Performance Perspectives Dry sump oil systems offer a number of advantages over conventional oiling systems. They also are finding their way into more and more high-end performance engine builds. riginal equipment engines, as A dry sump oil system (so-called because well as a large number of race the oil pan does not store the oil) provides a engines, feature what’s called more efficient and direct approach. An exter- a wet sump oil system that de- nally mounted oil pump takes advantage of ex- livers pressurized oil to the ternal plumbing to directly deliver oil to the Mike main oil gallery. Oil is stored engine. The dry sump pan serves only as a Mavrigian in the oil pan sump and is picked up by a me- containment cover and as a location from Ochanically driven oil pump. The pump fea- which oil can be returned to the reservoir. The
[email protected] tures a screened pickup that’s submerged in oil reservoir (the oil supply) is a remote con- the sump’s oil reservoir. The pump is mechan- tainer that can be mounted in the cockpit, en- ically driven by either the camshaft-driven dis- gine bay or other convenient location in a race tributor, by the cam itself or by the crank vehicle. In basic terms, the external pump snout, depending on the engine type. The pulls oil from the remote reservoir, then push- pump pressurizes the oil, sending it through es it (under pressure) to wherever directed by the main gallery, and subsequently to all bear- the plumbing.