Ground clearance with Duratec dry sump

[Birkin S3 ZA.]

I have changed motors today from Zetec to my new Duratec, one of the things I want to get right is the motor at the right height.

 

I bought new Birkin engine mountings and when fitted the motor is still 50mm lower than the car even with a dry sump, I have cut and modified the cam cover so I would have enough room under the bonnet.

 

So I cut the mounts and raised the motor 30mm and gearbox 10mm so only the bell housing is lower than the car by 20mm.

 

I want to lower the car when its all finished and running so I will have about 70mm ground clearance or less.

For those of you running the same motors, how much lower is your sump than the car.

I have nothing to gauge it by here this is the first car with a Duratec in Natal and the first one I have done.

I am very happy with the way things are going so far any suggestions welcome.

 

[Pendennis]

Hi, I use the Raceline internal dry sump system, which I believe is shallowest sump on the market, coupled with their bellhousing, also smallest.

With driver in the car, the ride height at front is 105mm, that's measured opposite rear of wheel (not tyre). With this I have approximately 70mm of clearance at the bellhousing/rear of sump, so that is 35mm. I do have some rake on the car, which unfortunately I have yet to work out why I need it

Standard PVC cam cover oil cap knats cock underneath bonnet, so could come up with their low line cover, but your raising c.o.g. of engine is not good!

[7 wonders of the world]

The Raceline DS sump gives you an additional 35mm of ground clearance at the front edge compare with the Raceline / CC wet sump.

 

If your budget will allow go for the Raceline DS, many reason to do so, but many that the wet sumps are not the best from a performance point, BM me if you want more details on this.

 

Regards the oil filler cap there are two type bayonet or screw type, the former needs a little cutting down with the hole you uncover filler with epoxy - pretty straight forward but you can gain another 8mm of bonnet clearance easily.

[Birkin S3 ZA.]

Hi Pendennis, mine is also the Raceline dry sump and the bell housing is only 5mm lower than the flywheel.

As you point out lifting the motor by 30 mm is not good, but I am lowering the whole car 30mm so the motor is not really raised as far as ground clearance goes.

 

not quite sure which is the best way It just looked so weird with so much clearance on top of the motor, I could still go 20mm more but just want enough to fit flat under tray

 

Edited by - Birkin S3 ZA. on 5 Oct 2013 20:58:31

[Birkin S3 ZA.]

Hi 7 wotw, Budget has all but gone now with all the right parts from Ammo and Raceline.

I cut the high side of the rocker cover level with the low side and took off the filler and cam sensor, even lowered the front where the cam chain runs by 20mm.

 

Oil filler will now go onto the oil tank, I have managed to fit all the things on the inlet side even the water outlet and the laminar oil cooler to keep the oil pipes short.

Now have a huge space under the exhaust headers that I want to try and keep that way.

[Pendennis]

Hi again, raising the engine in the chassis is not good because your raising the roll centre, although its height in relation to ground level has no bearing on chassis roll, I wouldn't worry about it, you may as well use the space under the bonnet to gain sump clearance

 

You could fit spacers underneath those engine mounts to raise it all, no doubt the gearbox mount would also need adjustment. The Duratec in the Caterham chassis ideally needs to be 1 degree nose down for prop alignment, what is it in the Birkin?

[Birkin S3 ZA.]

Pendennis YHM

[Rob Walker]

I raise all my 2L duratecs 6mm ontop of the raceline engine mounts, use 3X2mm washers. then set the front whishbones roughly parallel with the ground, this gives me around 80mm clearance between the front edge of the bell housing and the road. I do not raise the 2.3Ls as the engine is 13mm taller.

 

Edited by - Rob Walker on 6 Oct 2013 20:17:12