Dry sump systems are one of the critical components of any racing car or serious track day machine. The advantages of such design are numerous and primarily noticeable when the vehicle is pushed to the limits and exposed to high cornering speeds, high revs, and extreme use. In fact, without a dry sump system, racing cars wouldn’t be able to achieve such lap times, and their powerplants would probably face oil starvation problems which would ruin the engine halfway through the race. While it’s clear that dry sump oil systems are an absolute necessity in motorsport, do they have a place on street-legal cars and in everyday driving? Today we will answer that question.
The Essence Of Dry Sump Systems
The main component of the dry sump system is a separate, external oil reservoir paired with a high-pressure oil pump, which is designed to scavenge the oil pan and force the oil into the system. Although dry sumped engines have an oil pan, it is much smaller and practically dry when the engine is in function, hence the name. Such a system is far superior in feeding the engine with oil keeping it well lubricated at all times.
Dry Sump Systems In Everyday Vehicles
So, is it possible to run a dry sump oil system in something other than a race or track day car, and will it provide any significant advantages? In short, yes. Running a dry-sump system is a perfectly streetable solution, and frankly, a lot of manufacturers sell their high-performance and sports cars with dry sump systems straight from the factory. The key advantages of this approach are:
Safety: Imagine driving a performance car with low body clearance on the street. Apart from scratching the front splitter and damaging your wheels, one of the most common dangers is hitting your wet-sump oil pan on a rock or bump, cracking it, and losing all of your oil in a matter of seconds. Drivers with fast reflexes can immediately turn the engine off and coast to the side of the road, but if something like this is to happen to you at high speeds, the chances are that you will not be able to act so quickly, and your engine would be seized and gone. However, with a dry sump system, cracking the oil pan is not a problem since the oil is pressurised and kept in an external reservoir, not in an oil pan. So, if you damage the oil pan, your engine would not lose any significant amount of oil, and you could continue driving without fear of ruining the engine.
Adjustability: Most modern aftermarket dry sump oil systems from Pace are fully adjustable, which means you can change the settings, oil pressure and regulate the flow. This way, you have more control over your engine and set up the car to run in street settings or track settings. Adjusting the oil pressure can help reduce the engine wear in everyday driving, keep the temperature down, and make your engine last longer.
More Power: One of the exciting gains of every engine fitted with a dry sump system is extra horsepower compared to the same engine with a standard wet sump design. Due to reduced pressure in the crankcase, the dry sump system helps pistons move a bit faster, resulting in more power and torque. The power gains are not enormous, but every little bit helps, and it is good to know that your engine is more potent than the manufacturer’s specifications. This is especially important for people who are into tuning and are looking to extract every last bit of performance from their existing setup.
Disadvantages of a Dry Sump System in a Street-driven Vehicle
Besides the pros of installing a dry sump in a road car, there are also some things worth mentioning, so you know what to expect. First of all, dry sump oil systems will require more maintenance than wet sump ones. Due to the system’s complexity, regular maintenance and monitoring are needed to keep things running smoothly. Second, buying and mounting such a system is costly. There is no doubt that this will improve your road vehicle and driving experience, especially if you plan to use your car enthusiastically and enjoy spirited driving. However, be ready to invest in the parts and labour required to make it work flawlessly.
PACE Dry Sumps
The Pacepump® range is designed to meet almost any installation. From the dry sumping of pre-war classic sports cars to modern day Le-Mans cars, fast road cars to Touring cars, Formula Ford to Formula 1. We have dry sumped some of the world’s fastest drag motorcycles and off shore power boats – We have the ability and equipment to design and manufacture special oil pumps to your exact requirements. Now designed and manufactured by Neil Brown Engineering.
Get in touch today on 01775 723052 or email admin@nbe.co.uk
