LSX specific or custom fabricated valley baffle? Vacuum pump & oil don't mix.
12-10-2007, 04:54 PM
#1
LSX specific or custom fabricated valley baffle? Vacuum pump & oil don't mix. I attemped to make 2 passes last night and after the FIRST run, I started it up to make the 2nd pass and I heard a ticking noise. I thought it was coming from the motor. I turned it off, then back on, and listened closer. It was the pump. I took the belt off and sure enough the noise went away.
When I got home from the track, I spun the pulley on the pump and it spinned freely, not making the clicking noise it did when it was new. So I put the belt back on and revved it to 3500 rpms where I had set it at 4". It was not making any vacuum.
Well, I called Star and he explained to me that I had pulled too much oil in the pump. I built a baffle under the hole for the intake of the vacuum. It's obviously not good enough.
So I was wondering if anyone made a LSX (LS1 style) valley baffle and if not, let's see some pics of your custom fabricated one. Thanks.
When I got home from the track, I spun the pulley on the pump and it spinned freely, not making the clicking noise it did when it was new. So I put the belt back on and revved it to 3500 rpms where I had set it at 4". It was not making any vacuum.
Well, I called Star and he explained to me that I had pulled too much oil in the pump. I built a baffle under the hole for the intake of the vacuum. It's obviously not good enough.
So I was wondering if anyone made a LSX (LS1 style) valley baffle and if not, let's see some pics of your custom fabricated one. Thanks.
12-10-2007, 08:08 PM
#5
The local speed shop has it in stock, gonna stop by there tomorrow and pick it up. Damn, that means I'm going to need 2 more fittings. 
Those bad boys are expensive. Man...this race car is a money pit. 
By the way, I wasn't asking, I was correcting him. There's a difference between a catch can (overflow/puke tank) and oil/separator tank.
Those bad boys are expensive. Man...this race car is a money pit. By the way, I wasn't asking, I was correcting him. There's a difference between a catch can (overflow/puke tank) and oil/separator tank.
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12-13-2007, 12:15 PM
#10
Yes, I saw one at PRI. It was one of the guys from hardcore thats starting his own work.
Looked like a nice piece, had a inernal baffle down the middle form the front to the rear. I donno if it clears the gen4 block.
sorry that Ill the into I have.
Looked like a nice piece, had a inernal baffle down the middle form the front to the rear. I donno if it clears the gen4 block.
sorry that Ill the into I have.
12-13-2007, 01:30 PM
#12
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Problem with where you have it now is that the cam and lifters are throwing oil right at your fitting. If you had it welded on to the valve cover (not the top of the valve cover obviously) there isn't a lot of oil being throw towards your fitting.
12-13-2007, 02:31 PM
#13
The hole/fitting is not completely exposed though, it's covered with a box (homemade baffle). Basically it's just a box with holes drilled on the side of it. I figured for sure it wouldn't be a problem, it obviously is. I figured it would be easier and cheaper to just modified the baffle I have in there now or make a new one as opposed to buying more fittings, welding up the hole on the valley, drilling the valve covers, welding on the fittings, etc.
12-13-2007, 07:55 PM
#14
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I tried what your describing on my valley also and all your doing is band-aiding a location problem. I had a air/oil separator and sure it'll catch the oil, but your gonna have to drain the cannister after EVERY pass. Just trying to save you some wasted track time...... get it plumbed to the front of the covers and go racing.
12-14-2007, 04:14 PM
#15
Phill99vette, I was looking at some pics that you posted back when we were discussing vacuum pumps and I noticed that you have the setup I do. You're pulling the vacuum off the valley cover. I didn't see a oil/air separator in between. Have you ran the car yet? I ask because all it took was 1 run for the pump to stop working because it sucked up so much oil.
Do you have a baffle under the valley? If so, was it a pre-fabricated piece or was it something you made yourself? Pics?
Do you have a baffle under the valley? If so, was it a pre-fabricated piece or was it something you made yourself? Pics?
12-14-2007, 05:36 PM
#17
No one told me to put it on there. It was easier to plumb and I figured the vacuum pulled would be more balanced. In order to reverse what I've done and do it the way you're say is to take the intake back off, remove the valley cover, cut off the fitting, weld up the hole, drill the valve cover, weld on the bung, etc. I'm not saying I won't do it, but I just figured since I went through the trouble of doing it the way I have it now, to just modify the baffle or make a new one.
Oil is still going to be pulled with it at the valve cover because oil is being slung around there too.
Oil is still going to be pulled with it at the valve cover because oil is being slung around there too.
12-14-2007, 06:57 PM
#18
What I would do, is get another valley cover plate and just change it, it would save you a ton of work that way, put a stock one on there, start with that. Then, if you are running shet metal valve covers which I assume you are, put -10 bung on both covers, run both together to a T fitting and run a big -12 line to your pump. Inside the valve cover where the bung is, try to make a small shield of some sort to help prevent some of the oil from splashing up to the fittings. I would put an oil seperator on the -12 line still that goes to the pump, or put 2 small ones in the -10 lines that run together, that way you can see if there's oil only coming from one side, etc.etc. and make a change as needed.
I have seen a few cars that have connected the 2 valve covers together with a good sized line (-10 maybe a -12) and run the hookup for the vacum pump right off the oil fill cap, that way the vacum is being pulled equeally thru the top of the motor and with the vacum inlet at the oil fill cap, it's high enough so there's not too much splashing up there.
I understand why you ran the single line off the valley cover, it's easy to do that way.... but when building a serious race setup, which IMO anything that has a vacum pump on it is, a corner cut/easy route usually ends up causing trouble, as you've already found out.
I have seen a few cars that have connected the 2 valve covers together with a good sized line (-10 maybe a -12) and run the hookup for the vacum pump right off the oil fill cap, that way the vacum is being pulled equeally thru the top of the motor and with the vacum inlet at the oil fill cap, it's high enough so there's not too much splashing up there.
I understand why you ran the single line off the valley cover, it's easy to do that way.... but when building a serious race setup, which IMO anything that has a vacum pump on it is, a corner cut/easy route usually ends up causing trouble, as you've already found out.
12-15-2007, 08:02 AM
#19
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I understand your logic with coming out of the valley cover. I gave that a thought when I was putting mine together. I ended up coming out of the pass. side valve cover ($500! valve covers) with a -12 directly into an Aerospace pump. It stilll sucks some oil "sludge" and moisture from condensation into the catch can. I smoked my Aerospace pump after only about 25-30 passes. I could never get the motor to seal good enough to get a vac. reading, even with playing with the Morrison adjust reg. on the dyno. I'm not even going to run a vac pump this season.
We only spin her to 8,500 anyway!
We only spin her to 8,500 anyway!
12-15-2007, 10:14 AM
#20
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If you don't wanna drill/weld on the valve covers, get this filler cap from GZ Motorsports - mine works great. Put the vacuum breaker in the back of the opposite valve cover since the pic though... now I get just enough oil to lube the pump, but not too much...
