Oil Starvation

So here's the deal...all aluminum DLM dry sump engine (Brodix block) on a fresh professional rebuild. Ran 2 laps in warm ups and checked the Oberg filter and it was PACKED with bearing material. Pulled the motor and took it to the engine shop and when they disassembled it, we were told it has all the classic signs of oil starvation. All the rod bearings are gone and mains were on the verge. However, as the driver I saw first hand the oil pressure was great (80+ psi at full throttle, 20+ at idle) the whole time it was running. Can anyone think of a scenario in which an engine would have great oil pressure but still be starving the bearings for oil? Our builder is at a loss right now and I don't want to put it back together until I can find the smoking gun.

Pulling out on the racetrack before warming up the oil will kill an all aluminum engine.Its hard enough on an all steel engine but death on an all aluminum engine.

We run on alcohol and always let the car run in the pits at idle for 5+ minutes to get the oil and water temps up before going out and running at race speed. Is it enough to damage the engine even at low idle speeds for heat building purposes?

We do run a dry sump tank heater to pre heat the oil before firing ours...

Ran 2 laps, was normal or you pulled off for some reason?
What temps did you see warming the motor at idle?
Plumbing correct on the pump?

talked to an engine builder this weekend and he said many guys are putting two return lines on to get the oil back quicker and solve this

Ran two laps because that's all the longer our warm up session was (thankfully) and it ran normal the whole time, still had 20 lbs oil pressure at idle when it shut off. Oil temp had built enough to start the move the gauge before running (150 degrees or so). The plumbing is correct on the pump....it has three scavenge lines out of the pan and one out of the top of the top block at the mid plate. Then two #16 lines back to the oil tank. Out of the oil tank and back into the pump, out of the pump into a remote oil filter, out of the oil filter and into the oil feed at the front of the block.

We have been having an issue lately as well. Cant even get off the dyno without burning bearings out. What kind of pump and what filter adapter are you running?

It's a Wulff pump and I don't remember exactly which adapter it is, but it takes the large racing filter (like a Fram HP6) and it has four total oil ports (two on each side). We did verify that it was plumbed correctly and not reversed. We've run this same configuration for a while on other motors and never had any problems, so I'm thinking that whatever problem we are having it's internal to the motor.

What brand crank and rods? and who's oil pan? Just throwing out things that i'm not 100% sure about on ours. we are running a stock mount sandwich adapter

Eagle crank, Dyers rods, Champ pan

i think ours is a scat crank. How much compression and hp is yours? any chance you are pushing the eagle stuff past its limits and not staying round?

Are you using push style hose fitting, or are you using the steel braided likes with the screw together fittings? Had a problem with the steel braided line When I put the fitting into the inside rubber of the braided line, The male part of the fitting shaved a little pick of the rubber from the side wall and it acted like a rubber flap inside the line. Causing a partial restriction. Which you would have normal pressure but no volume. Just something else to check out. Mike

About 14.5:1 compression. Dyno'd 733 HP. So I guess it's possible, but I've talked to other guys running Eagle stuff with good success.

And also I am using the steel braid with the screw together fittings, they were a MAJOR pain the ass to put together. So I won't rule anything out there either. I will check into it.

Sounds real simliar to our set up..Wulff 5 stage pump with an internal manifold, (3) #12 from pan, (1) #10 from right rear top of block, we use (1) #16 for return line and (1) #16 for oil feed line to pressure side of pump, #12 to remote filter and then cooler and #12 to front of engine block..All Braided lines except the return #16..

Do you guys vent the valve covers? Stittracer you have any pics of bearings?

Yep our driver side valve cover is vented. I don't have any pics and didn't even see the bearings first hand. My dad was at the engine shop when they tore it apart and saw them. He said they went through all of the oil passages and couldn't find any debris and none of the bearings had any signs of debris either. I can check to see if they still have the bearings and if I can get any pics.

We don't vent the valve covers..There is a ball check type vent tube in the intake manifold under the carb pad..

Might try a valve cover with a breather set.

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Originally Posted by justadddirt

might try a valve cover with a breather set.

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do you have the srings in the suction lines to prevent them from collapsing??