Hi there Air-Rammers,

I'm interested in the Vortech Kit. I like the idea of the kit using the engine oil, but I'm not happy about drilling into the stock pan. I suppose the PE Oil Pan is nice, but pricey.

I'm the farthest thing from being a mechanic, but would a good installation mod be to buy the JWT Oil Pan Spacer ($99), and drill the line into it instead, kinda sideways at the far end of the pan - That way, it's one less thing to have to return to stock if need-be.

I will attach a pic of where I'm thinking. Would that be bad for the performance/reliability of the kit?

Any thoughts from the more mechanically inclined? Hows about the Vortech experts??

Many Thanks,

Chris

 

See below...

 

AFAIK, the oil level is above the spacer, right? If so then it won't work.

--Steve

 

correct zimbo, youll have to get a j-tube or something that will allow the oil to come in above the line. which is about 3 inches higher.

 

well, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you put the vortech line into the pan itself? If so, the pan is also below the oil line and would have the same issue. If you look on wolf's website, they have the oil return for their twin turbo going through the spacer, and would probably sell you a spacer with the return already installed.

 

Yes! But it is extremely high on what you might call the oil pan. Some have done what they call a "clean" install by breaking the seal and removing the plate on the bottom of the oil pan. I did what they call a "dirty" install, not breaking the seal, but drilling extremely slow, using heavy grease to trap the shavings on the bit, cutter and tap. Visit vortechsuperchargers.com. The installation manual is there. You can see where you must drill the drain.

 

"clean" install here... i didnt wanna risk the contamination.... (and with my luck...)

-eS

 

yeah with the vortech you actually tap the "upper"oil pan, its the larger piece in that illustration.

where it says "apply genuine RTV silicone sealant or equivalent" on the upper right, if you go directly to the left onto the diagram, thats near the spot where i tapped mine.

 

JWT Oil Pan Spacer sole purpose is the ability to add an extra quart of oil into your pan for tubro and sc applications. So some of you guys argue that you can not use this Spacer for a Vortech SC b/c the hole drilled into the spacer will be below the oil level. What you don't add that extra quart of oil? I would think the hole would then be above the oil level.

 

no it still wouldnt be above the oil level, where i tapped my upper pan, the oil level is right below it, because i took my tap out of the pan with the oil still in it, and it just barely leaked out. the oil level is a good 2 inches about where the upper and lower pan meet.

 

in all honestly it is just fine for the turbo/sc return to come back in below the oil's "sea level"...

the laws of physics allow it to happen... i mean... did you think that the oil return line going all the way up to the SC would back up flow? physics and gravity would not allow that.

you know the greddy turbo kit for the acura RSX-S returns the oil in the oil drain plug. It comes with an adapter banjo fitting to replace the oil drain plug and thats where it drains back... to change the oil you just unthread the banjo rather then a plug.... theres 100's of RSX's running around with this kit.

as long as the return outlet on the device (SC or Turbo) is above the oil's "sea level" then you will be just fine.

 

2003z had a good point....

I didn't pick this up earlier - the JWT site from which I grabbed the impage above has a pic with what looks like an oil return for their TT kit being developed.

I might try contacting JWT tomorrow and see what they think. I'll let you know.

 

AND, actually, it shouldnt matter because while the car is running, the "level" of oil is not where it is when the engine is off, a lot of the oil is circulating which means the level drops, so it shouldnt really matter, who cares if its below the level when the car is off.