Dry sump or accusump installation for a LS2 / LS3 Ultima

[Ult-Jim]

I am researching variations in spec for the Ultima I would like to own. One area I don't have much knowledge about for LS builds is preventing oil surge / starvation. For a proposed road licensed car and a want for being more than capable and reliable on track, is a dry sump installation possible? Does it fit, what is the cost, factory supplied parts? Any of you guys have photos? Excuse my lack of knowledge and so many questions. There are more and more second hand LS Ultimas coming onto the market and I want to be knowledgeable of spec variations (as I stare under rear clips at the engine) as I may be in a position to buy in the next 4 months.

Edited by Ult-Jim on Friday 13th April 19:15

[alfasteve]

Hi Jim
Welcome here I have decided to go for a dry sump system nowaday you have good options if you are going for a chevy engine in the US you have many options you can have the system for between 3500 and 5500

I have chosen for a 6 stage pump with an Air/Oil seperator that allows you to use a smaller Oil tank and is much more effecient but a bit more expensive

[alfasteve]

[Storer]

I may be wrong but I doubt you will find a dry sump LS2 engined Ultima. LS3 engines do not come with a dry sump as standard in the UK.

If you intend to track the car and drive it with some vigour then a dry sump is a better bet than an acusump. The standard LS7 dry sump should be OK for track days but is left wanting for racing.

The best bet is to keep reading old posts on here and learn more before you jump.


Paul

[200Plus Club]

i have a dry sumped ls6 in my t70, its the ARE kit which is pretty good, 2 stage though.

[ROWDYRENAULT]

I have a ARE system in my LS1. i WOULD NOT RUN A ULTIMA ON TRACK WITHOUT A DRYSUMP. Yes people have done it, yes it has worked. Yes folks have run an acusump and they have worked. Remind me again what oiling system is in virtualy every serious race car on the planet where the rules permit? Remind me why these same professional racers are willing to make the weight sacrifice to run a dry sump system rather than wet sump with or without an acusump? Do you really think Chevrolet went to the exspense and hassel of a dry sump on a production car because they wanted what? They did it because they warrenty these cars for a period of time and they know that they will see track time. if you have a somewhat normal car and you track it with a wet sump and it might achieve .90Gs with good baffels that will probably work. An Utima has recoreded 1.17 Gs on street tires. How much did that engine cost again? I have the bills for mine and the cost of a dry sump looks like pretty good ROI, RETURN ON INVESTMENT. lEE

[alfasteve]

Rowdy you are quite right and looking at the costs they are not significant rebuilding an engine ones is more greater amount than a dry sump system at least it is for the engine I am using
BMW V10
therefore I am using a real Dry sump syetem with air/oil seperator to make it more safe as air does not lubricate all that well

[Ult-Jim]

Thank you so much for the advice and photos. As an Ultima Forum lurker I am enjoying the research behind the specification I would like to consider in a car purchase / upgrade or build. And at the same time trying to have a handle of the costs to reach that aim so as to reduce the level of surprises in Ultima car ownership. Not being a natural engineer it makes it even more challenging and enjoyable for me.

Dry sump, exhaust, silencer & cat design plus gear box spec are at the top of my list of research and careful consideration (not too mention the engine itself) as they will ultimately affect the performace and outright value of the car and are the expensive items if done to a high quality level. Ult-jim