Sump plate

[Charles P]

In my pressure fed engine I don't need the oil sieve/filter because it's got a full flow filter. However I have replaced the sieve/filter with a 1/4 steel plate with some 5/8 holes in it. My thinking was to add some strength and have a horizontal baffle against oil surge.

Since the engine is going back together now I'm questioning the "strength" value. Would a lighter baffle be sensible? 

What have other people fitted?

Thanks 

Charles

[Alan]

I’ve kept the sieve in mine. I’m not sure how much stiffness a plate will add, ( I might be able to get a friendly CAD jockey to work that out) but all my engines are flexibly mounted. No problems so far.........

[Tom Coates]

Mine has a piece of 10mm aluminium plate with a couple of  big holes in it. This is sandwiched between the original filter and the crank case with some longer bolts holding it all together. I don't know how much stiffness it adds but I think that possibly the effect of filling in the open side of a box could be greater than the stiffness of the plate on its own (maybe wishful thinking?) In any case it can't do any harm!...

I would think that aluminium would be lighter than steel and easier to shape.

Are you going to be at Wiscombe?

[Chris KC]

I believe it's possible to fix oil leaks to all intents and purposes without resorting to such measures - I'd save the weight (unless you fear an ME109 might have a go at you from below? In which event a bit of armour plate has much to commend it). Personally I just fit the strainer, if only to catch some of the bits in case of engine disintegration.

[dickie65]

Hi Charles,

I have got a cast plate with a downturned 4" hole in the centre, this bolts in where the sump gauze was.
It has a copper gauze held on with a large worm drive clamp.
The gauze has saved my oil system from a few bits debris in the past, the plate also works as surge baffle.
It has been in the engine since the 1990's.
I can not remember where I got from, it might have been Tim Myall.

The plate is supposed the stiffen the crankcase an work as an oil baffle.
The Supersports / Ulster alloy sump will also stiffen the crankcase.

Probably not worthwhile for a road cars, but useful on a competition car.

[merlinart]

I believe it's possible to fix oil leaks to all intents and purposes without resorting to such measures - I'd save the weight (unless you fear an ME109 might have a go at you from below? In which event a bit of armour plate has much to commend it). Personally I just fit the strainer, if only to catch some of the bits in case of engine disintegration.

A Bf 109 if you don't mind! What about an Me 110 though, a G, with 20mm "Schrage Musik" kanonen!

Arthur

[Ian Williams]

Charles I made a windage tray from much thiner material ( probably 16g or 14g was a few years ago so forgive the memory ) which as stood up to the rigours for quite a number of seasons plus a few road miles.


  003 Windage Tray.JPG (Size: 150.36 KB / Downloads: 422)

[Tony Press]

In my pressure fed engine I don't need the oil sieve/filter because it's got a full flow filter. However I have replaced the sieve/filter with a 1/4 steel plate with some 5/8 holes in it. My thinking was to add some strength and have a horizontal baffle against oil surge.

Since the engine is going back together now I'm questioning the "strength" value. Would a lighter baffle be sensible? 

What have other people fitted?

Thanks 

Charles

I don't believe a 'bolted on' plate would add anything to the  crankcase stiffness !

Cheers, Tony.

[Charles P]

So the consensus is that the strength thing is a red herring. Good.

In which case I'll steal Ian Williams' idea for a baffle plate.

Thanks all

Charles

[Ian Williams]

Charles I can not take any credit as I stole the idea from Frank Hernandez, it works well though!