Hello All, I want to add a Moroso oil accumulator and was looking for ideas on the most practical location for it. Ive searched and have not come up with much. looking under and around the car Im thinking I may have to do it behind the front fascia cover but was hoping to have access to it. Anyone done or seen this on a C5z..
Any input would be appreciated
Thanks
Jeff

 

I've installed several accusumps, which are similar, in a variety of cars. For the C5 the go to spot is behind the drivers side front fender.

 

Here's a pic of my 3qt Canton Accusump tucked behind my fender just forward of the drivers side door similar to what's

mentioned in above post. Be careful how you route the oil line near the header (hot!) and not too close to the wheel in case of a blow-out. Mine was installed by Vengeance Racing for the previous owner so I can't give you too many installation tips.

 

Thanks for the reply. Im doing a oil cooler at the same time with the block that goes above the oil filter that has a in and out 10an fitting setup if you know what Im refering to. Have you done this and did you incorporate the accumulator into that piping to the return side or tap into the oil pan directly?
thanks for any advice you can offer...

thanks for the reply, looks pretty smart how the guage can be seen by opening the door... nicely done...

 

Are you going to be using the "sandwich plate" at the filter? If so keep in mind your oil filter will sit pretty low, maybe below the pan. I was considering that for a future oil cooler setup but a recent "off road" scenic adventure at my last track day changed my mind. Need to watch out for speed bumps on the street also, don't want to rip that filter off! I'm on the lookout for a cooler/Accusump plumbing configuration. Need to see somebody else's install.

 

Jeff, the one you see in the photo is my own personal car and I do run an oil cooler. I use a take-off block in place of the factory "u turn" cover (a terrible restriction). Much like what you are describing. The above version is the latest way I do the installation. The best way, IMO, is to use a tee fitting on the oil cooler return line combined with a check valve on the inlet and attach the accusump hose on the tee side. I did another install for a friend who I explained all options to and he chose to go the least expensive route because he had a dewitts cooler on his car already installed with the hardlines they supply. In that case the accusump was plumbed directly into the oil galley port on the driver's side front of the block. That is the easiest way to do it, but I would not choose that for my car. There are two reasons. First is that the oil pump gears are being relied upon as a check valve so that the oil from the accusump goes into the oil galley as opposed to back in the pan. The gears probably do a good job, but I personally don't like the idea. Second is that the oil traveling from the front oil galley port has a much, much longer path to get to the important parts of the motor that the accusump is trying to protect (mainly the crank bearings). Unfortunately, the factory blocks do not have priority main oiling so the crank bearings get oil last after the valvetrain. In addition, the front oil galley inlet requires the oil to still go through the filter, and if you have an oil cooler, through that as well. It's a very long way to get to crank bearings and it may just be too late if the motor runs dry at high rpm.
That all being said, these types of things are a good idea, but not a complete solution to oil starvation. They cannot replace the performance of a proper multi-stage dry sump.
Another thing to consider is using a manual actuation valve. The electric valves are good on paper, but real world experience for me has been otherwise. Back when I was racing (not corvette) everyone ran accusumps because dry sump was not allowed. Just about every car with an electric valve blew up of oil starvation at some point. The manual valve cars did not. I tried the electric valves that accusump used to sell on my corvette initially (since it's mostly a street car) and still saw ZERO oil pressure (according to factory instruments) at times every time I ran the car on track. I had to basically back off the throttle to keep oil pressure up after certain corners. When I decided to junk the electric valve and install a manual one (earls in my car although I've used others) I decided to take apart the electric valve and how on earth anyone decided to use it for such an application is beyond me. The old electric valves are not suited for engine oil flow. They were never designed for that. I often see them on hydraulic machinery. Supposedly accusump upgraded the electric valves years ago, but I would never install one.

 

Lots of ways to skin this cat. Here's a post with some info on the way I did it (like the others have already shown):

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1592456225

It was a tough call on whether to use the front galley plug or oil cooler block. I had read a benefit of the front galley is that it keeps the oil pump primed.

 

no I’m using the adapter that bolts in place of the oil sensor right above the oil filter. Put it on today and found the stock oil sensor doesn’t fit so just ordered the lc5-100 sensor to fit my oil block..

 

that’s a wealth of experience and information. Thank you. I will now plumb it into the cooler return line as you have stated and manual valve for sure.. I’m assuming the check valve would be on the return line before the “T” fitting?
thanks for the great info and explanation.. great help..

 

thanks for the reply ! Honestly initially I wanted to avoid taking the fender apart to do the accumulator. I have to remove the front bumper for the oil cooler and was thinking of installing it there but after seeing the reply’s and explanations , I will just go in the fender and keep the oil line distance closer that way..

 

Correct. The check valve attaches directly to the tee fitting on the inlet side from the oil cooler. In my current install I used an earls ultra pro in -10AN which required me to get a tee that has a female -10AN on one side of the run. I have also used the brass check valves with the stainless ball in other installs. Those are much less expensive but have FNPT threads so an additional adapter is needed on the inlet side to make it male -10AN. They are also heavier. I have no data to prove it, but IMO the flapper type such as the one I use now flow better and are faster acting. They can also be opened up and serviced.
As I pointed out above I also use the earls ultra pro ball valve. It required me to make a bracket for the lever to be able to actuate correctly with a remote cable. However, it is a quality product and lighter than the canton or similar brass ball valve. It's also completely modular and rebuildable. To mount it to the frame I made an aluminum custom mount.

FWIW, I don't use a permanently mounted pressure gauge. What I did was have a proper length -3 hose made that attaches to the air side of the accusump (bottom in my case) and ran it up into the engine compartment near the hood latch. On that end I have a shrader valve. I use a tire pressure gauge to check the pressure and adjust as needed. From time to time I open the ball valve and pressurize the accusump with about 50psi of air to assure the piston is bottomed out then adjust the pressure to 7psi.