Accusump pre-oiler

[HwyCruiser]

Link to a site that has pics and descriptions:
http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/accusump.htm

Defyant suggested an electric oil-pump to solve my valvetrain chatter due to suspected low oil pressure on engine start-up. I went off on the Accusump tangent in my research because of it's simplistic operation.

It's basically a piston/accumulator that stores pressurized oil for when you need it. It looks like there are couple of different applications, used either to deliver pressurized oil on start up to pre-lube the engine via an electric valve, and/or during operation with the use of a pressure switch to buffer oil pressure fluctuations seen on the track. They have an oil filter adapter or can be used with a remote oil filter setup, which I'm also looking at doing.

Comments?

EDIT:
Well, that's what I get for not doing a search. Here's Joe Walsh's post on this very question a while back:

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showpost.php?p=150897&postcount=7

How's your setup holding up Joe? I assume you transferred this to your new engine. Would you do anything different if you had a free re-do?

[DEFYANT]

Interesting find. Oil at start up is a good thing. My 04 CVPI has a "no oil" knock at start up after sitting over night. It only has 30K commuter miles. This car has seen very little emergency driving action.

[Brutus]

Joe Walsh is the man to talk to about this..........he has it on his car. its pretty sweet!

[Joe Walsh]

Oops!:o
Thanks for the 'heads up' PM....
I was away all weekend on a Rockfishing charter trip to Virginia Beach!

Yes, I did re-install the 1 Qt. Accusump/Remote Oil Filter system on my new forged engine. I chose the 1 Qt. size due to space constraints in the engine compartment.
It is still working GREAT! I jump in the Marauder after 3 weeks of it sitting, click the electric solenoid valve as I crank the engine, and VROOM!
Instant Oil Pressure....NO VALVE CLATTER! (everyone knows how high the computer revs the DOHC when it lights off...:( )
You can leave the electric solenoid valve 'ON' all the time while you drive and it will supply full oil pressure to the engine should you lose oil pressure momentarily for any reason.
Just remember to shut the valve off while you still have some decent revs*/oil pressure before you turn the ignition 'Off'.
That way the Accusump is holding 1 Qt. of oil at 50+psi....ready to soothe your valvetrain and main bearings upon the next fire up.
If you choose to use the Accusump just for start-ups and turn off the electric solenoid valve once the engine has warmed up, the solenoid will act as a one-way check valve and the Accusump will hold 1 Qt. of oil at the highest oil pressure generated during that driving session.
I mounted the switch for the electric solenoid valve on my dual gauge pillar which has my oil pressure and oil temperature gauges.
( *NOT at idle, when we only have about 12-15 psi oil pressure)

P.S. I've thought about making a kit based on this system because I now work for a company where I can buy Aeroquip AT COST...:banana2:

[HwyCruiser]

Joe, thanks for your long-term feedback on the accusump and the tips on operating the electric valve. A kit would pretty sweet.

Good to hear that the 1 quart model is getting the job done for pre-lube. I've been doing a little more reading on these and the serious road course and drag racers are using them to compensate for oil pressure fluctuations also. Looked like they were using the big 3 quart models, which sounds like a lot of extra engine oil to go through.

I'm curious on how you handle oil changes... do you have to drain and recharge the accusump as a separate step? Does this add an even extra quart to oil changes then? Any maintenance issues with seals or whatnot?

[Joe Walsh]

Joe, thanks for your long-term feedback on the accusump and the tips on operating the electric valve. A kit would pretty sweet.

Good to hear that the 1 quart model is getting the job done for pre-lube. I've been doing a little more reading on these and the serious road course and drag racers are using them to compensate for oil pressure fluctuations also. Looked like they were using the big 3 quart models, which sounds like a lot of extra engine oil to go through.

I'm curious on how you handle oil changes... do you have to drain and recharge the accusump as a separate step? Does this add an even extra quart to oil changes then? Any maintenance issues with seals or whatnot?

I used the 1 Qt. Accusump because the 2 & 3 Qt. models are pretty BIG...check out their dimensions on the Canton website. www.cantonracingproducts.com
It does empty pretty quick once you open/turn 'ON' the solenoid valve, so I wait to flick the switch until I just begin to crank the engine over.

When I do an oil change I just turn on the ignition without starting the engine and then activate the solenoid to dump the accumulated oil back into the engine.
It does take 1 extra quart of oil for an oil change, and when you fire up the engine after the oil change it will pump that extra quart back into the Accusump.
So far, no problems with seals and solenoid valve*....It will hold 50 psi pressure for weeks!

*I only use the Accusump for start-ups...so the solenoid valve is only 'ON' for a brief period.
You can leave it 'ON' all the time to allow the Accusump to 'buffer' your engine against any temporary drops in oil pressure.
But in street driving you would quickly put MANY hours on that solenoid valve.
I don't know how long it would last...:dunno: