6erWebb

Im working out the details of an extensive swap I hope to get underway soon. Ill be putting an lt1 into a 6 series bmw. One of the issues Im having to figure out is the lubrication system. If I keep the factory style oil pan I have to swap to rack and pinion steering. I think the cars handles very well as is so Id rather not go to that extent. If I keep the old style steering I must cut the pan in about twenty different places to get around everything. Or I could do a dry sump set up. However Ive never done anything like that and am not really sure how it works. All the advertisers that sell kits though say the dry sump system is for COMPETITION ONLY, is it really or are they just saying that because it requires more care?

Any help you guys can give me will be very appreciated.

-Webb

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

A dry Sump System is a great setup of you are all over in the corners, other than that I wouldn't waste the time and the money.

How a Dry-sump works is pretty simple..I'm going to explain it with how the LS7 is setup. There are two Oil Pumps in the setup. The first Oil Pump lubricates the Engine just like any normal setup, however the Oil that drains back into the Pan while in operation is sucked out by the second Oil Pump. That pumps it to an external Oil Tank, where the First Pump sucks it out of and sends it through the Engine, eventually back into the Pan..etc.

Also that's why if you look closely at an LS7 there is no Oil Dip Stick..

nickp

iTrader: (2)

Dry sump oiling is better suited for higher rpm motors. It helps eliminate windage in the crankcase. It is also more expensive to set up than a wet sump. It should work fine on your lt1.

6erWebb

Thanks alot guys, I am into the ide of the setup for the cornering advantages as I AM putting it in a bmw and the car will be slightly track themed, and I live in a part of the country where I spend most of my time in corners. Also, are there many kits out there for this operation? Id hate to trust myself to peice one together. I googled it and found a company called drysump.com, they had one for the first gen smallblock chevy Im curious are the lubrication styles between it and the lt1 similar?

I8ASaleen

iTrader: (9)

If I'm correct the oiling system is virtually the same between the LT1 and Gen1 small blocks along with rods, crank, and pistons.

camaroz28383

iTrader: (9)

the LT1 oiling is the same we just have a dummy drive instead of a distributer I don't think that would play a part in the dry sump set up though and holy crap are those pans expensive

6erWebb

Thanks for the info again guys. I asked before but didnt get an answer, is there any reason a setup like this would be not suitable for semi street use? Ive been reading up on it and there doesnt seem to be a reason not to use this on the street/daily however all the companies that make parts keep saying this is for competition use only...

bombebomb

If I am not mistaken the ZO6 corvette (ls7) is dry sump and is sold as a street car with a warranty, in short, you should have zero issues but I am no expert.

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

It is..that is what I used to explain how the system works.

aboatguy

Harleys are dry sumped too. Mechanically nothing is new (my 1948 Pan has factory drysump and hydraulic roller cam) (ford produced dohc 32 valve aluminum blocked V8s during the 1940s) usually $$$ drives production vehicle content..drysump is expensive for performance gain on average vehicle. So IMO if you got the $$$$ and you want a street dry sump go for it. If it were my swap and it was going to be a DD I'd find an oil pan that fit instead IOT follow the KISS principle, if was an all out canyon carving weekend toy I'd find the $$$$$ because I love to play .

camaroz28383

iTrader: (9)

just a thought on the competition use only thing it wasn't on the car from factory so they cant prove (with out spending lots of money) that the aftermarket part will not effect emmisions... so if they put that disclaimer they cant be taken by the government. I think every part I've bought for my build says off road use only and thats because nothing is "stock replacement"

6erWebb

Thanks again guys. I just talked to the guy helping me with my build and he said the Reason for the need for clearance was for headers not the oil pan...so...the reason I was decided on going the dry sump route (clearance from steering components) is unneccesary althought I still think Id like to do it.

Anyone know of a place that makes kits? I e-mailed aviaid last night so we'll see what they have to say.

will01

I think someone mentioned it in the thread, why not start with the LS7 system:

http://www.sdpc2000.com/catalog/ls-g...oil-components

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

Aviad, Weaver Brothers, and Peterson are/were the big names in competition dry sump systems, at least in the mid/late '80s, when I was running an oval track car, which had a dry sump set up.

There are basically 2 drawbacks to a dry sump for a street car, at least in my opinion. One is the "reall estate" a dry sump pump takes up in the engine compartment. I probably should qualify that by saying the competition type systems I'm familiar with, anyway. They are generally driven by a seperate Gilmer belt off the crank pulley, and are located at the lower, left front of the engine, attached by a bracket which is integral to the pump, and bolts to a couple of the bolt bosses on the block. This location is favorable, because the feed lines from the pump are plumbed into the engine using an adapter that attaches at the oil filter's location, and in a carbureted engine, the fuel pump is on the right side of the engine.

A "3 stage pump", comprised of 2 scavenge stages and 1 pressure stage, is roughly 5-6" in diameter, and 8-10" long (plus the oil lines in and out). That takes up a fair amount of space, generally where the steering gear is located. Secondly, this type of pump's drive belt is "external", and subject to damage by road debris. Break a belt, and you instantly have "zero" oil pressure.

The other big disadvantage, if the above isn't discouraging enough, is where you find the room for a tank capable of holding 6-7 quarts of oil. A "quick and dirty" way to visualize this, is to get a couple of gallon jugs of oil from the local parts store. Try to find a place under the hood where both of them, side by side, would fit......

The above comments apply to a "race" system, which would be the easiest to source from the aftermarket. As a couple of guys have mentioned, the LS7 engine is a dry sump engine, as are a couple of Porsche engines, but since they were designed from scratch to be dry sumps, as well as street driven, the engineers place the oil pumps inside the engine, away from harm. It wouldn't be that easy to adapt one of those deals to an LT1, at least I don't think so. BUT, it's a good "outside the box" idea....

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

Not necessarily "outside the box"..LS Swap with an LS Engine and the LS7 Oiling System would be a way to go with the Dry Sump setup, and if you delete the AC like I did, there's the spot to mount the Oil Resivior.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

Very true, but didn't the "OP" say he wanted to put an LT1 in a "6 Series BMW"........

6erWebb

^^rite you are, Ive since been talked out of the dry sump plan in favor of just cutting an oil pan to fit over my rack and pinion swap. Im building this car (hopefully) to be able to handle a couple power adders without having to dive into the bottom end, so Im thinking the dry sump set up from aviaid would be fun in the future.

Heres a link to a build of similar proportions, this is the guy helping me along.

http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm180/OC570/

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

I know..I was throwin that out there to show a good setup for Dry Sump.