SoundGuyDave
This Space For Rent
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Okay, as promised, here is the writeup. Pictures will have to wait until I have the front fascia off again, but I can't honestly say when that will be, so I thought I would post this first.
What it is: The Canton Accusump is an oil accumulator, and essentially provides a pressure reserve in the oil system of the car. For racing conditions, this provides a measure of safety for the engine in the event of g-force induced starvation, or in the event of an oil pump failure. For non-racing conditions, the accumulator can provide a pre-oiling function, allowing pressure to build prior to spinning the engine over to start the car.
How it works: The Accusump is very simply a cylinder with a piston inside that is balanced between an air pressure pre-charge on one side, and pressurized oil on the other. The oil side is fitted with a valve to turn the sump on and off, and in the event of a pump failure or pickup starvation, the pressurized oil in the accumulator will flow into the engine, maintaining pressure for a few vital seconds until the engine can be shut down.
In use: Ideally, you want the valve to open prior to starting the engine to allow a build in oil pressure before cranking, and you want to shut the valve before shutting the engine down, so that you have a charge available for the next time you start the engine.
Installation design: The basic installation design is very simple. Some way for the Accusump to be connected to the return side of the oil system needs to be set up, and then a simple –AN hose is routed from the accumulator valve to the oil system. For vehicles with external oil coolers or remote-mounted oil filters, this is as simple as installing a “running tee” fitting between the block and the return side of the external oil system goodies, but for “stock” systems, it will require some additional parts, like an oil filter sandwich adapter. Please note that on the S197 chassis, there is NOT a lot of clearance between the filter and the front swaybar, so a thin sandwich adapter will be required. As we are dealing with pressure, the physical location of the accumulator is essentially immaterial, which is a good thing, as there are not that many places to stuff one of these in the car.
Valves: There are essentially two different types of valves that can be used with the accumulator to control oil flow: mechanical (ball-valve with a handle) and electronic (simple solenoid). The mechanical valve is the most basic, and in some ways the best, as you can just “crack” the valve open before start, and while warming the engine to prevent excess oil from being pulled from the engine at startup, and then open it wide open before vehicle operation. Obviously, however, that requires that the valve be mounted within the driver’s reach. There is a cable-operated variation that performs the same function, allowing the cable to be in the driver’s compartment, and the valve and Accusump to be mounted elsewhere. Both of the above, however, will certainly have an impact on the aesthetics of the interior. If you have a fire-bottle handle or parachute release already installed, then it won’t be a big deal, but if you don’t want to have a “hard core” race interior in your daily driver, the electric valve may be your best option. The electric valve is a simple solenoid, where energizing the terminal opens the valve. For simplicity’s sake, you can just wire the power source (it pulls approximately 4A of current) to a key-on power source, as can be found in the SJB in the passenger’s footwell. If you’re running an electric valve, however, the valve is an “all or none” type of deal, and on cold-startup, can cause some issues as it will pull a LOT of oil out of the system to store the 80-90PSI pressure. The solution here, is to add a Canton “EPC” valve inline with the solenoid. The EPC valve is a pressure-sensing relay and valve, available in several different pressure ratings, that reduces the flow of oil during high-pressure periods to a trickle, and opens fully at lower pressures (below it’s rating), like during pre-oiling or starvation. The down-side here, however, is that the valve will only allow the rated amount of pressure to feed back to the engine. Selecting the correct EPC valve is critical. Too high a pressure rating, and the accumulator will bleed down it’s charge when the engine is hot, and too low a rating, and the oil pressure supplied will be insufficient to keep the engine alive in the event of an oil system issue. While cold-start oil pressure can easily hit 90PSI in the 3-valve motor, hot oil pressure can drop into the 30PSI range, depending on the amount of heat in the oil.
System Design and Installation: This section will be broken down into three sections, dealing with a basic installation for a “race” prepped car with a mechanical valve, a more advanced installation for a street car using an electric valve, and finally adding an oil filter relocation to allow access to the oil system, applicable to both. As each of us have different mods that may affect the installation, this is not really a universal how-to, so much as it is a guide to the basics. I will attempt to list all the parts required, and for simplicity’s sake, I will use Canton and Earls part numbers exclusively. You may, of course substitute at will, but the parts list will at least give you an idea of what you need. Pricing on the parts is from Accusump.com and ANPlumbing.com, and are accurate as of 20 April, 2009.
RACE/MECHANICAL: This is not really applicable to a street car, but is typical of the installation in a race-only vehicle. The “top-side” parts required are as follows:
Accusump accumulator: 3-qt model (24-006) $222.00
Manual ball valve (24-260) $15.60
Mounting clamps (24-200) $20.40
½”NPT male to -10 male adapter (981610) $4.88
-10 straight hose end (800110) $10.61
Start by assembling the Accusump. Use some Teflon tape on the supplied pipe nipple, and screw it into the oil side of the accumulator, then screw the valve onto the pipe nipple. Make sure the joints are all tight, and then, again using Teflon tape, screw the -10 to ½”NPT adapter to the end of the valve. Next, fit the band clamps to the accumulator housing, making sure the bands ride over the “mounting clamps must cover this label” stickers. Mount the Accusump clamps to the passenger’s side of the trans tunnel, with ¼” or 5/16” bolts (fender washer on the inside of the tunnel) so that the body of the accumulator is next to, but across from the driver’s seat, ensuring that the valve is within reach when you’re all strapped in. Next, drill a 1” hole in the firewall at a convenient location to allow you to run the hose from the accumulator to the oil system. As an option, you can use the 24-506 cable-actuated valve ($90.00) to provide alternate mounting of the Accusump itself, like right on the floor in front of a passenger seat, or behind the rollcage in the rear-seat area, or in the trunk, for example. In this case, the mounting location is up to you, and you simply route the 6’ pull-cable (similar to a trunk release cable) from the valve mounted on the Accusump to wherever you want to mount the T-handle to control the accumulator. It is supplied with a nice dual-cable mounting bracket, which would be ideal for both the sump control and a remote pull for a fire-bottle.
STREET/ELECTRICAL: This locates the Accusump outside of the driver’s compartment, allowing the interior to remain near-stock, adding only a small toggle switch, within reach of the driver when seated and belted in. This switch can be mounted anywhere you may desire, and as such I will not detail the procedure to install a switch, but I will detail the wiring. “Top-side” parts are as follows:
Canton Accusump: 2qt model (shorter by 4” allows more mounting flexibility)24-026 ($210.00)
EPC valve kit (24-273: 35-40PSI) $186.00 comes with most of the required wiring.
Mounting clamps (24-200) $20.40
½”NPT male to -10 male adapter (981610) $4.88
-10 straight hose end (800110) $10.61
“Add-A-Fuse” kit for mini-ATO fuses (parts store: $5.00)
5A mini-ATO fuse (parts store: $2.00 for a 5-pack)
(optional) submini SPST toggle switch (Radio Shack: $3.00)
Start by determining where you want the switch mounted, and then mount the switch. Next, pull the cover plate over the SJB in the passenger’s footwell, and install the “Add-A-Fuse” to an open terminal that has key-on power, then connect a wire from the “Add-A-Fuse” to one terminal of the switch. Next, route the switch to the engine bay. There are cable glands on either side of the car on the firewall that will allow you to pass from the passenger compartment to the engine bay, located behind the rear splash panels of the wheel wells. You may need to slit the gland nipple with a razor knife, and make sure to cable-tie the wire to existing harnesses to keep it away from suspension components. Next, assemble the EPC valve and the solenoid valve per the instructions, using Teflon tape on all pipe-thread connections. Finish the assembly off by adding the -10 to ½”NPT adapter, again using Teflon tape. Next, determine your desired mounting location for the Accusump. Assuming that you want to keep it out of the passenger compartment of the car, the most likely locations would be behind the front bumper (will need to fabricate and weld a mounting plate to the back side of the beam), in the engine bay where the battery sat (if the battery is relocated), or in the trunk. There are other locations, I’m sure, however, these seem the most likely areas to support an assembly of this size. Notes: If you go with the former battery location, you’ll need to install a 90* pipe elbow (Earls 991404: $24.99) in the valve stack somewhere to make it fit. If you go with the trunk-mount location, you’ll need to drill a 1” hole in the trunk somewhere to get the hose to the underside of the car. Now, route the wire you pulled from the switch to the valve stack, and follow the Canton directions for wiring up the rest of the valve stack. Finish the electrical by routing a short wire from the valve stack to ground, and you are done. Make sure that all your wiring is secured to the car to prevent rubbing or chafing, and use corrugated tubing where appropriate. As a final note: The SJB terminal described is hot immediately when the ignition is turned on, but has a turn-off delay that is linked to the driver’s door. You will either need to remember to turn off the switch before shutting the car down, or open the door pretty quickly after shutting off to avoid bleeding down the oil pressure charge.
ADDING THE OIL PLUMBING: The simplest (and best way, in my opinion) is to combine adding the Accusump to an external oil filter and/or cooler system. There are a few advantages to this, and the only real disadvantage is cost. By remote-mounting your filter, you add some oil capacity to the system, allow you to use extremely readily available filters of larger capacity (Motorcraft FL-1A), and there is a slight cooling effect from having the filter further away from the block. If you’re running a turbo kit, or have a lot of kit installed in front of the accessory drives (Vortech supercharger, Saleen blower with the relocated alternator, etc.) this will also make for easier access to the filter. Basic parts list is as follows:
Canton 22-598 22mm 90* rotating filter adapter. $84.00
Canton 22-610 remote filter mount (has Accusump terminal built in) $69.60
½”NPT to -10 adapter (981610: $4.88) 3 needed
½”NPT to -10 90* adapter (982210: $15.25) 2 needed
-10 90* fitting (809110: 23.49) 3 needed
-10 straight hose end (800110: $10.61) 2 needed
10’ of 5/8” heater hose (Parts store: $15.00) for mock-up of hose assemblies
3’ of 7/8” heater hose (parts store: $10.00) for abrasion reduction.
-10AN braided stainless hose: length to be determined by Accusump and filter location. (410010: $89.51 for a 10’ pre-cut) 7 feet required for described installation.
Begin by determining the best location for the filter mount and filter, such as directly below the headlight bucket on the driver’s side, or replacing the washer fluid reservoir on the passenger side. The advantage to these two locations is that there is almost no obstruction, the filter can be swapped from underneath without pulling anything out of the way, and it keeps the hose routing short. Once the mounting location has been determined, begin assembling the filter adapter and the new filter mount. Use Teflon tape on all pipe-thread joints, and make sure the adapters are tight. Remove the stock FL-820 filter, and install the filter adapter, rotating it so that the AN fittings are aiming towards the top of the frame horn below the headlight bucket. Next, assemble the adapters on the filter mount. Use the two 90* pipe-to-AN adapters on the inlet and outlet ports, aligned so that the -10 fitting is pointing directly upwards, and is approximately even with the top of the frame horn. Now, using a section of 5/8” heater hose cut to approximately 3’ length, mock up the block-to-filter line. Start by adding a 90* fitting to one end, and then connect that to the remote filter inlet adapter, routing the hose over the frame rail. Make another piece with a 90* end, and connect that to the remote filter outlet, also routed over the frame horn. This will allow you to determine the proper mounting location for the filter-mount bracket, with an eye towards keeping the lines “floating” above the frame rail, to minimize chafing. Mount the filter mount bracket to the frame rail, using self-tapping screws, or drilling all the way through and using nuts and bolts. Now, using the heater-hose test lines, determine the proper length for each of the two hoses, and add straight fittings to the hoses, and test fit. Once you have determined the proper lengths of hose, remove the ends, and use the heater hose as a template to cut the braided stainless to the proper lengths. Assemble the hoses (instructional video available at the ANplumbing.com website), and install them, making sure to properly tighten them down. Next, using the rest of your heater hose, mock up the run from your accumulator to the top port on the remote filter mount, with a 90* fitting at the remote filter mount, and a straight fitting at the Accusump, and once the hose is fitted properly (no sharp bends, no kinks, minimal rubbing on anything), make the final hose and install it. NOTE: If any of the hoses are rubbing against anything (frame rail, AC line, PS line, wiring harness, etc.) you MUST isolate them! Take some of the 7/8” heater hose, slit it, wrap it around the braided line, and then use cable-ties to lock it in place. The stainless braid will act like a saw over time, and it WILL cut whatever it rubs against! If the two hoses want to rub against each other, you can get a spacer clamp (Earls: 167215 polished, 167115 blue, or 167015 red: $19.89 for a 2-pack) to isolate them.
If you are contemplating adding an accumulator at the same time you’re having an engine built, talk to your machine shop about adding a ½”NPT port drilled right into the main oil gallery, and you can simply plumb the Accumulator directly into the oil passages of the block itself.
FINAL STEPS: The bulk of the installation is done, and there are just a few steps remaining to finish the installation. First, pre-charge the air side of the Accusump with approximately 20PSI (Schroeder valve, fills like a tire), and let that sit for at least 12 hours to ensure that there are no air leaks. This is very important, since if the air bleeds out, the accumulator will become hydraulically locked, and will not function. Next, take a new FL-1A filter, fill it with oil, and screw it onto the remote filter mount, and don’t forget to spread a thin film of oil on the filter gasket. You will want to do this every time you swap filters, to avoid creating a huge air pocket. After the static test is completed successfully, add two quarts of oil to the engine, turn the Accusump off, and then fire the engine, and immediately open the valve, wait 2-3 seconds, close the valve, and shut off the engine. Check your oil level, adding as necessary to bring the level up to full. Repeat the above until you have no further change in oil level, and it’s stable at “full.” Visually inspect your oil lines for leaks (seepage is NOT normal, and should be corrected immediately!), then open the sump, wait a half second or so, and fire the engine. Check the air gauge on the Accusump, and you should see approximately the same pressure reading as you get from your oil pressure gauge. If all is good so far, run the final test, and shut the engine off, keeping the Accusump open. You should continue to see oil pressure for several seconds after shut-down, with the pressure eventually falling to zero. Double-check your oil level, and confirm that it is WAY over the “full” mark. You will need to do this every time you change your oil, so that you get all the old stuff out. Close the sump, re-fire the engine, open the sump, wait 5-10 seconds, then shut down. Re-check your oil level, which should read “full,” and you’re now done. The kit as described will add a little over three quarts of oil to your total system capacity.
MY INSTALLATION: Mine is a little different than the “generic” instructions that I wrote, so I thought I would walk you through it, so that you can see what can be done, as well a possibly learn from my errors. As I’m more of a corner-carver than a drag guy, my priorities are a little different, and to that end, my project was to add a Setrab oil cooler plus a location to for an oil temp sender that was at the block outlet. The Accusump was merely the icing on the cake. In an attempt to be frugal, and not wanting to spend the “ridiculous” amount of money on the Canton billet pieces, I used a Trans-Dapt remote filter mount, but ponied up for a PipeLine oil filter blockoff plate. The PipeLine plate is a work of art, and replaces the entire filter mount, which incorporates the lower radiator hose nipple as well. It was designed to be part of their turbo kit, and offers extra ports for the turbo oil feed, a temp sensor, and the stock oil pressure sender, in addition to the two main feed lines. As I was also adding an oil pressure gauge, all of the extra ports on the PipeLine piece would come in handy. NOTE: The pressure sender fitting on the plate is a 1/8”NPT, but the stock sender is ¼” NPT. I decided to use a 1/8”NPT to -6AN adapter, a short piece of -6 hose, and a brass tee fitting to allow me to remote mount the two pressure senders. I mounted the remote filter mount as described below the headlight bucket, but due to the fact that the fittings on the Trans-Dapt piece were on top, and in fixed location (the Canton piece can be plumbed right to left, or left to right), I had HELL getting things plumbed properly. I mounted my cooler under the frame horn, right in the corner of the lower opening in the Steeda Competition front fascia, and to get the plumbing to line up with the oil thermostat, I had a wild collection of 45*, 90*, and yes, 180*fittings to connect some pretty short pieces of -10 hose, all in a VERY small area! It would have been much simpler if the Trans-Dapt mount was plumbed right-to-left, but it wasn’t, thus my forest of adapters and pieces. The cost of the plumbing far exceeded the price of the Canton mount. Just a word to the wise. The cast Canton mount that I described is also plumbed left-to-right, but if you’re only adding a filter and an Accusump, it will work fine. If you’re also adding a cooler, pony up for the billet piece. Simply not having the extra port on the outlet side of the filter will require you to add a “swivel-on-run” tee to the system, which is a $30.48 adapter (926110) to allow the Accusump to connect in line with your return hose. Trust me, the billet piece will save a lot of money and headaches, even if it is twice the price of the cast piece. So, with a basic goal in mind, I set out generating a parts list. My oil system consists of the PipeLine block-off plate, the Trans-Dapt remote filter mount, Trans-Dapt 180* oil thermsostat, Setrab 119 oil cooler, and a 2 quart Accusump. As I didn’t want to over-cool the oil out on the track (100+mph airflow and a very efficient plate-style cooler can do that), I wound up plumbing the thermostat in a bypass mode, which added some plumbing complexity. Plumbed this way, the block feeds the filter, which then feeds the thermostat “cold” inlet. The thermostat “cold” outlet returns to the block, and the “hot” outlet feeds the cooler. Rather than return the cooler to the thermostat, however, the “hot” inlet is plugged, and the cooler returns to the block via a tee fitting in the -10 return line from the thermostat. This allows a portion of the oil flow from the thermostat to bleed around the cooler and return directly to the block, keeping my cooling in check. If I needed more cooling, I could simply run the standard cooler configuration, and if I needed less, I could bypass the cooler completely. After a season running the cooler in bypass, it worked out perfectly. My oil temps would get up to 180 or so pretty quickly, but then stabilize between 220-240, which is perfect. Hot enough to get any moisture or volatiles out of suspension in the oil, but not so hot that I cook the oil prematurely. The next step was to add the Accusump for the final touch.
I wanted to keep my interior streetable, so I elected to go with the EPC valve setup, and I also elected to leave the switch out of the circuit at this time. The next time I have the dash apart, I’ll add a sub-mini toggle to the blockoff plate over the MyColor control harness, so I ran all the wire, and just tied the two leads together. Since I did the conversion from automatic trans to manual, I have the fortunate side-effect of a ½ second delay between key-on and crank, so I automatically pre-oil before starting, and at shut-down, I just have to remember to open the door after I rock the key off. The only real reason that I’m going to add the switch is so that I can shut the sump off at the end of my cool-down lap, while I still have higher oil pressures, just to store a little more pressure for startup.
To actually mount my Accusump, I test-fit it behind the bumper beam, and it works beautifully there. It’s tucked up out of harm’s way from high-speed debris, and the hose to get it plumbed in is short and a straight shot to a running-tee fitting on the outlet of the oil cooler. Since there is no way to mount the clamps directly to the bumper beam, I elected to mount the clamps to a piece of sheet steel, and then had the sheet steel welded to the backside of the bumper. Nice and simple.
What it is: The Canton Accusump is an oil accumulator, and essentially provides a pressure reserve in the oil system of the car. For racing conditions, this provides a measure of safety for the engine in the event of g-force induced starvation, or in the event of an oil pump failure. For non-racing conditions, the accumulator can provide a pre-oiling function, allowing pressure to build prior to spinning the engine over to start the car.
How it works: The Accusump is very simply a cylinder with a piston inside that is balanced between an air pressure pre-charge on one side, and pressurized oil on the other. The oil side is fitted with a valve to turn the sump on and off, and in the event of a pump failure or pickup starvation, the pressurized oil in the accumulator will flow into the engine, maintaining pressure for a few vital seconds until the engine can be shut down.
In use: Ideally, you want the valve to open prior to starting the engine to allow a build in oil pressure before cranking, and you want to shut the valve before shutting the engine down, so that you have a charge available for the next time you start the engine.
Installation design: The basic installation design is very simple. Some way for the Accusump to be connected to the return side of the oil system needs to be set up, and then a simple –AN hose is routed from the accumulator valve to the oil system. For vehicles with external oil coolers or remote-mounted oil filters, this is as simple as installing a “running tee” fitting between the block and the return side of the external oil system goodies, but for “stock” systems, it will require some additional parts, like an oil filter sandwich adapter. Please note that on the S197 chassis, there is NOT a lot of clearance between the filter and the front swaybar, so a thin sandwich adapter will be required. As we are dealing with pressure, the physical location of the accumulator is essentially immaterial, which is a good thing, as there are not that many places to stuff one of these in the car.
Valves: There are essentially two different types of valves that can be used with the accumulator to control oil flow: mechanical (ball-valve with a handle) and electronic (simple solenoid). The mechanical valve is the most basic, and in some ways the best, as you can just “crack” the valve open before start, and while warming the engine to prevent excess oil from being pulled from the engine at startup, and then open it wide open before vehicle operation. Obviously, however, that requires that the valve be mounted within the driver’s reach. There is a cable-operated variation that performs the same function, allowing the cable to be in the driver’s compartment, and the valve and Accusump to be mounted elsewhere. Both of the above, however, will certainly have an impact on the aesthetics of the interior. If you have a fire-bottle handle or parachute release already installed, then it won’t be a big deal, but if you don’t want to have a “hard core” race interior in your daily driver, the electric valve may be your best option. The electric valve is a simple solenoid, where energizing the terminal opens the valve. For simplicity’s sake, you can just wire the power source (it pulls approximately 4A of current) to a key-on power source, as can be found in the SJB in the passenger’s footwell. If you’re running an electric valve, however, the valve is an “all or none” type of deal, and on cold-startup, can cause some issues as it will pull a LOT of oil out of the system to store the 80-90PSI pressure. The solution here, is to add a Canton “EPC” valve inline with the solenoid. The EPC valve is a pressure-sensing relay and valve, available in several different pressure ratings, that reduces the flow of oil during high-pressure periods to a trickle, and opens fully at lower pressures (below it’s rating), like during pre-oiling or starvation. The down-side here, however, is that the valve will only allow the rated amount of pressure to feed back to the engine. Selecting the correct EPC valve is critical. Too high a pressure rating, and the accumulator will bleed down it’s charge when the engine is hot, and too low a rating, and the oil pressure supplied will be insufficient to keep the engine alive in the event of an oil system issue. While cold-start oil pressure can easily hit 90PSI in the 3-valve motor, hot oil pressure can drop into the 30PSI range, depending on the amount of heat in the oil.
System Design and Installation: This section will be broken down into three sections, dealing with a basic installation for a “race” prepped car with a mechanical valve, a more advanced installation for a street car using an electric valve, and finally adding an oil filter relocation to allow access to the oil system, applicable to both. As each of us have different mods that may affect the installation, this is not really a universal how-to, so much as it is a guide to the basics. I will attempt to list all the parts required, and for simplicity’s sake, I will use Canton and Earls part numbers exclusively. You may, of course substitute at will, but the parts list will at least give you an idea of what you need. Pricing on the parts is from Accusump.com and ANPlumbing.com, and are accurate as of 20 April, 2009.
RACE/MECHANICAL: This is not really applicable to a street car, but is typical of the installation in a race-only vehicle. The “top-side” parts required are as follows:
Accusump accumulator: 3-qt model (24-006) $222.00
Manual ball valve (24-260) $15.60
Mounting clamps (24-200) $20.40
½”NPT male to -10 male adapter (981610) $4.88
-10 straight hose end (800110) $10.61
Start by assembling the Accusump. Use some Teflon tape on the supplied pipe nipple, and screw it into the oil side of the accumulator, then screw the valve onto the pipe nipple. Make sure the joints are all tight, and then, again using Teflon tape, screw the -10 to ½”NPT adapter to the end of the valve. Next, fit the band clamps to the accumulator housing, making sure the bands ride over the “mounting clamps must cover this label” stickers. Mount the Accusump clamps to the passenger’s side of the trans tunnel, with ¼” or 5/16” bolts (fender washer on the inside of the tunnel) so that the body of the accumulator is next to, but across from the driver’s seat, ensuring that the valve is within reach when you’re all strapped in. Next, drill a 1” hole in the firewall at a convenient location to allow you to run the hose from the accumulator to the oil system. As an option, you can use the 24-506 cable-actuated valve ($90.00) to provide alternate mounting of the Accusump itself, like right on the floor in front of a passenger seat, or behind the rollcage in the rear-seat area, or in the trunk, for example. In this case, the mounting location is up to you, and you simply route the 6’ pull-cable (similar to a trunk release cable) from the valve mounted on the Accusump to wherever you want to mount the T-handle to control the accumulator. It is supplied with a nice dual-cable mounting bracket, which would be ideal for both the sump control and a remote pull for a fire-bottle.
STREET/ELECTRICAL: This locates the Accusump outside of the driver’s compartment, allowing the interior to remain near-stock, adding only a small toggle switch, within reach of the driver when seated and belted in. This switch can be mounted anywhere you may desire, and as such I will not detail the procedure to install a switch, but I will detail the wiring. “Top-side” parts are as follows:
Canton Accusump: 2qt model (shorter by 4” allows more mounting flexibility)24-026 ($210.00)
EPC valve kit (24-273: 35-40PSI) $186.00 comes with most of the required wiring.
Mounting clamps (24-200) $20.40
½”NPT male to -10 male adapter (981610) $4.88
-10 straight hose end (800110) $10.61
“Add-A-Fuse” kit for mini-ATO fuses (parts store: $5.00)
5A mini-ATO fuse (parts store: $2.00 for a 5-pack)
(optional) submini SPST toggle switch (Radio Shack: $3.00)
Start by determining where you want the switch mounted, and then mount the switch. Next, pull the cover plate over the SJB in the passenger’s footwell, and install the “Add-A-Fuse” to an open terminal that has key-on power, then connect a wire from the “Add-A-Fuse” to one terminal of the switch. Next, route the switch to the engine bay. There are cable glands on either side of the car on the firewall that will allow you to pass from the passenger compartment to the engine bay, located behind the rear splash panels of the wheel wells. You may need to slit the gland nipple with a razor knife, and make sure to cable-tie the wire to existing harnesses to keep it away from suspension components. Next, assemble the EPC valve and the solenoid valve per the instructions, using Teflon tape on all pipe-thread connections. Finish the assembly off by adding the -10 to ½”NPT adapter, again using Teflon tape. Next, determine your desired mounting location for the Accusump. Assuming that you want to keep it out of the passenger compartment of the car, the most likely locations would be behind the front bumper (will need to fabricate and weld a mounting plate to the back side of the beam), in the engine bay where the battery sat (if the battery is relocated), or in the trunk. There are other locations, I’m sure, however, these seem the most likely areas to support an assembly of this size. Notes: If you go with the former battery location, you’ll need to install a 90* pipe elbow (Earls 991404: $24.99) in the valve stack somewhere to make it fit. If you go with the trunk-mount location, you’ll need to drill a 1” hole in the trunk somewhere to get the hose to the underside of the car. Now, route the wire you pulled from the switch to the valve stack, and follow the Canton directions for wiring up the rest of the valve stack. Finish the electrical by routing a short wire from the valve stack to ground, and you are done. Make sure that all your wiring is secured to the car to prevent rubbing or chafing, and use corrugated tubing where appropriate. As a final note: The SJB terminal described is hot immediately when the ignition is turned on, but has a turn-off delay that is linked to the driver’s door. You will either need to remember to turn off the switch before shutting the car down, or open the door pretty quickly after shutting off to avoid bleeding down the oil pressure charge.
ADDING THE OIL PLUMBING: The simplest (and best way, in my opinion) is to combine adding the Accusump to an external oil filter and/or cooler system. There are a few advantages to this, and the only real disadvantage is cost. By remote-mounting your filter, you add some oil capacity to the system, allow you to use extremely readily available filters of larger capacity (Motorcraft FL-1A), and there is a slight cooling effect from having the filter further away from the block. If you’re running a turbo kit, or have a lot of kit installed in front of the accessory drives (Vortech supercharger, Saleen blower with the relocated alternator, etc.) this will also make for easier access to the filter. Basic parts list is as follows:
Canton 22-598 22mm 90* rotating filter adapter. $84.00
Canton 22-610 remote filter mount (has Accusump terminal built in) $69.60
½”NPT to -10 adapter (981610: $4.88) 3 needed
½”NPT to -10 90* adapter (982210: $15.25) 2 needed
-10 90* fitting (809110: 23.49) 3 needed
-10 straight hose end (800110: $10.61) 2 needed
10’ of 5/8” heater hose (Parts store: $15.00) for mock-up of hose assemblies
3’ of 7/8” heater hose (parts store: $10.00) for abrasion reduction.
-10AN braided stainless hose: length to be determined by Accusump and filter location. (410010: $89.51 for a 10’ pre-cut) 7 feet required for described installation.
Begin by determining the best location for the filter mount and filter, such as directly below the headlight bucket on the driver’s side, or replacing the washer fluid reservoir on the passenger side. The advantage to these two locations is that there is almost no obstruction, the filter can be swapped from underneath without pulling anything out of the way, and it keeps the hose routing short. Once the mounting location has been determined, begin assembling the filter adapter and the new filter mount. Use Teflon tape on all pipe-thread joints, and make sure the adapters are tight. Remove the stock FL-820 filter, and install the filter adapter, rotating it so that the AN fittings are aiming towards the top of the frame horn below the headlight bucket. Next, assemble the adapters on the filter mount. Use the two 90* pipe-to-AN adapters on the inlet and outlet ports, aligned so that the -10 fitting is pointing directly upwards, and is approximately even with the top of the frame horn. Now, using a section of 5/8” heater hose cut to approximately 3’ length, mock up the block-to-filter line. Start by adding a 90* fitting to one end, and then connect that to the remote filter inlet adapter, routing the hose over the frame rail. Make another piece with a 90* end, and connect that to the remote filter outlet, also routed over the frame horn. This will allow you to determine the proper mounting location for the filter-mount bracket, with an eye towards keeping the lines “floating” above the frame rail, to minimize chafing. Mount the filter mount bracket to the frame rail, using self-tapping screws, or drilling all the way through and using nuts and bolts. Now, using the heater-hose test lines, determine the proper length for each of the two hoses, and add straight fittings to the hoses, and test fit. Once you have determined the proper lengths of hose, remove the ends, and use the heater hose as a template to cut the braided stainless to the proper lengths. Assemble the hoses (instructional video available at the ANplumbing.com website), and install them, making sure to properly tighten them down. Next, using the rest of your heater hose, mock up the run from your accumulator to the top port on the remote filter mount, with a 90* fitting at the remote filter mount, and a straight fitting at the Accusump, and once the hose is fitted properly (no sharp bends, no kinks, minimal rubbing on anything), make the final hose and install it. NOTE: If any of the hoses are rubbing against anything (frame rail, AC line, PS line, wiring harness, etc.) you MUST isolate them! Take some of the 7/8” heater hose, slit it, wrap it around the braided line, and then use cable-ties to lock it in place. The stainless braid will act like a saw over time, and it WILL cut whatever it rubs against! If the two hoses want to rub against each other, you can get a spacer clamp (Earls: 167215 polished, 167115 blue, or 167015 red: $19.89 for a 2-pack) to isolate them.
If you are contemplating adding an accumulator at the same time you’re having an engine built, talk to your machine shop about adding a ½”NPT port drilled right into the main oil gallery, and you can simply plumb the Accumulator directly into the oil passages of the block itself.
FINAL STEPS: The bulk of the installation is done, and there are just a few steps remaining to finish the installation. First, pre-charge the air side of the Accusump with approximately 20PSI (Schroeder valve, fills like a tire), and let that sit for at least 12 hours to ensure that there are no air leaks. This is very important, since if the air bleeds out, the accumulator will become hydraulically locked, and will not function. Next, take a new FL-1A filter, fill it with oil, and screw it onto the remote filter mount, and don’t forget to spread a thin film of oil on the filter gasket. You will want to do this every time you swap filters, to avoid creating a huge air pocket. After the static test is completed successfully, add two quarts of oil to the engine, turn the Accusump off, and then fire the engine, and immediately open the valve, wait 2-3 seconds, close the valve, and shut off the engine. Check your oil level, adding as necessary to bring the level up to full. Repeat the above until you have no further change in oil level, and it’s stable at “full.” Visually inspect your oil lines for leaks (seepage is NOT normal, and should be corrected immediately!), then open the sump, wait a half second or so, and fire the engine. Check the air gauge on the Accusump, and you should see approximately the same pressure reading as you get from your oil pressure gauge. If all is good so far, run the final test, and shut the engine off, keeping the Accusump open. You should continue to see oil pressure for several seconds after shut-down, with the pressure eventually falling to zero. Double-check your oil level, and confirm that it is WAY over the “full” mark. You will need to do this every time you change your oil, so that you get all the old stuff out. Close the sump, re-fire the engine, open the sump, wait 5-10 seconds, then shut down. Re-check your oil level, which should read “full,” and you’re now done. The kit as described will add a little over three quarts of oil to your total system capacity.
MY INSTALLATION: Mine is a little different than the “generic” instructions that I wrote, so I thought I would walk you through it, so that you can see what can be done, as well a possibly learn from my errors. As I’m more of a corner-carver than a drag guy, my priorities are a little different, and to that end, my project was to add a Setrab oil cooler plus a location to for an oil temp sender that was at the block outlet. The Accusump was merely the icing on the cake. In an attempt to be frugal, and not wanting to spend the “ridiculous” amount of money on the Canton billet pieces, I used a Trans-Dapt remote filter mount, but ponied up for a PipeLine oil filter blockoff plate. The PipeLine plate is a work of art, and replaces the entire filter mount, which incorporates the lower radiator hose nipple as well. It was designed to be part of their turbo kit, and offers extra ports for the turbo oil feed, a temp sensor, and the stock oil pressure sender, in addition to the two main feed lines. As I was also adding an oil pressure gauge, all of the extra ports on the PipeLine piece would come in handy. NOTE: The pressure sender fitting on the plate is a 1/8”NPT, but the stock sender is ¼” NPT. I decided to use a 1/8”NPT to -6AN adapter, a short piece of -6 hose, and a brass tee fitting to allow me to remote mount the two pressure senders. I mounted the remote filter mount as described below the headlight bucket, but due to the fact that the fittings on the Trans-Dapt piece were on top, and in fixed location (the Canton piece can be plumbed right to left, or left to right), I had HELL getting things plumbed properly. I mounted my cooler under the frame horn, right in the corner of the lower opening in the Steeda Competition front fascia, and to get the plumbing to line up with the oil thermostat, I had a wild collection of 45*, 90*, and yes, 180*fittings to connect some pretty short pieces of -10 hose, all in a VERY small area! It would have been much simpler if the Trans-Dapt mount was plumbed right-to-left, but it wasn’t, thus my forest of adapters and pieces. The cost of the plumbing far exceeded the price of the Canton mount. Just a word to the wise. The cast Canton mount that I described is also plumbed left-to-right, but if you’re only adding a filter and an Accusump, it will work fine. If you’re also adding a cooler, pony up for the billet piece. Simply not having the extra port on the outlet side of the filter will require you to add a “swivel-on-run” tee to the system, which is a $30.48 adapter (926110) to allow the Accusump to connect in line with your return hose. Trust me, the billet piece will save a lot of money and headaches, even if it is twice the price of the cast piece. So, with a basic goal in mind, I set out generating a parts list. My oil system consists of the PipeLine block-off plate, the Trans-Dapt remote filter mount, Trans-Dapt 180* oil thermsostat, Setrab 119 oil cooler, and a 2 quart Accusump. As I didn’t want to over-cool the oil out on the track (100+mph airflow and a very efficient plate-style cooler can do that), I wound up plumbing the thermostat in a bypass mode, which added some plumbing complexity. Plumbed this way, the block feeds the filter, which then feeds the thermostat “cold” inlet. The thermostat “cold” outlet returns to the block, and the “hot” outlet feeds the cooler. Rather than return the cooler to the thermostat, however, the “hot” inlet is plugged, and the cooler returns to the block via a tee fitting in the -10 return line from the thermostat. This allows a portion of the oil flow from the thermostat to bleed around the cooler and return directly to the block, keeping my cooling in check. If I needed more cooling, I could simply run the standard cooler configuration, and if I needed less, I could bypass the cooler completely. After a season running the cooler in bypass, it worked out perfectly. My oil temps would get up to 180 or so pretty quickly, but then stabilize between 220-240, which is perfect. Hot enough to get any moisture or volatiles out of suspension in the oil, but not so hot that I cook the oil prematurely. The next step was to add the Accusump for the final touch.
I wanted to keep my interior streetable, so I elected to go with the EPC valve setup, and I also elected to leave the switch out of the circuit at this time. The next time I have the dash apart, I’ll add a sub-mini toggle to the blockoff plate over the MyColor control harness, so I ran all the wire, and just tied the two leads together. Since I did the conversion from automatic trans to manual, I have the fortunate side-effect of a ½ second delay between key-on and crank, so I automatically pre-oil before starting, and at shut-down, I just have to remember to open the door after I rock the key off. The only real reason that I’m going to add the switch is so that I can shut the sump off at the end of my cool-down lap, while I still have higher oil pressures, just to store a little more pressure for startup.
To actually mount my Accusump, I test-fit it behind the bumper beam, and it works beautifully there. It’s tucked up out of harm’s way from high-speed debris, and the hose to get it plumbed in is short and a straight shot to a running-tee fitting on the outlet of the oil cooler. Since there is no way to mount the clamps directly to the bumper beam, I elected to mount the clamps to a piece of sheet steel, and then had the sheet steel welded to the backside of the bumper. Nice and simple.
