R300 Duratech - To Dry Sump or Not?

[akb]

Guys,

 

I am looking at an R300 for spirited road and trackday use. The dry sump is an option on a new R300 but standard on the R4/500. I understand that in the K-series it was considered highly recommended but there seem to be conflicting advice for the Duratech.

 

Does any one have experience of this / strong opinions either way.

 

If I were not to fit one and wish to fit one later any thoughts on the cost of kit plus fitting?

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Andrew

[timbo]

Should have very little problems with wet sump, provided you keep a careful eye on oil levels.

 

wanting more cc's in the busa

[RiF]

Raceline wet sump works very well. People have done race series with them. My car worked well.

 

RiF Building a real super SUPER 7 with a V6 😬 😬 😬.For Build Pictures and LOTS of Carbon or try CA07BON for Henrietta's 7

[Jam3s]

Caterham cars supply a duratech dry sump conversion kit for the price of £1,899 inc vat

 

DRY SUMP CLICKY

 

J7BYY

Kwak Green SLR

[John Vine]

The only oil-related problem I've encountered with my wet-sump R400D has been smoke on fast right-handers (such as Mcleans at Donny), caused by surging oil being ingested via the plenum. Rerouting the crankcase breather direct to a catchtank solved that problem entirely.

 

JV

[k80rum]

I've gone for a wet sump on my self-built engine which is a slight increase on an R500 spec. I've gone wet sump because a fellow Blatchatter has done several seasons with a wet sumped car on slicks and no oil/bearing issues following each engine stripdown.

 

On that basis it should be fine for the road and occasional track so long as the following are observed;

You'd be well-advised to run an oil cooler

The oil level is well maintained as Timbo says

Your breathers are well-vented as John mentions

 

Edited by - k80rum on 22 Sep 2009 18:49:26

[Pendennis]

Duratec Raceline wet sump is fine for any application.

 

That Caterham dry sump system is actually a Raceline internal dry sump system which on a road going car does not require an oil cooler.

 

On a Duratec, you have two choices and they are both excellent. If your a road going car with the odd trackday, you should choose the wet sump. If your car is an out and out track vehicle, the DS kit is best, mainly because of ground clearance and a bit of heat reduction .

 

If your not bothered about cash, get the DS kit

[Jason Plato]

the wet sump is fine on slicks and I have raced with that setup.

 

You need to be very carefull with the oil level and there is a problem with very high oil temps after about 10 miles on track, I use a 16 row cooler but it still reaches 120degC aftr about 20>25 miles on track. This may be in part as a result of oil airation ?. I'm toying with fitting a oil air sperator to see if this improves the situation. Its not a problem, but it could be improved.

 

The wet sump also provides a significant weight saving vs the dry sump.

 

 

 

here is my Duratec R .... C7 TOP

Taffia joint AO with Al

 

[John Vine]

What oil do you use, Dave?

 

JV

[Pendennis]

Dave 120C is too high. I know the oil can probably take it, but your loosing GG's. I use to have a 25 row because of this, oil was 5W 40. Oil temp was 110C all day long.

 

Now I have the Raceline internal DS system, which IS lighter than their Wet Sump system because the components simply are lighter and then there is the new bellhousing, which again is lighter. Trust me there is a significant weight saving

Both systems need about 5.5-6 litres of oil. Oil I now use with this system is 10W 60. Oh forgot to say new oil cooler is 16 row, which is a bit over the top as it doesn't go over 90C. Without oil cooler I saw 140C

 

Want to rent an 18th century Farmhouse in Rural Somerset?

[Martin J]

I thought another benefit of a dry sump system was that it liberated a little extra power as the crank wasn't thrashing around in the oil contained by a wet sump

[Pendennis]

To be fair Martin, the Raceline wet sump system with their revised windage tray does not allow the crank to be thrashing around in the oil

 

Want to rent an 18th century Farmhouse in Rural Somerset?

[Jason Plato]

What oil do you use, Dave?

---

 

5w/40 but consdiering a change to 5w/30 which is the Ford spec for a std bottom end, no point in using a heavier oil ?

 

here is my Duratec R .... C7 TOP

Taffia joint AO with Al

 

[John Vine]

Thanks, Dave. That's what I use -- the standard (Mondeo) Ford oil, in fact -- although I see the CC Handbook recommends Caterham Motorsport 5W-50 (which is what I used to put in my old Supersport-R).

 

JV

[elie boone]

Last weekend i have seen the R300 and R400 race at Spa, the R300 has an sort of apollo but the R400 has dry sump.