Pinto oil plumbing question

[Brian]

I'm building a Lola T-492, and have a question about the oil plumbing. The oil tank has two inputs, upper corner on each side of the triangular tank, and they are 1/2" tubes, so I would connect to them with -8 line. The oil pump has two scavenge sections, so two AN-10 outputs. I was planning on building a manifold to tie them together into one -10 line, to the oil cooler with -10 in and out, and back to the tank where I would use a second manifold to split the -10 line to two -8's into the tank. Does this seem reasonable? Is there a more standard way to deal with two scavenge sections and two tank inputs?

Tank also has two vent connections on top, and a -10 tube output on the bottom, along with a temperature port and a drain port.

Thanks, Brian

[john f]

I run a Tiga SC84. Originally, the car did not come with an oil cooler. I run one scavenge section through an oil cooler and the other scavenge directly to the oil tank. I use -8 lines on everything and have no problems keeping the oil cool. By the time you tee the two lines together and then split them apart I would suggest just use separate lines. Too many fittings, messy, and expensive. Just my $0.02.

john f

[S Lathrop]

I would suggest that you modify the oil tank for a single -10 return line, scavenge outlet. That will save a lot of fittings. You might try to make a manifold at the pump so that you have a single -10 line from the pump to the oil cooler.

Every fitting is a potential leak. Eliminate as many as you can.

I like to run an inline screen between the pump and the oil cooler. The primary use is to start separating the air and the oil before the cooler. The cooler will do a much better job of cooling oil than foam.

[Brian]

To ask another, even more basic question - do S2000 Pinto's need an oil cooler? I usually run them on high output, high compression race engines, but I didn't run them on Formula Ford 1600 engines. I do run full synthetic oil. Most races are going to be 30m minutes or less, but vintage events usually have an enduro at 1.5 hours or so.

The problem is that the oil tank is pristine, polished and completely original, so you really hate to modify it. But - I do have another original tank that looks like it hasn't been cleaned or polished since it came from Lola in 1978, so I wouldn't have so much of an issue modifying that one. But I do like the one line direct to the tank, one line to an oil cooler if that would cool the oil acceptably. I just don't have a feel for how much cooling a Pinto needs.

Brian

[S Lathrop]

It all depends on where the oil tank is located. I did not use oil coolers on several models of the Citations. On the Z10, the oil tank was mounted on the rear of the frame with good airflow. Thus no oil cooler. But the new cars with the very tight packed bodies, oil cooling is required.

I favor building the water system oversized and then running an oil/water heat exchanger. It is much easier to plumb into the system. The heat exchanger helps heat the oil until the oil gets to operating temperature.

Oil coolers are delicate and mounting is very critical.

[RobLav]

I've bought a few Pinto FC's that came with used oil coolers in the spare parts bin - like they were tried and abandoned. I've also never found the need to run one. Motorcycle engines are a different story.

[cleaver racecar engineering]

Plumb it the way John F said.

[JeffW]

Brian, I used to run a Royale S2 many years ago (and 492 for that matter). With the Royale on tight tracks on a hot day the oil got hot - even with a cooler. I eventually had the tank modified internally, with plates containing holes so the oil would pour through de-aerating the oil (essentially what Steve Lathrop suggested). Oil temperature problem fixed. Depending on your budget you could get that done with the factory tank and it would not be seen. That said I think these motors are pretty stout. Today I would look a water/oil heat exchanger.

Will you ever take the car to AMP?

Jeff W

[T492]

Brian, my 492 is plumbed just like John F said. The tank already has baffle plates inside if its the original from Lola. Plumb one vent to the valve cover, the other to the catch tank. Hope this helps.