Raceline Zetec Sump (and topside oil extractor woes)

[Slonie]

Hi folks. I was wondering if anybody had any experience with these two together. I feel like I potentially (okay likely) over-tightened my drain plus on the Raceline sump during my last oil change, and I am afraid to open it up in case it won't seal again. I don't want to sign on for re-tapping that hole and removing metal shavings from the oil pan just yet, so I'm trying to kick that potential situation down the road.

 

Unfortunately, the topside oil extractor I'm using (Mityvac fluid evacuator) can only seem to grab about 2 qts/liters (out of the 5ish that should be in there). I think the double windage trays in the Raceline sump are keeping the tube from getting to the bottom. I did a bunch of googling and I think I found that @JohnCh and others have had success with these evacuators on the Duratec raceline sump, but I am just having a bad time here.

 

I'm not sure where the Ford dipstick actually makes it to in this application but I don't think it's the actual bottom? Of course I was using the dipstick tube to insert the extractor tube.

 

Photo from https://www.prevanders.net/europa/zetecoilpan.html showing the ford windage tray installed.

 

 

Photo from Raceline showing their windage tray underneath

 

Photo from Raceline showing the bottom of the sump with three partitions and the oil pickup tube installed:

 

 

So for anybody who has had their tray off, I was wondering if the three separate "pools" at the bottom of the sump are connected in anyway  or if oil is going to be stuck in the first and third pools.

 

I also realized that I might be able to use the evacuator if I remove the front plug on the sump, which is meant for access to the finger filter. It seems like this would give me a straight shot to the bottom center of the sump as that's where the oil pickup tube goes to:

 

 

 

Has anyone ever tried this? It seems like it's worth a shot, and low risk (unless I overdo the torquing on that front plug... I'll try not to! I believe the installation manual specifies 30 ft-lb for the drain plug and the "finger filter cover nut" which I assume is the front plug).

 

Thanks as always in advance for any insights here. I did email Raceline with some questions, but didn't receive a response.

[JohnCh]

The Raceline sump for the Duratec positions the dipstick tube so that it enters the sump beneath the windage trays. Circled in blue below.

 

 

[Slonie]

That makes sense that the evacuator works well on it then!

 

I'm not convinced it's the same in the case of the Zetec (but I haven't seen anything yet that lets me visualize how it works on the Zetec)

[JohnCh]

Raceline can be incredibly slow responding to email. I'd call the tech line which goes directly to Peter (the sales number goes to Chris). It might take a few attempts, but he's very helpful when you get a hold of him. Since you are in CA, I suggest calling no later than 7am your time to increase your odds of reaching him.