill

Start the engine, establish good oil pressure and open the valve (electric valves will automatically open to fill), oilshould enter the Accusump™ and the air pressure should increase to approximately that of the engine oil pressure.The time involved will be based on the valve used and the size of the unit.

 

 

So when properly operating and it's charged they confirm that it shouldn't effect the overall oil level on dip stick.

 

When discharged it logically overfills the oil pan and level is higher.

[Kitcat]

The 5.28 quarts sounds right. I have your set up. Once I have the car level and warmed up, I rev to 2K, and shut it off. At that higher RPM, the Accusump is supposed to be full. So you get a true reading on the dip stick of what is in the pan.

 

Be sure the Accusump is empty when you do an oil change(after you drain the oil, turn the Accusump on-not the engine- and it will pump out the 2 quarts). If you have an oil cooler it may not completely empty.

 

If you add 5.28 quarts and there is still 2 quarts in the Accusump you will have a mess. I agree getting it right is tricky and I lean toward over filling, tho have had a wet engine bay, complete with oil dripping on my shoes....) when I have really over done it.

[Vovchandr]

Thank you Kitcat!

 

Could I possibly bother you to snap a picture/measure from bottom of where your dip stick scribe is with the Raceline oil pan to give me a ball park idea? Maybe it will even match one of the existing scribes I have now and I'll know that I can trust it.

 

 

 

Why do you say that if I add 5.28 quarts while accusump is full I'll have a mess? I thought the 2 quarts in the sump are supposed to be extra for the system not be a part of the 5.28 total?

 

If I'm understanding correctly you have ~5.28 total in the vehicle with the sump, not ~7.28 like I have?

 

 

 

From what I understand in my second post above from the Accusump website, the accusump level is additional not supplementary, so they say with system charged I should read full level on stick, once discharged I should read overfilled?

[Kitcat]

I have the total as 5.28 counting the 2 in the Accusump (3.28+2). But I am old and my brain isn't trustworthy. I am doing an oil change in a few hours, so will keep track of exact amounts and will report back. My oil filter is large and holds abt 12 oz., I think, and I have an oil cooler that holds a bit. I typically add, check, add check and dont pay much attention to the total. My existing stock Zetec SVT oil dip stick hash marks are accurate(once the 2 quarts are in the Accusump).

 

I agree with your last paragraph-that's how it works for me. As noted, I keep adding til the stick reads full-with the Accusump filled. The trick seems to be to throw the off switch at 2K (First hold it steady at 2K for 5-10 seconds) to trap the oil in the Accusump. Try 3K if 2K doesn't work.

[Vovchandr]

Again, thanks for the feedback.

 

My point of confusion is that we are on the same page in regards to operational protocol but my math seems to be off. If you're also on raceline oil pan, and they say you must fill 5.28qts for a stock motor and then we add accessories such Accusump and oil cooler/remote filter which will add another 2 to 2.5 qt's, we should arrive at 7.28 to 7.7?

 

Only reason I'm not trusting the stock dip stick is because of raceline directions, but I have no idea how far off the new level should be as I have no reference point due to my motor not being stock. I guess I could discharge all, fill with 5.28 and see where it shows without starting it or anything. Should be close to necessary reading.

 

Either way it's not a bad idea for me to proceed with an oil change myself and start over from square one. I'll add that to my list of final things to prep before the weekend. At this point it looks like I'll be driving the car down and just taking it relatively easy around the track. Towing arrangements have fallen through.

[Kitcat]

I did the oil change and, unfortunately, my Accusump's solenoid is only working sporadically. So I added a total of 5 quarts of new oil BUT, I dont know how much stayed stuck in the Accusump. I tapped it with a hammer and it clicked on and pumped some out, but not sure how much. My mechanic thinks your numbers are accurate: 5.28 +2.0, not mine: 3.28+2. I have the larger Raceline wet sump which I think you also have, and he thinks it's capacity is 5.28 and that I am mis-remembering my old X-Flows capacity. But when I reve'd it to 3K and shut it off my dipstick level was perfect. And when I turned it on (without starting), and tapped the solenoid, then checked the oil the dipstick read 1 1/2" higher than full. But, of course, that could be the old oil that was stuck in the Accusump so.....? Hopefully I can get a new solenoid in before I leave for NJMP on Thurs.

 

In the meantime, your approach should work adding oil in 1/2 quart increments, or less, after the 1st 5 quarts, until the dip stick shows full after 3K rev shutoff?

[1turbofocus]

5.28 is a given , I would round to 5.5 quarts , 2 quarts in the accusump is a given = 7.5 quarts now you need to fill the cooler lines and cooler to see what it holds and add that to the 7.5 and you should be spot on

 

None of my Zetec guys run the accusump or oil coolers just more things to have issues with and today's oils can easily take 500 deg so ???

 

Tom

[Vovchandr]

5.28 is a given , I would round to 5.5 quarts , 2 quarts in the accusump is a given = 7.5 quarts now you need to fill the cooler lines and cooler to see what it holds and add that to the 7.5 and you should be spot on

 

None of my Zetec guys run the accusump or oil coolers just more things to have issues with and today's oils can easily take 500 deg so ???

 

Tom

 

I came into this setup, car came equipped as it is. Seems counter productive to take the stuff off to be honest. Hard work of buying and installing has been done and it would only create more work to undo. Would I have gone for such a setup if the car came without it? Negative.

 

Dumped the motor from the engine yesterday with the the accusump charged to 50kPa. About 5.3qt came out, so I refilled it back with 5.3qt. How would you fill/dump the lines to cooler? Disconnect the AN and fill and then blow air into it to drain? It would be good to have the data for how much that holds to eliminate guess work.

 

Without starting it the oil line lined up with what appears to be some sort of scribe line. Must have been what the previous owners have done and this confirms it. It's faint but it's there. I'm sure the lines bled a little too so I'll likely be just a tad low once I start it but this gives me a good starting point compared to where I was previously. Hopefully I don't see the catch can filled again.

 

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15589&stc=1

[Kitcat]

Tom:

The Accusump doesn't solve a hot oil issue, it solves a low pressure oil issue. With our race cars, on super grippy tires, on high speed, banked, 90+ degree turns (like on the Lightening track at NJMP for this weekend's se7en event), oil starvation is a real threat. Even highly baffled wet sumps can not always keep up. I blew up a Duratec with a Raceline high-spec sump, because of oil issues. An Accusump is cheap insurance.

Edited June 25, 2019 by Kitcat