Accusump?

[msflynn03]

Here's another newbie question for the experienced. With engine prices what they are, why aren't Accusumps being installed on these cars? As they are mostly hollow cylinders filled with oil/nitrogen (1-3 quarts) they can't weigh much? Perhaps the theory of the majority of engine wear occurring on start-up doesn't apply to these engines due to the stress that they are subjected to? Are they readily adaptable to dry sump plumbing?
Sorry if the question has been asked/answered elsewhere in these posts.

Just want to say that I appreciate how everyone readily shares their knowledge/experience/opinions with the less fortunate. Happy holidays to all.

Steve

[Brian]

Accusumps are primarily intended for cars that cannot run dry sump oiling systems. Since all FFords, etc, have run nothing but dry sump systems since forever, there is no need for an Accusump. And they are heavy - way too heavy to put one in just for the fun of it. And they are a PITA - they make keeping the correct oil level in the wet sump cars a juggle since they tend to pump in oil when hot pressure falls below the canister pressure.

As far as the theory that the majority of wear occurs on start-up, I won't comment beyond saying that these engines get rebuilt far more often than start-up wear would dictate. These ain't street cars...

Brian

[Dave SanF 50]

Steve, Brian is right. The Accusumps are primarily for wet sumped engines. With a lot of the cars having external pumps (belt drive), one can spin the pump with a hand drill to pre oil the engine prior to start up. Or on the FF1600 with the stock pump, I remove the plugs, squirt oil on the cylinder walls and crank the starter till I get oil pressure.
dave

[Tom Sprecher]

...one can spin the pump with a hand drill to pre oil the engine prior to start up. Or on the FF1600 with the stock pump, I remove the plugs, squirt oil on the cylinder walls and crank the starter till I get oil pressure.

This is only when you start the engine for the first time after a rebuild , right? Otherwise I'd just turn off the ignition and crank it until you get pressure then flip the ignition switch back on and off ya go!

[Brian]

For me, if I have a cold engine that hasn't run in two weeks or more, I will do the plugs out, crank till the needle twitches to 10 psi or so, then then put the plugs in and go. If I have a rebuilt engine, I would get 40psi or so on the starter, then go. It's it's been run regularly, I just start it, personally I don't bother with the cranking routine. Before I had an electric fuel pump I often had oil pressure up before the pump would fill the carb up enough to start anyway.

I'm going to add that I am always very careful with my oil system plumbing to ensure that there is a clear gravity fed path from the oil tank to the pressure in port on the pump, so that the pump always always has a "head" of pressure from the tank. No possibility of an air bubble or lock in the hose.

Plugs out only because it's easier on the battery. If the engine has a new cam, then it's more critical to always be spinning the engine as fast as possible until the cam is broken in, and that makes plugs out mandatory. That usually happens at the engine builder and on the dyno.

One reason I am a champion of Odyssey batteries is the time I pulled my sports racer out of the cold storage shop after 6 months of winter, just for fun I cranked it plugs in, got pressure up, and started it...surprised the heck out of me!

Brian