Oil pan baffle design?
Oil pan baffle design?
(OP)
I have been reading posts on this site for a good time now and I'm astounded by what I've been able to learn here. It's now my turn to ask a question and I'd really appreciate any help that anyone has to offer.
I am designing an oilpan to be used in a very small racecar to be powered by a Suzuki GSX-R 600cc motorcycle engine. Due to placement of the engine on the chassis and the desire to maintain the stock oiling system's volume, the external dimensions of the pan are set in stone. This means that the vast majority of this project is the design of any sort of baffling/oil control system. Dry sump is out of the question due to the relative complexity of the system, cost, and weight. Crank scrapers and windage trays are virtually impossible to implement due to the geometry of the engine casings.
Is there any good literature out there about oil pan design? From what I've been able to see, it seems to be somewhat of a "black science." The racecar is capable of 1.4G of lateral acceleration, and this has occasionally caused problems with previous designs (not mine, thankfully).
Thanks for the assistance.
I am designing an oilpan to be used in a very small racecar to be powered by a Suzuki GSX-R 600cc motorcycle engine. Due to placement of the engine on the chassis and the desire to maintain the stock oiling system's volume, the external dimensions of the pan are set in stone. This means that the vast majority of this project is the design of any sort of baffling/oil control system. Dry sump is out of the question due to the relative complexity of the system, cost, and weight. Crank scrapers and windage trays are virtually impossible to implement due to the geometry of the engine casings.
Is there any good literature out there about oil pan design? From what I've been able to see, it seems to be somewhat of a "black science." The racecar is capable of 1.4G of lateral acceleration, and this has occasionally caused problems with previous designs (not mine, thankfully).
Thanks for the assistance.
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
I have designed oil pan, scrappers, windage trays, oil pick up strainer, etc. for high performance cars.
One thing that you really need is a 3D CAD and the 3D models for crankcase, oil pick up and moving components 3D locus. Once you have the 3D models, you will be able to simulate oil movement at say 1.4 g. This oil volume shape must be defined by the shape of the crankcase and the rough oil pan that you are designing. You will need to subtract the oil using the 3D models of oil pick up and the moving component locus. You will have to do this for all four directions to simulate braking, acceleration, right cornering and left cornering.
You will notice that the oil volume is not the same for all 4 lateral acceleration. All you need to do is to iterate the position of the oil pick up and to also iterate the oil pan shape. At the end you will arrive to the oil pan shape that looks similar to the aftermarket oil pans.
One thing that I can share with you is that, to design an oil pan is very easy but to get it optimized to all the functional and performance requirements require at least few weeks assuming you have a 3D CAD.
Anyway, give it a go and post more questions once you run into difficulties.
AO
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
The older Mopar Direct Connection (Chrysler factory performance division) books talk about modfying wet sump oil pans for oval track and drag racing use.
The Bill Jenkins "Chevrolet Racing engine" describes a lot of 70s technology
I think the older "Chevrolet Power" books had some lube system design info
http://www.accusump.com/acc_products/acc_units.html
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
During the development, we installed the engine to a tilting rig and tilt the engine at more than 42 degree in all direction. This will simulate, acceleration, braking, right and left cornering.
Regular baffle plate design that works well in stopping an instantaneous splash may not be able to work well at the tilt rig at continuos engine operation. We found out that the best way to prevent oil starvation is to carefully place the oil pick up point in the middle of the oil pan.
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
i dont know what angles to put it at or how but there are two ways to do it that work. they are basicaly to just put the sheet metal at differnt angles
EX: |= wall /= Sheet metal either A. |\ or B. |/
when you do B you would want a small (less than 1 cm) gap underneath the angle from the bottom of the pan (or whatever you use) so that the transmission can still get the propper amount of oil (but this also prevents too much oil from getting to it)
i hope that made sense, im not the best at explaining things, sorry
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
Not if you if you take care in setting up a new engine and accumulator system to begin with.
With an "Accusump", open the Schraeder valve next to the guage port and push the piston all the way in and pour in a couple qts of oil before you install the Accusump. Prior to starting the engine pressurise the unit to 45 to 55 lbs. with air and turn on the valve (I assume you will be using the electrical assembly as it is WAY superior to the manual valve).
Once the engine is started and the oil pressure has stabalized, turn off the Accusump switch and stop the engine to check the oil level. Once I have everything up to proper levels (usually a qt. or so low in a properly built wetsump pan), I turn on the accumulator and let it discharge completely so that I may set the air pressure to the required setting---I use 35# but the mfgr. lists pressure as low as 7#. I also use a 50# pressure switch for the solonoid actuator as my normal pressure hot is in the neighborhood of 85# . Next, just start 'er up and the Accusump will fill at a rate that will not starve the engine for oil. After a proper warm up to check everything, stop and check oil level one final time. This all takes just a few minutes and well worth the extra effort. Accusumps have saved my bacon on more than one engine.
Rod
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
Regards
pat pprimmer@acay.com.au
eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
H...22--- I use the 3 qt. "Accusump" on my cars but, I find it difficult to imagine a car so small that I could not find room for an accumulator. If I could not use my first choice of a dry sump system and, even if I had to make a one quart version up on my lathe (patent infringements?) out of two inch tubing, I'd even have one on a go kart!!!
Pat, Pat, Pat... I just knew that you would have found the "proper" engineering approach.
Rod
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
But it works, and it's fun to boot.
No patent infringement if you do it only for your own use. It is only an infringement if you sell it, or sell something made with it.
I agree, make a tiny little accusump if you can't use a dry sump or a very deep sump.
Regards
pat pprimmer@acay.com.au
eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
evelrod I am interested in seeing what your modification looks like.
Hooligan22 I have seen one used on a 600cc hillclimb car locally, perhaps for the same reason (as well as the reduced engine wear at startup)? I hope to see it at the Aust Hillclimb Champs next weekend, if I do I will make sure I take some photo's if it of interest...can do the same for other bike engines if I see modded sumps.
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
Rod
RE: Oil pan baffle design?
RE: Oil pan baffle design?