Offroad-Express

I'm suffering the V6 Commodore sump problem with losing oil pressure on hills. No room to re-locate the bowl to the rear of the sump so looking to dry-sump it. Plan A is to mount a spare power steering pump where the air-con compressor goes (to use as scavenger pump) but there's abit of fabrication involved in the mounting. It's been suggested that I may be able to use the air-con compressor as an oil pump, which would simplify the project. Or will that just blow out the seals? If it can do it - any idea of flow rates? It may need an oversize drive pulley to slow it down a bit...

muddy wrote:I'm suffering the V6 Commodore sump problem with losing oil pressure on hills. No room to re-locate the bowl to the rear of the sump so looking to dry-sump it. Plan A is to mount a spare power steering pump where the air-con compressor goes (to use as scavenger pump) but there's abit of fabrication involved in the mounting. It's been suggested that I may be able to use the air-con compressor as an oil pump, which would simplify the project. Or will that just blow out the seals? If it can do it - any idea of flow rates? It may need an oversize drive pulley to slow it down a bit...

think about that for a second....What happens when you try to compress fluid?
One is a pump, the other is a compressor. inherently different internal design and will end in a split housing if anything but a gas goes through it.

stick another P/S pump in its place.

Yep. I have replaced many AC pumps that have met their end through liquid getting back to the pump (either over charged or sometimes blocked evaps).

They handle a bit of liquid, but using one as an oil pump would require some mods. I suspect it'd be easier to make an oil pump fit in it's place.

dry sump pumps are easy enough to get. they probably even do a kit for that engine. power steering pump etc won't work well as dry sump typically use multiple pick up locations and pumps. ie a dry sump pump is a stack of 3-4 pumps each with its own pick up in the sump etc.

Keep it for an on board air compressor, that it can do. Just squirt some CRC on the suction side every now and then

What commy motor are you running? I havnt had any issues with my vt. Original sump

have you got room to drop the front bowl and pickup down a bit lower to make a deep bowel to get another 4 or 5 litres + of oil in there sounds a bit easier than a bush dry sump attempt

Its probably possible with the right mods as the best hydraulic pumps are piston type, but the consequences for getting it wrong aren't funny. As per tweake I'd get the proper gear.

right here chap http://www.accusump.com/accusump_tech.html
don't over complicate shit,
petrolhead has them in a vendor advert for $400,
oil pressure drops the piston forces oil into the system,
I'm contemplating one for me road truck