My engine has got a diy modified sump and pick up pipe which I suspect might be at fault for my oil pressure woes. Anyone got any experience of either the Caterham or Burton modified setups?

Also do other drivers use an Oil warning light? Mine is very prominent in my line of sight and is a 35 psi switch. Others seemed to vary from just using a guage to no indication of oil pressure at all!

what engine are you using?
jacko

Sorry Jacko,

I am running in the 750 MC Locost championship so the engine is a 1300cc Ford Crossflow.

just got mine from Scholar engines,its for a zetec mind.......

Unfortunately mine is bolted on so no photo. However...

Mine uses the original oil pick-up, but in a modified sump. It's smaller than the original, and the oil pick-up sits inside a perforated tube, about the size of a bean tin.

Oil falls into sump, past baffles into main pan, then picked up from tube.

I don't use an oil pressure light though I have been meaning to get one fitted for ages.

Get a high pressure light sender, one that comes on at something like 40psi. I got mine from QED but plenty of people must stock them (try Burton's or Demon Thieves)

From my racing experience, you never look at a gauge, and the normal lights come on too late at full load, they just explain the mechanical noises from the engine!!!

I'm running a 35psi switch - I think if anything I need a lower pressure switch so that it only comes on at a lower pressure . I also think an accurate guage will be a massive step forward.

If you go below 35psi on load then that's why you are wrecking engines!! You certainly don't want a lower pressure switch! The one you have is fine, it may flicker on at tickover with hot oil, but that's better if it gives you a genuine warning on the track.

A gauge is great but I just temporarily fit one when I first run a new engine up, and then for the post race checkover after each weekend (I don't race a locost by the way!)

Just get a half decent compressed air gauge (about £10 max) and pipe it up with some leftover aeroquip brake line with an appropriate fitting to let you screw it into a suitabel takeoff point that's easy to get at. Fit the gauge, check the engine then take it back off again. (and replug the hole afterwards!)

If you can look at a gauge when racing then you're better than me, I never look at gauges, much prefer a light that just says "STOP NOW", after all, what can you do if the gauge does move??? You still have to decide whether to stop or not.

NS Dev - maybe your comment "I don't race a Locost" is key here!
I do, and racing I get about 2 bar = 28 psi. Tickover with hot oil is way lower. And I have no problems. So what engine does your beast run?

Ahhhh, maybe a generation gap between the engine's designers!

I am running a 16v XE!

I am just amazed that you don't keep picking up bearings at that sort of pressure. On our old pinto rally engines we never ran less than 30-35 psi hot at tickover! If we dropped below 40 psi under load then we usually hit problems!

On the vauxhall, I run 60 psi cold at tickover, around 45 hot at tickover, and never less than 55 psi hot under load/revs!

PS the state of the bearings that came out this winter suggest I was not being over generous!!!

I am no crossflow expert though!

The suggestions still stand about the point of a gauge.

Being cheeky now but the cars must be pretty slow if you have time to look!!

Sorry, couldn't resist

Your last point is right - I never have time (or bother) to look. Mind you, the faithful Crossflow will tell you if something is wrong - it's sweet purr will alter slightly!

The excess oil pressur valve on a xflow opens at 35 to 40 psi.

A warning light at 40 psi on a xflow would be perminantly lit.


Xflows tend to run at far lower oil pressures than most other engines.

[Edited on 5/4/05 by clbarclay]

quote:

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Originally posted by DickieB
Your last point is right - I never have time (or bother) to look. Mind you, the faithful Crossflow will tell you if something is wrong - it's sweet purr will alter slightly!

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Can someone please confirm whether a 35psi switch is too high ? As previously stated I run a Burton uprated pump(volume and pressure I think), modified and baffled sump with oil cooler (mocal). T

Before I changed my set-up my oil pressure warning light came on at 20 psi. Many top racers said that this was too high - I had asked them, because as we idled at scruitineering after the race, the light used to come on (18 psi ish after a race at idle).
So to my mind, 35 psi is way too high. A 20 psi switch should be fine during a race - it will only come on after the race, or perhaps flicker on a hairpin. Maybe 18 psi would be better (which was suggested to me), but I don't know if you can get these?
Hope this helps!
Dickie

NS Dev - I used to have a Crossflow in my Westfield. Then I replaced it with a Toyota 4AGE (which was superb). Then I sold the car and got the racing Locost with a XF again. Same bore and stroke as the Toyota! But the Toyota went to 8500, whereas I've only seen 7200 out of my 1300 XF......

Thanks Dickie for the advice. I'll make a point of cathing up with you Brands. I buggered off at Mallory after the 1st round so didn't really get the chance to meet anyone other than BM. Will be testing at Brands the day before if you are around?

Chris, sorry if I have confused!

Let me know when you are racing at Mallory next and I'll pop along, I live 1/2 a mile from the circuit!

I am building a Stuart Taylor car but for road use, with a Vauxhall 16v in it.

I race a grasstrack special at the moment (vauxhall 16v again, see my archive), as it is cheap and there are liberal rules on design/mods!

Would be keen to meet up with a few locost racers and have a look see!

[Edited on 5/4/05 by NS Dev]

Chris
I'm not at Brands (work commitments, yes, on a weekend). I'll be at Donny though.
Dickie