Motorsport Plumbing Systems: System Overview
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System Overview
09.13
| 00:00 | Over the next few modules we'll be covering the oil plumbing system, how it functions, the components involved and what we need to consider for performance in motorsport applications. |
| 00:10 | We'll be talking about the oil used for engines as well as transmission lubrication, including the differentials. |
| 00:17 | Which in the most simple configuration might involve little to no plumbing external to these components. |
| 00:24 | However, they're oil coolers, turbos and superchargers or dry sump systems, will all require some form of oil lines between these components and the engine transmission or differential. |
| 00:36 | So, for now, let's start with the engine oil specifically, but we'll come back and cover transmission oil before the end of the module. |
| 00:44 | Hopefully, we've all got at least a basic understanding of how this works. |
| 00:47 | But in simple terms, engines use oil for lubrication. |
| 00:51 | This oil is pumped around the engine under pressure through oil galleries and leaves a film of oil over the internal surfaces it comes in contact with. |
| 01:00 | This lubricates the surfaces to help the components move smoothly, reducing friction for increased performance as well as minimising wear on components to increase their lifespan. |
| 01:11 | Oil provides many other functions as well, such as heat transfer, effectively helping to cool components. |
| 01:18 | In some cases, the pressurised oil can also be used for the function of particular components. |
| 01:24 | For example, variable cam control like Honda's VTEC system. |
| 01:28 | Maybe one of the most critical areas where the oil is used is in the crankshaft, connecting rods and camshaft bearings. |
| 01:35 | These are what's known as a hydrodynamic journal bearing, where an oil film is developed between the bearing and journal surfaces, providing lubrication and protection. |
| 01:44 | Issues with the oil system can disrupt this film and quickly result in severe damage to the engine. |
| 01:51 | For example, oil starvation, degradation and contamination. |
| 01:55 | The pressure and flow as well as the temperature of the oil is all critical to its function and performance. |
| 02:01 | There are various types of engine oils we're likely to be using in our vehicles, such as mineral, semi or fully synthetic, all with varying grades and viscosities and containing additives such as friction modifiers and cleaning agents. |
| 02:15 | Although these oils all serve the same purpose, it's important that we're using the correct one for our application. |
| 02:22 | It's also important to note that although generally well known, the oil needs to be serviced regularly by removing it from the engine and replacing it. |
| 02:30 | The timing of this is much more regular in motorsport and performance applications due to the higher demands of the oil and harsher conditions. |
| 02:38 | Another factor to consider is safety, as although engine oil isn't particularly flammable compared to a fluid like fuel, it's combustible, meaning it can catch fire and burn easily in the right conditions. |
| 02:52 | This means any oil exposed directly to an open flame or high heat source is a fire risk, which clearly needs to be one of our primary concerns with our plumbing system, the layout of which varies significantly for different vehicles. |
| 03:06 | With that said, let's cover some more general setups now. |
| 03:10 | The most basic and common system we'll see is for a factory style, naturally aspirated car with a wet sump. |
| 03:17 | The sump is attached to the engine and is where the majority of the oil is stored. |
| 03:22 | The oil is collected from the sump by a pickup tube which usually has a coarse filter at the inlet. |
| 03:28 | This brings oil to the oil pump which is generally driven by the engine rotation to pressurise the oil flow through the galleries, passages and bearings in the engine. |
| 03:37 | As a general rule of thumb, about 10 psi of oil pressure is required per 1000 RPM and this is accounted for in the design since the faster the engine spins, the faster the oil pump spins and the more pressure is generated. |
| 03:51 | The oil will also pass through the main oil filter attached to the engine block which removes particles suspended in the fluid before returning it to the sump and flowing through the engine again. |
| 04:03 | In this case there can be no external plumbing other than the ventilation for crankcase pressure, which is mostly gases but will contain some amount of oil. |
| 04:12 | The crankcase ventilation typically involves plumbing from the valve cover of the engine to the intake system, often using a positive crankcase ventilation or PCV valve to regulate the pressure based on the intake system pressure. |
| 04:27 | Oil catch cans can also be used here to separate the oil from the gases and store it to be emptied later or drain it back into the sump in some cases. |
| 04:37 | PCV valves are commonly removed in performance applications as they're a potential failure point, and it's more important to avoid adding any oil or oil vapour into the intake air. |
| 04:49 | In this case the ventilation will go directly to a catch can, which will be emptied more regularly. |
| 04:55 | Now moving along, let's discuss some setups that actually require external plumbing with the main purpose of conveying oil. |
| 05:02 | Simple additions to this naturally aspirated configuration and common to motorsport applications are oil coolers and oil filter relocation kits. |
| 05:11 | Oil coolers are very similar to radiators, but of course with oil flowing inside rather than coolant. |
| 05:18 | Like a radiator, the oil cooler is just a heat exchanger which works to cool the oil by transferring heat to the airstream that the vehicle moves through. |
| 05:26 | In the most basic arrangement, these typically involve a sandwich plate which is added between the oil filter and the block and has ports for the oil plumbing lines to and from the cooler. |
| 05:38 | Oil filter relocation kits do exactly what the name suggests, and relocate the oil filter away from its original location on the engine block to a more accessible location to help with servicing and in some cases to move the filter away from heat sources. |
| 05:54 | In either case, the oil capacity is also increased due to the extra volume in the plumbing without increasing the level of the oil in the sump above its limit. |
| 06:04 | This is beneficial as it increases the oil's thermal capacity and the amount of oil available for cleaning and protecting the engine. |
| 06:12 | In forced induction applications, both turbos and centrifugal superchargers will require oil feed and drain lines. |
| 06:20 | The feed will generally come from a port on the engine block off one of the oil galleries and be plumbed to the top of the turbo or supercharger core for cooling and lubrication purposes. |
| 06:31 | The drain will involve some more plumbing out the bottom of the core and back to a port in the engine block near the sump. |
| 06:39 | It's common for the supplier of the turbo or supercharger to specify something like 15 degrees as the maximum angle from vertical of the oil drain and this should be plumbed in as unrestricted routing as possible, while avoiding loops or high points that could create traps and pressure pockets. |
| 06:56 | For originally naturally aspirated engines that have been boosted, these lines will need to be added and this involves creating new ports, tapping into existing ports or using some form of adapter, it just depends on the particular engine. |
| 07:11 | A common option though is to tee the oil feed for the turbo off an existing oil pressure switch location. |
| 07:18 | As for dry sump systems, the architecture varies significantly from traditional wet sumps, and so we'll be covering these in their own module coming up next. |
| 07:28 | Before that though, let's discuss transmission oil of which there are a few different types depending on the application. |
| 07:34 | Automatic transmission fluid or ATF is naturally used in automatic transmissions. |
| 07:39 | While being predominantly oil based, it contains a range of different additives to alter its properties. |
| 07:46 | This is primarily used inside an automatic transmission for lubrication though the pressure also plays a role in the function of the transmission. |
| 07:54 | Manual transmissions and differentials use gear oil for lubrication, which is more similar to engine oil. |
| 08:00 | This also comes in various grades and levels of viscosity and can have special additives for different applications like the use of limited slip differentials for example. |
| 08:11 | In any case, these transmission oils will also provide some cooling, transferring heat away from the components. |
| 08:18 | In some factory vehicles and more commonly in demanding motorsport applications, it's typical for an external oil cooler to be used which will require plumbing between the transmission to the heat exchanger. |
| 08:30 | Further to this, transmissions can have a breather to vent excess pressure that's built up as the internal temperature increases. |
| 08:38 | While it's rare, it is possible to plumb this to a catch can just like the engine's crankcase ventilation. |
| 08:45 | To summarise the key points from this module before moving on, the main purpose of oil in our engine is lubrication. |
| 08:52 | In the most simple arrangements, the external plumbing of the oil system is very limited to as little as crankcase ventilation lines. |
| 09:01 | Adding oil coolers, remote filters, catch cans and forced induction into the mix naturally adds to our plumbing requirements. |
