Dry Sump Lubrication
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 581
Likes: 4
From: Dallas
C32 AMG
Most cars (like our Benzes) have a "wet sump" which is basically a big bucket at the bottom of the engine where the oil is kept. The oil pump sucks the oil from the sump and distributes it throughout the engine, and it drains back into the sump.
Porsche 911s before 1999 have a true dry sump, which is a separate tank that contains the oil. This allows a lower center of gravity (wet sumps have to stick down far enough from the engine to contain all the oil without any "splashing" from the crankshaft). The tank is conected via oil lines to the engine. 911 engines have something like 11 quarts of oil (they use it for cooling, as well, remember).
I had an '88 911 Targa, sold it for a '97 993. I traded the 993 in for my C32. What kind of Porsche do you have, Angel_Dust?
Porsche 911s before 1999 have a true dry sump, which is a separate tank that contains the oil. This allows a lower center of gravity (wet sumps have to stick down far enough from the engine to contain all the oil without any "splashing" from the crankshaft). The tank is conected via oil lines to the engine. 911 engines have something like 11 quarts of oil (they use it for cooling, as well, remember).
I had an '88 911 Targa, sold it for a '97 993. I traded the 993 in for my C32. What kind of Porsche do you have, Angel_Dust?
Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Dallas
CLK55
very good description!
yep - you can lower the engine for better center of gravity - I think the new M3 has a partial dry sump now. pretty sure dry sump is standard fair on ferraris (have the monaco F! on the brain today)
windage (sp?) trays in the oil pan (kinda like baffles) also helps with the splashing of oil by the crank so it doesn't get frothed (is that a word? - hope you now what I mean)...
sometimes on turbo cars you even get oil squirters (well, maybe not just turbo cars now that I think about it) that spray oil onto the bottom of the pistons for additional cooling - there are all sorts of oil cooling tricks out there
shell
CLK55
13.7 @ 107
windage (sp?) trays in the oil pan (kinda like baffles) also helps with the splashing of oil by the crank so it doesn't get frothed (is that a word? - hope you now what I mean)...
sometimes on turbo cars you even get oil squirters (well, maybe not just turbo cars now that I think about it) that spray oil onto the bottom of the pistons for additional cooling - there are all sorts of oil cooling tricks out there
shell
CLK55
13.7 @ 107
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 581
Likes: 4
From: Dallas
C32 AMG
The Boxster and 996 have "semi-dry" sumps - the oil is stored in the pan (which is part of the engine) but it is off to the side, sorta.
I think the main reason is cost. On a race car you want to do everything you can to lower the center of gravity. Porsche decided to do it (back in 1964) with the 911, but very few other cars have dry sumps. Even Ferrari and Lamborghini use wet sumps, I believe (although I could be wrong on this - will check).
Porsche themselves went to a semi-dry solution.
I don't think a Mercedes would get any advantage from it - they are not really "that" kind of car (although my C32 doesn't seem to understand this
)
I think the main reason is cost. On a race car you want to do everything you can to lower the center of gravity. Porsche decided to do it (back in 1964) with the 911, but very few other cars have dry sumps. Even Ferrari and Lamborghini use wet sumps, I believe (although I could be wrong on this - will check).
Porsche themselves went to a semi-dry solution.
I don't think a Mercedes would get any advantage from it - they are not really "that" kind of car (although my C32 doesn't seem to understand this
)
