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Thanks GTX. Is the set-up working? Have you tracked it yet? Assuming you are using it with the LS?
Its probably the cooling set-up some of us will be going too unless the 997S cooler fits and works better than oem.
Still plumbing and mounting. Once I have data I'll gladly share. Yes it'll be used with the LS1 in my 996 and I'll have it on the track sometime in the spring.
Written a little on data, here is some more and some integration and other progress.
Cooling System Pressure - The main benefit here is to be alerted in the event of a leak. The goal is to be able to set an alarm in response to an unexpected loss of system pressure. A loss of pressure means a leak and obviously, something that you want to address right away. I installed the sensor in the water pump spacer which conveniently had a 1/8NPT port ready to go.
Crankcase Pressure - The dry sump introduces an interesting dynamic where it will be pulling vacuum constantly. While my 3 stage setup should not pull enough that a regulator is required, the sensor will tell me exactly where I'm at and how the crankcase ventilation system is working. I will be plumbing a -12AN breather line from the valve cover back to the oil tank which has a port specifically for this purpose. In addition to reading vacuum, the sensor also reads pressure so if there is blow by, I should be able to see that as well. This is one where I don't really know what I'm going to get but feel I can learn from whatever the data tells me. This install in the valve cover I have shown previously. It's final installed now.
Coolant temp - In addition to getting data from the ECU with the factory sensor located in the head at cylinder 1, I mounted an Aim temp sensor on the opposite end of the engine at cylinder 8. This should give some interesting comparative data of the coolant temps at each point in the flow. Cylinder 7 and 8 are known to run hot so should make for some interesting data.
I plan on using the factory sensor for oil pressure data at the moment. A benefit of the GM ECU over what I'm used to is the additional data that I can get from the ECU, so, in this case I plan to take advantage of it.
I have some additional sensors to talk about but will wait until I can show them to you to continue. Stay tuned for sensors part deux.
Also installed since we last spoke, serpentine belt and all the correct hardware I was waiting for. I am using a Katech belt tensioner which is supposed to relieve the belt jump issues these engines are known to experience at higher RPM. It's pretty cool, it has a 3/8 receptacle on it. The tension is set by sliding the belt onto the pulley, you then put a torque wrench into the receptacle and load 25 FT/LBS into it, at that point you tighten a lock nut on the pulley which holds it at the point you have maintained the 25FT/LBS. Seems like it will make changing belts a 1 minute affair and I really like the thinking behind it.
A cool gadget that should make life easier when it comes to the monumental task I have in front of me plumbing this thing into the car, I added a clockable thermostat housing. This will allow me to angle the water neck in the most advantageous way to facilitate coolant line running to the engine. The factory GM piece stuck way out there. While I was in there I got a 160 degree thermostat. Cool fact - I got both of these from O'reilly, ordered last night and picked them up after work. total cost - about $60...
Couple small updates. Thanks to @gtxracer 's hookup, got the steam line's installed. Kit was easy. May need to shorten the rear port connection but will address if needed. The steam ports will be plumbed to the coolant expansion tank. Also, got in the oil fill cap adapter. It replaced the fill cap with a 12AN fitting. I don't need a fill cap on the engine but I do want to run any crankcase pressure back to the tank - this seems a good way to accomplish that.
Additionally, have been roughing together the plumbing needs for the dry sump system and no doubt, the luxury of NOT worrying about consistent oil pressure comes at a cost of worrying A LOT about how the system is going to be plumbed. While not overly complicated in scope - there are a number of lines, some, like any that will see vacuum that need to be spec'd for the job. A line that sucks itself shut WILL starve the system of oil. Also, the number of fittings required is high and the style highly variable. I have placeholders in my initial BOM for now as those decisions will not be finalized until items needing to be plumbed are in their final locations, same thing for line length. That all said, for anyone wondering what is involved in plumbing up a dry sump - this, for now, is roughly how I plan to have mine setup.
This is probably a dumb question but .........why wouldn't the oil cooler be on the return to tank .?The point being to keep the tank temp down which affects the whole system .
This is probably a dumb question but .........why wouldn't the oil cooler be on the return to tank .?The point being to keep the tank temp down which affects the whole system .
If it's a dumb question, I asked it too...
I asked the dry sump provider because plumbing on the return would have made my life easier. Additionally, I asked if the cooler could be plumbed in between the tank and the pump on the feed. I'll just quote his response below.
It is never a good idea to put the cooler on the scavenge return line. The oil being scavenged is mostly foam and you would need a cooler roughly 3X the size to have the same heat rejection as a cooler on the pressure line. Another issue is that there is no control for the pressure drop of the cooler on the scavenge side and it will limit the pump's ability to make a vacuum. On the pressure side, there is a regulator that can be adjusted to compensate for the pressure drop through the cooler, lines, and filter.
You do not want to put anything on the oil feed line from the tank to the pump. Any restriction here will cause pump cavitation at RPM.
Update on some parts arrivals... Headers I'm going to start with are in - I don't love them, but I know there is a path to make them work. 1 3/4 primaries and a 3 in collector. What I really want, I cannot see a reasonable easy path to get there without a lot of custom work and frankly, if I'm going to go through that effort, it looks like a full custom set of 1 7/8 headers will be part of the next phase of the build. I'm also going to hold off, at least on this set of headers on the header shield which is to me, literally one of the coolest parts you can put on a car. I just can't stomach the price on what I know will be a temporary set of headers. So, I will look to add that when I do the custom set and figure out something much less cool for this first go. Me and a buddy have some rough plans of what we're going to do with the rest of the exhaust but you will just have to wait til we get there.
Headers mocked on.
And some sexay parts I waited a while for - the Kennedy Engineering adapter and stage 2 clutch, the clutch is rated for 600FW FT/LBS. I knew the parts were going to be really nice, and they are.
Look who decided to join the party. Lot of parts replaced. Maurizio at MC Racing did the work. I gave it to him, told him what was wrong and what I was planning on doing with it and asked him to do what he needed to do.
Cost me a little under $5K with a little over $3K of that in parts.
So.... I think, cool, I need a 3in flange - great. NO ! NOT GREAT, the collector may be 3in, but the flange is 2in... WT actual F.
Annnnnnnnnddddd - the idiot typing decided to not figure that out until AFTER I put a bunch of work in to paint the headers.... cause, I'm a cheap idiot and decided I would save some $$$ and not get stainless headers - STUPID. Painting them was lame.
I was smart, I think though when it came to getting the protective factory paint off, they apply it to keep the headers from rusting prior to be putting on the car but will not withstand the heat of use, so you need to remove it and coat yourself if your into your **** not rusting.... Oh... so the factory **** paint doesn't like heat eh....
And, they look pretty nice coated, but - the coating will probably peel off cause I suck at stuff like this and I plan to cover it anyways with some type of heat shielding so... enjoy - this is the only time you will likely see them looking halfway decent.
01-18-2023, 08:28 PM
