FABCAR Oil Tank

[304065]

For years I had been getting the low oil pressure light coming on whenever I hit the brakes hard in my race car. Data acquisition showed braking forces approaching 1g, so something had to be done about the oil system. I considered an accusump, others recommended a Carrera tank, etc.

Here is the solution. The below mods were performed by Dave Klym at FABCAR Engineering, which is located at 4148 West 99th Street, Carmel, IN 46032, where the phone number is 317.872.3664. Cost was just under $400 including shipping.

You can see where they extended the tank, there is also internal modification. I had them weld a -16AN fitting on for the oil-in (return from the cooler).

I got to speak with Dave Klym personally on this, he's a legend for those of you who have read Bruce Anderson's book (or watched the Rolex Sports Car series-- they are the ones who build the Porsche- V8 powered entry. More at www.fabcar-usa.com.

This is being shipped off to Pacific Oil Cooler for ultrasonic cleaning. Then it will be painted and installed in the car along with the other oil system mods.

[356RS]

Great idea John. Looks like you get about 2-3 more qts. of oil now too.

[304065]

Yes, the oil capacity is increased too.

I just sent the tank off to Pacific Oil Cooler for ultrasonic cleaning. When it gets back, I'm going to paint it and install it in the car along with the new -16AN plumbing.

[Plavan]

I had this same oil tank mod done when I built my car. Smartracing in California did it. It added about 3 quarts. My oil pressure warning light has never come on under heavy braking since they baffled the insides also. Its a must have for any early race car. Imagine the #5 bearing not getting enough oil$$$$$$$.


Looks good John.

[304065]

tank back from pacific oil cooler, $162 including freight. Nice, no? Ultrasonic clean, pressure test, paint.

[moliver]

Is that the correct link at the top of the page?

[kleinbbc]

Looks nice..

[Trackrash]

Very interesting! I also have an early car, a '71 which I am modifying for track use.
I have a tank from an '87 which I am planning to install.
Should I have it baffled as well? Or are the newer tanks better than the old ones.

Thanks,
Gordon

[gtc]

John, I am looking to have an AN fitting welded into my tank as you have done here. Could you tell me what kind of hose you've made to run from the oil cooler to the tank?
Thanks,

[azasadny]

Looks great!

[304065]

Originally Posted by Trackrash

Very interesting! I also have an early car, a '71 which I am modifying for track use.
I have a tank from an '87 which I am planning to install.
Should I have it baffled as well? Or are the newer tanks better than the old ones.

Thanks,
Gordon

Gordon,

I was told by a mechanic that the greater capacity and the baffling of the Carerra tank made it a good alternative. However, this requires modifying the body sheetmetal. Since the serious GT guys use a forward mounted tank anyway, I opted to modify the '71 tank and keep the engine compartment original.

[304065]

Originally Posted by gtc

John, I am looking to have an AN fitting welded into my tank as you have done here. Could you tell me what kind of hose you've made to run from the oil cooler to the tank?
Thanks,

Which cooler do you mean?

My setup is as follows:

M30 case fitting
Cohline M30 right-angle bend
Aeroquip "startlite" hose forward to external cooler
Setrab 172 cooler
Aeroquip hose to -16 return fitting on tank.

The stock M26 hose from the oil-out location on the tank to the oil-in location on the oil cooler is utilized.

[kenikh]

John,

2 years later, what are your thoughts? I am ready to do this and want to see how it passed the test of time.

[tom1394racing]

Kenik

I've had this same type of tank, done by Fabcar, in my RSR clone for 4 years. Never had any problems with oil pressure on the track.

[kenikh]

Benefits of this set up are obviously increased oil capacity and internal baffling (depending on how it’s done). I do have some questions on the implementation of this specific alteration:

One thing I don’t get about the above build is that I do not understand the use of a stock fitting on the oil suction port and the increase to -16 on the return; that plumbing seems backward. Shouldn’t the suction side always be larger than the return?

From what I understand, on the 935 & 962, it’s a -20 fitting on the suction side and the return is -16. Of course the oil lines, case and accessory fittings would need to match. At bare minimum, IMO, the oil suction and return should be the same, but seems preferable to have a larger oil supply line, if possible.

Am I off base here?

[304065]

Kenik,

I don't know what you mean by suction line-- are you talking about the oil-out fitting? That is the stock factory fitting that connects to a stock "S" hose-- I used the stock "S" hose because I didn't want to modify the engine oil cooler. Didn't the 935 and 962 delete the engine oil cooler? In that case I can see enlarging the inlet for oil into the case and using an appropriately sized fitting.

Here, I used a -16 for the oil return to the tank because -16 hose was used throughout. I used an adapter fitting on the scavenge port off the later cars (I think it's M20 on the case side and M30 on the outboard side, but I can't really remember) and then a genuine German Cohline 90 degree M30 elbow swaged into the Aeroquip hose. The Aeroquip then goes forward to the cooler and comes out of the cooler as -16 and goes back to the tank.

The honest truth is I don't know if it solved the oil starvation on braking problem or not-- along with this mod I put a cold air duct in the clock hole where the monster oil light was.

[kenikh]

That makes sense - yes, no on engine cooler on the 935. Makes sense if you want to keep the stock cooler. For me, I am using a 993 oil console and think my config made me a bit myopic.

[GrantG]

I tried to contact FABCAR about an oil tank mod like this and was unable to find any contact info for them (phone# and web address in this thread didn't work).

Any thoughts for finding them or someone else to do this?

Thanks!

[KTL]

TRE Motorsports can do it.

[GrantG]

Thanks, Kevin!