Everything you need to know: Accusump vs Dry Sump

As we have started to put out a lot more information about our experience running the Roger Clark Motorsport Dry Sump on our race car, we have started to get more questions about how a Dry Sump oiling system compares to an Accusump. And when an Accusump might be a better option.
So we decided to made a video to take a look at both options.
Hopefully this is helpful and thanks for watching!
Also, here are links to the other videos that we have made on this subject:
• An Intro to Oiling Sys...
• An Intro to Dry Sump O...
• What can you do to imp...
Stay Tuned!

[@matt260]

These videos are greatly appreciated.

[@FlatironsTuning]

Thanks very much, and glad that it helped. Stay Tuned!

[@noampitlik2332]

The Accusump is just so simple and effective. Like a 5-row radiator, high amp altenator, road race pan, etc. An easy but huge upgrade.

[@ts-vu3dd]

Will be buying my performance goodies from you guys only! So organized. So straight forward. Best website for any performance modification hands DOWN.

[@FlatironsTuning]

Thanks very much. We really appreciate that! Stay Tuned!

[@laserdad]

You bring up some interesting considerations that I've never heard from other sites. I think that I will control my one quart Accusump with a 12v solenoid. That way I can keep everything up front and use a switch for when I want it available. Also, my oil pan sits below the crank enough that one more quart won't quite reach the crank. Thanks!

[@FlatironsTuning]

Glad that the video was helpful. Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!

[@Currancchs]

Thanks for the video, very interesting! I spoke to Chris over at Killer B a while back though about an Accusump and he thought that adding one would be detrimental on an 06 WRX with stock internals (I was interested in doing it more for preoiling due to long periods of nonuse than anything). His reasoning, to the best of my memory, was that an Accusump would be refilling at times when the engine was under high stress (e.g. coming out of a turn/entering a straight), reducing oil flow under these circumstances. I would love to have your thoughts on this potential issue, as I respect both of your organization's opinions on Subie oiling systems.

[@FlatironsTuning]

Thanks for your question. I'd say that I completely agree with Chris and that point is one that is easy to overlook as well. Since the tank can only re-fill when the pressure does finally go above the minimum threshold, at the time that it does that, you are then pulling pressure from the engine to re-fill the Accusump. It is hard to say exactly the degree to which this would keep the overall pressure in the oiling system lower than it could be, but it would be something that I would want to monitor if I had one on an engine that I was running. All that being said, a good counter-point to this is the number of people that are running an Accusump where it does help with, or improve, oiling issues. There is one driver that we sponsor that runs an Accusump on his Subaru that he road races. He has had really good engine reliability, and it may well come down to the Accusump in part. Overall, there is a lot to consider with an Accusump, and it is important to look the benefits and drawbacks of any and all systems that you might be able to use. Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!

[@1atinlove]

I love you! Wow! How did I miss this one. Thank you for putting out this vid. I think we all need to know about this and why. Keep it up guys.

[@FlatironsTuning]

Thanks very much! Will do and Stay Tuned!

[@1atinlove]

@@FlatironsTuning would you recommend running an AOS or catch can with an accusump?

[@johannjohann6523]

good job explaining everything

[@FlatironsTuning]

Thanks for watching and glad that this helped. Stay Tuned!

[@Aratixwrx]

You can also run accusumps manually with no electronic solenoid valve.

[@matthewwain9958]

Seems like there would be a market for a more economical dry sump kit, that can fit BRZ and WRX engine bays.

[@TC_10000]

It seems like there could be a few moments with an accusump where there is way too much oil in the system. Curious what accsump would say about it. Gotta say I always wanted one to prime my oiling system when my car sits for over a month.

[@FlatironsTuning]

I would imagine that the extra oil should move in and then back out of the system fairly quickly. For what it is worth, there are engine pre-oilers out there which are just pressurized tanks that send oil into your engine. They came about to help prime new engines, and they are much less than a full Accusump. As a small footnote, you can prime your oiling system with a dry sump too. You just take the belt off and spin the pump :-) Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!

[@Dantutz]

You can use the accusump for priming by adding a manual valve on the outlet hose that sits close to the driver. Before shutting off the engine, you need to close that valve. By doing so, the oil remains in the accusump and the air chamber rests pressurised. After 1 month let's say, you just turn on the ignition, release the manual valve, watch the pressure rise on whatever oil pressure gauge you have, and quickly crank the engine with an already primed oil circuit. I might be wrong, of course.

[@TC_10000]

@@Dantutz that’s actually one of the top reasons I haven’t gotten one, too scared to have that oil next to me in event of a bad accident

[@Dantutz]

There is this thing that keeps me wondering... If the oil pan holds 4.5 liters, and the accusump 3 liters, after shutting off the engine, the oil pan will end up holding 7.5 liters. Is it ok having a "flooded" oil pan? I would say no. It's the same for example when setting the air chamber at 3 bar for example, and the engine idles at 2.5bar of oil pressure. All that oil from the accusump will be sent in the engine, the crankshaft will splash the oil, the pcv system will blow and who knows what else. Is there something I'm missing?

[@FlatironsTuning]

That is a good question. The detail that you are missing is that there is an electronically controlled valve that lets you either activate or deactivate the Accusump. So when the car is off, the valve is shut so the oil is held in the Accusump, and then when you go on track and need the Accusump active, you just open the valve. Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!

[@Nbomber]

@@FlatironsTuning seems like a fail dangerous system, rather than a failsafe. What if the electronic control fails?

[@Tixbomber]

Baffle your oil pan. Buy a $65 12v gear pump, and an oil adapter. Pre-oiler, AND emergency oil pump if need be.

[@oldfashionedwrx3574]

got a better explanation of the set up?

[@johannjohann6523]

Hell yeah, I'm all for removing the PVC system! A system that was thought up by eggheads, not auto engineers. Nobody wants to go around ruining the environment. But, My opinion is that the PVC system is the most detrimental thing for the long term operation of an engine, and is the most destructive thing over time for your motor! Dumping oil (fumes) into a regular combustion engine, and not just in diesel engines, is the worse thing for your motor. Like running a 2 stroke fuel mixture in a 4 stroke engine!

[@FlatironsTuning]

Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching. Stay Tuned!