Board logo

Locost Sump
Supergoose - 21/3/12 at 10:05 PM

Has/does anyone found any benfits from running anything other than a standard sump?


Strontium Dog - 22/3/12 at 12:03 AM

What, apart from being able to drive over speed bumps and small stones?!


modee - 22/3/12 at 12:59 AM

If you attempt to race a crossflow with a standard sump in a locost the engine will be sitting far to high in the chassis. Corners such as Coram and Gerrards will kill an engine with an un-baffled sump.

[Edited on 22/3/12 by modee]


Richard Jenkins - 22/3/12 at 06:37 PM

Even with a modified (i.e. shortened) sump you will still have the flywheel and gearbox bellhousing giving you no effective reduction in ground clearance.

If you have a Tony Law (or equivalent) exhaust then you can't lower the engine too much otherwise the manifold fouls on the top chassis rail.

A baffled sump is a good recommendation but not essential, I ran a standard unbaffled sump for 3 years without any engine problems.

[Edited on 22/3/12 by Richard Jenkins]


modee - 22/3/12 at 07:14 PM

Hi Richard. I guess we have very different approaches to car building. I wouldn't dare run with a standard sump and I always had the bottom of the sump 10mm below the chassis. Good luck at Silverstone.


Supergoose - 22/3/12 at 08:06 PM

The thing is I have purchased a lovely car with an unknown engine un installed, unfortunately the previous owner missed a gear and blew the motor, he sourced a motor form elsewhere from an ex racer that finished racing and exchanged the race engine for something more interesting. So I’m pulling the unknown lump apart measuring and weighing to check spec while reading the regulations. The motor seems very good so far although it doesn’t seem to be running the control Kent cam. How long has the Kent cam been part of regulation? Also need to swot up on offset dowels.


Supergoose - 22/3/12 at 08:08 PM

ie, i dont know how high the motor is sitting on its current mounts


modee - 22/3/12 at 08:19 PM

Supergoose. Any engine used since 2005 (I think) should have the spec. Kent cam. You will need to fit one before you race. Maurice.


procomp - 27/3/12 at 11:00 AM

Hi

A properly baffled sump is a MUST if you want to look after the engine long term. There's plenty off evidence of what happens when the baffling / oil pickup pipe are not done right.

Most where using a Burtons sump but they are now out of stock and are not planing to have more made. However there are plenty of us who do make them for Circa £300. Or given your relatively local pop down with a cammera and take some pics of how we do it and replicate as what we run is a proven working design over the last 20 years.

Cheers Matt

PS. By the looks off some off the advice being given on here Re engines i think you may do better just contacting in person those that actually know what they are doing rather than being led down a very expensive garden path.
As always it's far cheaper to do the job right first time than feck it up first time and still end up having to do it right after.


Cheers Matt


Richard Jenkins - 27/3/12 at 07:14 PM

For the record I'm not an expert on engines and don't claim to be. I also don't give any warranties on what worked for me would be fine for anyone else, but guess I was either lucky or slow to race with an unbaffled sump.
[Edited on 27/3/12 by Richard Jenkins]

[Edited on 27/3/12 by Richard Jenkins]


Trollyjack - 27/3/12 at 10:03 PM

Don't supose you will take a photo and put it in your Archive Matt Please

Too far to come and take a photo


procomp - 28/3/12 at 03:17 PM

Hi

Richard the only way you would have survived with a STD sump would have been if you where running with a 1600 ( BA ) dipstick and filling it to the full mark, That would have meant you had the oil level way too high for a 1300.

Everyone who has ran with the 1300 dipstick ( AA ) and run the oil at the correct level in a STD sump has either been very slow or had the engine last 2-3 laps. If evidence is needed just look at how long certain engines where lasting that where built by those using poor baffling and a bodged pickup pipes. When your spending decent money on the rest off the engine skimping on the sump is ridiculous when there is designs out there that can be copied to ensure it's taken care off.

Cheers Matt

PS ill get some pics after Silverstone off the design or rather the templates to allow one to be built as i don't think i have a sump that's not fitted currently.


Dick Axtell - 28/3/12 at 04:20 PM

quote:
Originally posted by procomp
A properly baffled sump is a MUST if you want to look after the engine long term. There's plenty off evidence of what happens when the baffling / oil pickup pipe are not done right.


Maybe you can modify an oil pick-up to suit an already-shortened sump? Would be very interested to hear if its possible.

BTW - This isn't for track use. Merely a mod to overcome lack of ground clearance with existing std Xflow sump.

[Edited on 28/3/12 by Dick Axtell]


procomp - 28/3/12 at 06:12 PM

Hi.

No chance, to get the right clearance to the floor of the sump and manage to sneak the pipe routing between the sump side and con rod bolts ( especially if using ARP ) you need the engine/sump that it's going to fit and then weld it up on a dummy block.

Just been looking at the car that the OP has brought. It's originally Paul Presgraves car that was brought by Mark and now with the OP. The race engine that Mark swapped Etc was the one we built for him to replace the one he buggered at Cadwell. If you know who's engine he then purchased that would give me a very good idea of what state it would be in tuning wise. Or as usual ill make the offer of saying if you want to bring the bits over one evening next week or when suits we will go all over it with you and give you all the info you need etc FOC.

Cheers Matt


Dick Axtell - 28/3/12 at 06:38 PM

So its not quite as straightforward as I's hoped. Have to re-examine the shortened sump, and pick-up which went with it. Problem with this p/u - no means of securing it in place (original brkt removed due to being shortened).

Will call if I can get over to you. Thanks for your comments.


coozer - 28/3/12 at 07:39 PM

I would like to baffle the sump on my blacktop after chopping it down so its level with the gearbox/bellhousing.

Any pictures of the best way to do it would be much appreciated.

Is just welding a box round the pickup a good way?

Regards,
Steve


Supergoose - 1/4/12 at 07:48 AM

I'm also looking for photos please


Supergoose - 1/4/12 at 03:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by procomp
Hi.

No chance, to get the right clearance to the floor of the sump and manage to sneak the pipe routing between the sump side and con rod bolts ( especially if using ARP ) you need the engine/sump that it's going to fit and then weld it up on a dummy block.

Just been looking at the car that the OP has brought. It's originally Paul Presgraves car that was brought by Mark and now with the OP. The race engine that Mark swapped Etc was the one we built for him to replace the one he buggered at Cadwell. If you know who's engine he then purchased that would give me a very good idea of what state it would be in tuning wise. Or as usual ill make the offer of saying if you want to bring the bits over one evening next week or when suits we will go all over it with you and give you all the info you need etc FOC.

Cheers Matt


Mines Paul Presgraves ex locost, realy dont know whos engine i ended up with, but pauls was re built and put in a differn't car as i understand it. I've now got an unbaffled shortened sump that i will convert. but ta v much


dhutch - 1/4/12 at 08:10 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Strontium Dog
What, apart from being able to drive over speed bumps ...
This really, in my case.


Trollyjack - 3/4/12 at 08:22 PM

which sump to shorten
I've got two sumps one is from a 1300GT
This one is around 6.5" deep and already has some baffleing in I know not enough
Description
Description


Description
Description


But I have also got a std 1300 sump which is deeper up to an extra 1.5" deeper.
this one has no baffles at all
Description
Description


Description
Description


What depth should I be heading for, I have been told around "5 by a fellow member but have lost his drawing

Can some one help


Trollyjack - 9/4/12 at 09:14 PM

Can any one tell me do I have to shorten the GT sump and will I have to add any more baffle plates


ShaunB - 9/4/12 at 10:26 PM

When I first bought my Locost racer it was fitted with a standard GT sump but with some additions to keep more of the oil in the bowl:
Baffled Xflow Sump
Baffled Xflow Sump

I personally didn't have any oil pressure issues with it, but I did have ground clearance issues. The lowest part is the leading edge of the bowl, mine was very scraped and eventually cracked. To complete the rest of the season I welded the crack and then overplated the leading edge with some 2mm sheet I had handy:
Sump guard
Sump guard

For this year I've modified another sump reducing the bowl depth by 20mm, but adding the lost capacity back by making the front deeper (20mm brings the base of the sump to the same height as the bottom of the bellhousing). A box has been added around the (shortened) pickup and a windage tray installed - sorry no photos as it's on the car at the minute. Again it's all working fine so far, and the oil pressure has been good around Silverstone and Snetterton.

When I get around to doing another one, I will go the last step and have a gated box around the pickup.

Cheers,
Shaun.