Best size for oil lines

[MrJackson]

I'm restoring an old FF2000 Van Diemen, and I'm dealing with a hodgepodge of oil lines to replace. Can I use -8 hose for the pressure line going from the pump into the engine, or should I go larger. Seems that the passage in the block is only so big, so I can't see the need for a huge oil feed line. Also, this car had only one scavenge stage going to an oil cooler. The other scavenge stage went straight to the oil tank. I've heard of this being done, but something tells me I can do better. I'm thinking of putting the cooler in the pressure side, between the filter and the block. Any thoughts?

[kea]

I'm restoring an old FF2000 Van Diemen, and I'm dealing with a hodgepodge of oil lines to replace. Can I use -8 hose for the pressure line going from the pump into the engine, or should I go larger. Seems that the passage in the block is only so big, so I can't see the need for a huge oil feed line. Also, this car had only one scavenge stage going to an oil cooler. The other scavenge stage went straight to the oil tank. I've heard of this being done, but something tells me I can do better. I'm thinking of putting the cooler in the pressure side, between the filter and the block. Any thoughts?

When the 1988 Reynards were shipped over, the F/Ford engine kit had 1/2" oil lines while the F2000 had 5/8" size.
Do not put the oil cooler between the pump and the engine.
The cooler does a very good job of separating the air from the returning oil. Without it you run the risk of using foamy oil as a lubricant.

[Jerry Kehoe]

Cosworth over the years usually specified -12 for scavenge and -10 for pressure for any motors I have known. Unless you have an oil/air separator pump the best way to make sure you have oil, not oil/air in your tank is a tall cylinder with the scavenge oil entering in a tangent so it will de-aerate and let the air out of the breather before being able to be sucked into the pressure side of the pump.

[MrJackson]

When the 1988 Reynards were shipped over, the F/Ford engine kit had 1/2" oil lines while the F2000 had 5/8" size.
Do not put the oil cooler between the pump and the engine.
The cooler does a very good job of separating the air from the returning oil. Without it you run the risk of using foamy oil as a lubricant.

So, what's the best way to plumb two scavenge lines into one cooler? Right now, only one scavenge line goes to the cooler, then to the reservoir. The other one just goes straight to the reservoir. Only half the oil is being de-aerated and cooled. Thanks in advance!

[Jerry Kehoe]

Not sure what kind of a pump you have but the common solution with most pumps is to make/buy a manifold that combines the two fittings into one that goes to the cooler. If you have a Weaver or Stock Car products pump these manifolds are readily available usually going from -12 fittings to a -12 line to the cooler. If you have -10 pump fittings make sure they feed into a -12 line to the cooler. My V12 oiling system has a 3 stage scavenge pump that I made a manifold that includes the 3 stage fittings into a single -12 exit to the cooler or tank.