CFTECH - Classic Ford

CFTECH
Getting oily with your classic ford made easy...
tech features
inside this issue:
Getting technical with the best in the
business, here’s all you need.
124
modifying
expert
guide
clinic
How to put together
Your problems are
a Fast Road-spec
our problems, and we
Mk1 Cortina! have the solutions!
130
150
ClassicFord buying Letters guide:
supersport
You know you want
one! Top tips for finding
the best of the Mk1s.
How to
Baffle your sump
Oil control is essential in a high performance engine
but you don’t need a dry sump to get race-type control.
We investigate a baffle system for our Crossflow sump.
Words and Photos John Hill
Before you
start...
Safety FIRST
Always remember safety first when it
comes to using power tools and welders,
so that means goggles and gloves where
necessary, and a decent welding mask —
the automatic type is the best as this allows
you to use both hands and be able to see
what you are doing at all times. With power
tools, remember to always use the correct
guards and clamp the work piece securely.
1 2
This is our standard front-bowl Crossflow sump,
which essentially came with the standard
spring-loaded pick-up pipe.
save
money
and
DIY!
Naturally, it’s filthy, so Dave thoroughly cleans it
first, completely de-greasing it so we have
something to weld to.
Crossflow sumps aren’t exactly
race-orientated are they But the
option is to spend loads of money
and go dry sump instead. And that of
course means a big, fat wad of cash which
we can’t justify right now. So we thought
we’d apply some race technology into the
sump we’d got, which is destined for the
underside of one of our project cars.
Our next port of call was Retro Dave
Colledge so he could apply his vast amount
of expertise into the black oily tank that
3
Inside, you can see how basic it is — there’s
virtually nothing there apart from a shallow vertical
baffle to control the oil. We need more!
will feed our engine in a slightly more
efficient way. The result is that Dave’s
designed a complete sump baffling system,
which is now available as a kit — and in so
doing, he guided us through the process of
the important bits you need to know to
keep your oil under control.
But there’s more to it than just a bit of
tin plate welded in place: Retro Ford Ltd’s
is two-piece, so you can clean it out easily
too. The boy’s thought about it and the
results are good...
4
Info
Contact:
Retro Ford Ltd
01536 747978
www.retroford.co.uk
First thing to establish is the oil fill level — easy, as
there’s witness marks. However a new sump may
need filling first with the correct amount — use
water at this point!
Why baffle
If you look at the front-bowl sump we’ve
got, it’s basically a bucket in which to put oil.
Inside that sits the oil pick-up pipe, which
needs to be submerged in oil — this, as we
all know, is the direct feed to the oil pump,
which is continually sucking up oil,
pumping it round the engine so it’s totally
fed with lubrication.
The pipe being completely covered is
essential to prevent it sucking up pure air,
which will result in run bearings. Therefore,
if you don’t have effective baffles, in a high
performance engine, it’ll promote just that.
Our standard sump does have a bit of
vertical baffling already, which helps to stop
the oil slopping up the sides in a corner, but
that’s nowhere near enough. Every time
you corner and brake, oil is thrown
upwards, either onto the sides of the sump
or the crank itself. But once you add more
power to your engine, you’ll be
encouraging a touch more spirited driving,
which of course will worsen the situation.
The point about keeping the oil from
splashing back onto the crank is an
important one — the effect of this is that it’ll
create drag on that component and slow it
down. Not only that, but the oil will be
aerated as the crank effectively turns into a
kind of watermill churning up the oil —
which we’ve already established promotes
bearing failure.
The simple solution is to put a cover over
the top of the main oil reserve, known as a
baffle, which will prevent it from moving
upwards. But, it needs to be positioned in
such a way that oil returning to the sump
can drain into it and feed the oil pick-up. In
addition, its placement is essential not only
for oil control but it needs to be in such a
way that it’s not contacting other
components either — you don’t want it
clouting the crank and rods!
Dave Colledge’s Retro Ford has
developed a two-piece system that allows
the sump to be cleaned out. This can be a
major problem as baffling usually means
the oil pick-up’s totally encapsulated with
sheet steel — sheet steel you can’t move.
All that’s left is a hole to pass the pick-up
through when fitting the sump pan back in
place. In addition, there’s usually another
hole for the dipstick too. Come clean-out
time, you just can’t get in there to remove
the nasties.
Therefore, in this case, there’s an outer
ring, which is located on the inside of the
sump walls. Onto this is fitted the top baffle
plate, which is bolted to the first by captive
nuts — these need to be securely welded in
place for obvious reasons. In turn, the bolts
fitting the two together need spring
washers plus locking fluid to guarantee
they won’t part, throwing an enginedamaging
component into the works.
116 September 2010 September 2010 117

how to: sump baffling
5
6
7
When he’s worked out how far up the sump the oil
comes, Dave measures the length...
...Then the width — this time with dividers as you
can’t get a ruler in there!
Then transfer the two measurements into a trial
piece of metal, bent at the ends...
8
9
10
...He has made two so we can check for both
width and length before...
...Dave transfers the basic measurements into a
card template. Note: the baffle should end up no
more than 12 mm above the fill level.
Next we needed to establish the siting of the oil
pick-up. This can be tricky because it’s a very tight
fit in the block — ours is a dummy and difficult to
get out again.
11 12 13
Then you need to check the fit of the oil pan —
normally you’d need a maximum of 6 mm
between the gauze and the bottom of the sump
but ours is spring loaded...
...So it touches the bottom (which is normal),
where you’ll find a witness mark.
With this established, we measure the
dimensions of the pipe...
14 15 16
...Plus those of the head of the pick-up pipe gauze,
which will establish the size of the hole needed in
the baffle plate.
Dave transfers the lot to the card template —
although this is the actual baffle being checked on
the dummy block!
After we’ve made our templates and established
the correct measurements, Dave transfers the lot
into Auto Cad, makes a drawing and has it
converted into steel at the laser cutters.
September 2010 119

CFTech
17
18
19
The resulting two components bolt together so
our next job is to weld in some captive nuts — the
screws are temporary but...
...The bolts on the back aren’t. Dave securely
Mig-welds these to the back plate with the two
bolted up to prevent distortion.
Once cooled, we separate the two once more and
begin fitting the outer ring in place at the height
we established earlier.
20
21
22
Dave initially tacks the ring in place, then goes
round and adds some strategic 25 mm long
seam-welds — these don’t need welding shut at
the gaps around to allow oil to feed in.
23
Finished — it is now ready to be bolted
back onto the engine, which now has full
oil control!
Next job is to securely bolt the two together,
which we do with stainless cap-head screws
along with thread lock...
...And to make doubly sure, spring washers too.
You need as much insurance as possible to
prevent the components coming loose — that
equals engine wipe-out!
120 September 2010