trying something different in a LS7 oil pan

Guys,

I just got a new custom oil pan to try out on my Lola replica. This took some doing, as nobody seemed interested in building a pan to work with the stock LS7 oiling system. Finally found a really good guy in Oklahoma - he builds lots of sprint car and dirt track car pans and valve covers.

I am still working on a couple small sheets of aluminum to provide more windage control, they will bolt down to the baffle bulkheads shown in one of the photos. The whole idea of the thing was to get just under 4 inches depth so I can close up the bottom of my car with a belly pan. At the same time, the baffles and windage tray will hopefully provide a lot more oil control to keep the oil down in the sump near the pickup, instead of sloshing around in the open as the stock LS7 pan does.

Finally, the use of all external lines (scavenge, oil out, oil in) is more direct, which will hopefully mean better scavenging and flow. The front pan rail is 5/8" thick, which should make for a stable and flex free seal against the oil pumps. Since the bottom of the car is sealed, and the fittings are above the frame rails, no worries about tearing off fittings on the ground.

What do you guys think?

Tom
 

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Randy V

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Nice looking pan! (Of course I'm only a little bit Alloy-Crazy)..

I've seen some pretty effective windage strippers made of expanded metal mesh welded into a framework..
 

Terry Oxandale

Skinny Man
Looks nice! It looks like it ought to shave the oil off a 4" stroke.

I wonder why GM made such a deep dry-sump pan. When I measured one, I almost had to come to a conclusion that they chose to use a wet-sump pan, and simply dry-sump it for lateral forces, and leave it at that.
 
terry,

as always, you are on the mark. Depth was designed to work with the engine windage tray and get the flung oil into the sump as quickly as possible.

The stock pan is good from a structural standpoint, but terrible for oil control.

Of course, your Dailey set up is be-all end-all.

Tom
 
Tom,

Great looking pan! ARE makes an LS7 pan to work with the internal pump. Breathless Performance also makes a baffle to fit the stock LS7 pan to go with some of their dry sump set-ups. Not trying to change your build but others may need a resource.
 
Here is an interesting write-up for us LS7 guys:

Changes have been made to the dry-sump engine oil system used in the 2009 Corvette.
This information pertains to these two engines:

- LS7 7.0L -- used in the Z06

- LS9 6.2L -- used in the ZR1

TIP: See the August 2005 TechLink for more information on the dry-sump oil system.

The expanded performance envelope of the LS9 requires modifications to the dry sump system originally used on the LS7.
The capacity of the lubrication system has been increased and scavenge performance improved to meet the demands of Chevrolet's highest-ever peformance sports car.
Many of these modifications also apply to the LS7.
Changes affect the LS9 oil pump, oil cooler, and oil pan, and the LS7/LS9 oil filter and dry sump oil reservoir.

OIL PUMP

The dry sump system uses a dual gerotor oil pump, one rotor for scavenge and one rotor for supply.
The pump used on the LS9 produces greater volume and higher system oil pressure to provide adequate oil delivery under all conditions.

The LS9 uses eight oil squirters, one per cylinder, for additional lubrication of the pistons and cylinder walls.

OIL PAN AND OIL COOLER

Both LS7 and LS9 use basically the same oil pan.

On the 2006-09 LS7, oil is routed from the pan to an external engine oil cooler located in front of the coolant radiator.

The 2009 LS9 uses the same pan with a different design oil cooler that is mounted on the left side of oil pan.

A Oil passages

B Coolant fittings

DRY SUMP OIL RESERVOIR

For both engines, the oil reservoir has been redesigned to increase the oil capacity of the system.
Under extreme cornering loads such as experienced on a banked race track, extra oil capacity ensures that there is sufficient oil in the reservoir to avoid the ingesting of air due to slosh.
A second tank is connected to the main tank by tubing.

A Original reservoir

B Added capacity

The dipstick in the oil tank indicates the oil level as before. See SI for details.

TIP:

The engine must be warmed up to 175° F (80° C) and turned off before checking the oil level.
It is important to check the oil level at least 5 minutes after engine shutdown, but no longer than 15 minutes.

This allows oil to return from the top of the engine and prevents oil from draining back into the oil pan.

OIL CAPACITY AND CHANGE

Due to the revised oil reservoir, on both engines the oil capacity is now 10.5 quarts instead of 8.0 quarts, but otherwise the oil change procedure remains the same.

Remember, there are two drain plugs in the oil pan. The one on the front of the pan drains the external reservoir and hoses. The other plug near the oil filter drains about a quart of residual oil from the pan. Refer to SI for details.

HIGH PRESSURE OIL FILTER

GM Powertrain has released a new oil filter for the 2009 Corvette. The new design UPF48R oil filter will be used on the following applications:

- LS7 7.0L -- Z06

- LS9 6.2L -- ZR1

With the addition of piston oil cooling nozzles and other unique lubrication system requirements, a new design dual-rotor oil pump is required for the LS9 application.

The new design oil pump produces greater volume and higher system oil pressure. To meet those requirements, a new oil filter with higher burst strength is required.

The Ultraguard™ Gold UPF48R filter (U for Ultra and R for Racing) is black in color, has a thicker exterior shell, and can be identified as p/n 12626224.


TIP: The internal components are the same in both the UPF48R and PF48 oil filters.
The UPF48R can be used in applications where the PF48 is specified.

TIP: The UPF48R is required for LS9 applications and is also used for the LS7 application as both engines are built at GM's Performance Build Center.

_________________________
JR
True Custom Performance Tuning
Teamzr1.com

I am going to run a system similar to the Katech stage 2, using a Peterson 3 gal external tank, Aviaid scavenge pump, improved internal 2-stage pump, pan baffle from Breathless in the LS7 pan. I will use an Accusump with ECP valve as well for pre-oil and starvation conditions. The new factory internal pump mentioned above might be a viable option and the high-pressure filter will be needed. I will run a Setrab oil cooler as well. At least this is my plan unless wiser minds can help me out?
 
Doc,

your set-up sounds like it will be pretty robust, the Peterson 3 gal tank will be a very useful improvement also.

I am curious how the accusump will plumb into the system.

Tom
 
I have talked to Gary at ARE a couple of times, and that is where I got my Setrab cooler. I also talked to a friend with a fair bit of experience racing Corvettes (GM invited him to test the prototype of the ZR-1). His thoughts were:
1. The standard Z06 (2006-2007) does fine as long as it is on street tires. When you pue it unmodified on slicks and/or upgraded suspension, he has seen several blown motors. The original had an 8 quart tank.
2. He has not seen any failures in the uprated GM parts, which does NOT include a new pan - they are all the same pan. He attributes this primarily to the larger 10.5 quart tank.

I decided to stick with the stock pan, at least for now. With the 12 quart Peterson and street tires, I figured I'd be OK. But I think I will look at the windage tray from Breathless.

No question the pan from ARE is a nice bit. Katech sells all that stuff.

Thanks for the information. -J.
 
How much more clearance do you have now over the stock Pan...I ask because I want another 1" to do the same thing, flat pan under the engine...

Cheers

Clive
 
J.

I assume you are referring to the Breathless baffle, since the LS7 already comes with a windage tray. The Breathless piece has to help in keeping the oil down near the pick up. Seems that without it, on the track the oil would be in the bottom of the sump only about 30-40% of the time, at best.

Clive,

the stock LS7 pan and the ARE pan are about 4.5 inches deep. The oil filter probably hangs down another 1/4 to 1/2 inch further. My pan is 3.9 inches deep, and it relocates the oil filter. That's just enough to close the bottom up with a pan. If you need the package to get down to less than 3.5", you may be looking at a full on drysump pan such as the one Terry is using. Are you running a LS7?

Tom
 
Yes got a 2008 Crate LS7. But need a better oiling system as Am worried that my car will out perform the std setup. Would like to keep the engine as low as possible, and don't really want to go full Old Stile ext pump at this stage. Keeping the original or even a modded GM internal pump must be possibly.

Have you ran the engine up now ???
 
Sorry for the resurrection of this thread but can somebody point me in the direction of the manufacturer of this oil pan? I need a pan like this with front pick up's....

Many thanks
 
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