Acusump??

Kai SRT10

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I'm interested in the acusump system. I know it pressurizes the oil before start up. Does it help improve oiling while the car is underway?

Could an acusump help with oil starvation problems during track driving?
 

Viper Specialty

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Yes, Yes, and Yes. I have had one on my car for quite some time. While I have never offered an off the shelf Gen-3 kits, there is no reason I couldnt put one together again. If you want, I will post some pictures of it...
 

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No reason it wouldnt be compatible with the Paxton, with the only possble issue being a re-route of the oil line through the engine compartment. I would just ship it with +2 feet so you could route it around the Paxton unit.

I will post pictures up tonight, I have to go wash the car anyway. Looks like its going to snow... and that means salt. Season is over. Engine building begins!
 

Viper Specialty

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Sorry about the bad pictures! As you can see, I pride myself in "Hidden"

Picture 1, Valve body and back of Accusump cylinder, next to battery;

3115PICT00171-med.JPG


Picture 2, Front portion of cylinder with Gauge;

3115PICT00171-med.JPG


Picture 3, Location of Tee adapter (custom oil line);

3115PICT0018-med.JPG


Picture 4, Hose routing in Engine compartment (look for SS braided line running from Driver side frame rail, up and accross);

3115PICT0019-med.JPG
 

luc

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Daniel:

Your install is very clean (not easy to do with an Accusump) but I disagree with the need for an Accusump.

Your yes,yes and yes answer was to :

1/ Oil pressurization B4 start up

Yes, the accusump doe it..so what?
Modern oils,especially synt,leave a oil film strong enough between parts that the often cited "90% of an engine wear happen at start up" is nothing more than a markerting gimick (spel?) designed to sell products.

think about it, all modern engines have a minimum "built in" of 150K miles life span, at 5K/year average for a Viper that will be 30 years.
If wear at start up was a REAL issue, don't you think that commercial duty diesel engine that can cover 150K/year will have such a system factory installed?

2/Improving oiling when car underway

The correct answer is not yes but no.
The accusump system has a pressure sensitive solenoid valve that only open below a certain oil pressure level,if your oil pressure drop below this level in normal driving, you have a problem that no accusump system will solve.

3/help with oil starvation during track driving

Yes, the Accusump will help in this specific situation but only to a point ant it's more a band aid fix than a real solution to a problem.

The accusump is nothing more than a "reserve" of oil under pressure and once the valve open, you will only get a TEMPORARY boost in oil pressure.

If you engine has an oil pressure problem in high "G" situation the only real solution is a correctly designed oil pan/ oil pick up.

How many wet sumped,professionly built, race cars use an
Accusump? About zero will be the correct answer.

The accusump cost money that could be better used to solve the problem instead of masking it and add complexity,weight and bulk that no cars, being a street or sport car need.

Luc/00GTS

PS: But it's your money and if an Accusump make you sleep better at night,go for it.
 

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luc... you are preaching to the wrong quire for lack of a better term. You are talking to me first of all, who has always and will always stand by common sense in this area. preach all you want, but OIL is ALWAYS better than NO OIL, even if it only reduces the amount of time with low pressure. The other person, Kai, is someone who just lost an engine due to Oil Starvation on a track... WITH a Comp Coupe Pan! Would an accusump have prevented it? No one could know. But depending on the length of the turns and other variables, yes, it may have. Your example of "how many race cars" use the systems is also way off base. First of all... how many PROFESSIONALLY BUILT RACE CARS do you see running a WET SUMP? almost all are running Dry Sumps. Second, There are quite a few more race cars running Accusumps than you seem to think. In fact, LOTS of them comes to mind. head to a local oval track, and I bet you will see 50% or more of the Non-Dry Sump cars running them.

The Answers are still Yes, Yes and Yes. He did not ask for analysis, just answers. It is up to Kai to make the judgement. Does the Accusump Pre-oil? Yes. Does it improve oiling while underway? Yes, by eliminating fluctuations. Does it eliminate Starvation? Yes, to a point- so long as its mechanical limits are not exceeded. 3Qt's may not seem like a lot, but Oil Pressure is not an On/Off switch either. that 3 qts smooths out the oil pressure, instead of a 0-5-50-20-50-0 situation, you have a 40-40-50-40-50-40 situation.

If I was a bearing, I would ask for an Accusump.
 

womsterr

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Man Daniel that Valve body looks almost exactly like a connecting rod to me ;)
 

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WOMSTERR- The VCA site is screwed up... (big surprise...lol) it deleted that picture and replaced it with the one I just uploaded a little while ago...no idea why.
 

Janni

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luc... you are preaching to the wrong quire for lack of a better term. You are talking to me first of all, who has always and will always stand by common sense in this area. preach all you want, but OIL is ALWAYS better than NO OIL, even if it only reduces the amount of time with low pressure. The other person, Kai, is someone who just lost an engine due to Oil Starvation on a track... WITH a Comp Coupe Pan! Would an accusump have prevented it? No one could know. But depending on the length of the turns and other variables, yes, it may have. Your example of "how many race cars" use the systems is also way off base. First of all... how many PROFESSIONALLY BUILT RACE CARS do you see running a WET SUMP? almost all are running Dry Sumps. Second, There are quite a few more race cars running Accusumps than you seem to think. In fact, LOTS of them comes to mind. head to a local oval track, and I bet you will see 50% or more of the Non-Dry Sump cars running them.

The Answers are still Yes, Yes and Yes. He did not ask for analysis, just answers. It is up to Kai to make the judgement. Does the Accusump Pre-oil? Yes. Does it improve oiling while underway? Yes, by eliminating fluctuations. Does it eliminate Starvation? Yes, to a point- so long as its mechanical limits are not exceeded. 3Qt's may not seem like a lot, but Oil Pressure is not an On/Off switch either. that 3 qts smooths out the oil pressure, instead of a 0-5-50-20-50-0 situation, you have a 40-40-50-40-50-40 situation.

If I was a bearing, I would ask for an Accusump.

Our first race car had an Accusump. It was built to run tracks like Daytona - in fact it practiced there for the 24 hours. It ran Motorola Cup and then we ran 2 seasons of Viper Days.

It had a baffled pan and upgraded gauges.

Oil pressure was never an issue.

While the accusump was not perfect - I'd consider it.

In fact - we may consider it for the Comp Coupe.
 

Racer Robbie

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Final, you are right on man, and Luc you are way off. Final, what do you feel would be a good price for your kit. What would it sell for retail? Please send me a PM as for a wholesale price.
 

Bad_Byte

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The accusump system has a pressure sensitive solenoid valve that only open below a certain oil pressure level,if your oil pressure drop below this level in normal driving, you have a problem that no accusump system will solve.

I'm curious where this pressure sensitive switch is? I've had an accusump for around 3 years now and can't seem to find that one. The only switch I have is electric and I actuate it with my finger.
 

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Atro- I originally had planned to make the SRT-10 kit 799.00. It was about 150 bucks more than the GTS kits due to the custom oil line needed, as well as the longer hose length and aluminum mounting plate. Due to the low production volume of these types of kits, I decided not to bother marketing them, as the people who really wanted one would post on the board (such as this) or dig up my info from the old Gen-2 Accusump posts. Also, due to the custom nature of each one without off-the-shelf availability, I do not offer wholesale pricing on them. I do not make enough on them or sell enough to split profits...sorry about that.

Bad Byte- The EPC (electronic pressure control) is a new thing within the last 1.5 years or so. It mounts next to or on the valve, depending on setup.
 

Bad_Byte

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Bad Byte- The EPC (electronic pressure control) is a new thing within the last 1.5 years or so. It mounts next to or on the valve, depending on setup.

Sounds like something I'd leave off based on the logic that it's just one more thing that can go wrong.
 

Chuck 98 RT/10

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Sounds like something I'd leave off based on the logic that it's just one more thing that can go wrong.

That logic has kept one of my Vipers on the road for 106K miles and the other one on the track for 35K miles.

That said, I think the answer might be somewhere between what Luc and Final said. The accusump is a bandaid but depending on your application a bandaid may be all you need.
 

CarDude

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That logic has kept one of my Vipers on the road for 106K miles and the other one on the track for 35K miles.

That said, I think the answer might be somewhere between what Luc and Final said. The accusump is a bandaid but depending on your application a bandaid may be all you need.


Unless the bandaid peels off and you start bleeding more than before you put on the bandaid (see my post on my dead engine due to the EPC valve in my Accusump).
 

Viper X

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Hi Kai,

I have two Vipers with Accusumps.

Accusumps work, period. A dry sump would be better, but they cost a bunch more. An Accusump may not solve all of your problems, but I've had no oiling issues in my super charged SRT-10 with the Accusump and comp coupe oil pan. It makes about 925 rwhp and can generate some serious sustained acceleration. I've run it in the 1/2 mile and the 1 mile races without issue. The Accusump I use holds 3 quarts and when you turn it on, it releases oil and maintains about 40 psi for approximately 45 seconds. This is much longer than it takes me to run a mile and much longer than any sweepers I've encountered.

I also have an Accusump in my GTS "track car". It has the 10 quart, baffled / trap door oil pan. Someone above stated that many road racers have them. They do. You will need to be careful on the track and run a catch can if you run an Accusump. This is much better than losing an engine. I can tell that the Accusump is working when I run Willow Springs as I tend to blow a bit of oil if I run at the "full line". If you run about 1 quart down and keep the Accusump on, you'll be OK.

PM me if you have more questions. There are some techniques I use during oil changes, etc.

I'd recommend you get one.

Dan
 
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Kai SRT10

Kai SRT10

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This is a really old thread that got resurrected.
I originally posted my question back in 2005.
I have an accusump on my car. I've already blown one engine due to oil starvation, so I figured that I better do something to avoid another issue.

I bought the accusump system from Daniel Lesser (Viper Specialty Performance.) It's the 3 quart system with an EPC valve activated at 35-40psi . So far, no problems with it, and it appears to be working as it is supposed to. Oil pressure at the track appeared to be quite even when I was there last, and the pre-oiling also seems to be working (oil pressure gauge rises when I turn the key.)

It sounds like the EPC valve may be a weak link in the system. I suppose I should check it regularly for any signs of leakage.

By the way, Dan (Viper X) who did your accusump installs? Which valve system are you running? Electric? Manual? EPC? It sounds like you are running the 35-40 psi valve?

Hi Kai,

I have two Vipers with Accusumps.

Accusumps work, period. A dry sump would be better, but they cost a bunch more. An Accusump may not solve all of your problems, but I've had no oiling issues in my super charged SRT-10 with the Accusump and comp coupe oil pan. It makes about 925 rwhp and can generate some serious sustained acceleration. I've run it in the 1/2 mile and the 1 mile races without issue. The Accusump I use holds 3 quarts and when you turn it on, it releases oil and maintains about 40 psi for approximately 45 seconds. This is much longer than it takes me to run a mile and much longer than any sweepers I've encountered.

I also have an Accusump in my GTS "track car". It has the 10 quart, baffled / trap door oil pan. Someone above stated that many road racers have them. They do. You will need to be careful on the track and run a catch can if you run an Accusump. This is much better than losing an engine. I can tell that the Accusump is working when I run Willow Springs as I tend to blow a bit of oil if I run at the "full line". If you run about 1 quart down and keep the Accusump on, you'll be OK.

PM me if you have more questions. There are some techniques I use during oil changes, etc.

I'd recommend you get one.

Dan
 
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CarDude

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There is fundamental nothing wrong with the Accusump, the EPC failed on mine and my oil started to pour out. Engine must have failed from starvation or the other possibility is the engine failed and spiked the oil pressure higher than the EPC could hold. And as a consequence, the EPC failed from a huge spike in oil pressure. That might account for the fact the engine blew before we ever knew the oil pressure was low, via the check engine light. The last one, might only be a theory, and it might be investigated during engine teardown.
 

Viper Specialty

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Exactly what CarDude said- There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the system. It appears that they had a bad batch of EPC switches or just plain bad QC at the factory that makes them.

As I said, this is the first catastrophic failure I have heard of, though I have had about 3 leakers myself, but just a "drip" situation. Each and every one however, once replaced, has not yet reoccured.
 

Viper X

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Hi Kai,

I have a manually operated electric valve in both cars. I turn it on to pre-oil before the first start up of the day and I turn it on before tracking or driving the cars. As I understand the manual valve, it is a very simple device that stays in relative balance to the engine oil pressure after it's been pressurized, i.e. when the engine is running, if oil pressure drops from previous levels, the oil pressure in the cannister is higher, so it puts oil back into the engine. In my SRT-10, with the revised oiling system, you can watch this happen. When cruising, my oil pressure in around 55 psi at low rpm. At idle, the oil pressure comes down to abut 25 psi hot - but this takes some time as the oil feeds from the Accusump into the engine at idle until everything stabilizes. Once running again, the Accusump slowly re-fills.

West Coast Viper did the installs. Both valves had minor leaks at the tank fitting after the install. I tightened them up and no leaks again in 10,000 + miles.

Dan:2tu:
 

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