Oil Pickup

[mjc76]

I have a 79' sc. How do I tell if I have the revised oil pickup. Is this something I need to take care before my Dec. 3rd DE if I don't have it. Thanks.

[Jdub]

You might have it if the sump plate's drain bolt is closest to your left rear wheel. You don't have it if the drain bolt is in any other area. Basically, if you lie under the car with your head towards the front, the drain bolt should be exactly 3oclock. A question for you: have you also updated your pressure relief springs and valves?

Here is an old thread from Mark Salvetti:

Regarding the oil screen and relief valve updates:

On my 1979 SC, the oil drain plug was originally at the rear (fan) and of the sump plate, in line with the case seam. When I installed the updated screen, there was no way to put the drain plug back
in that location, as the updated screen is different. I ended up with the
drain plug rotated 90 degrees towards the left side of the car. So I think
it's safe to say that if your drain plug is where mine originally was, you
can't have the updated screen. However, if your drain plug is already
rotated to the left side, that's no guarantee that you have the new screen.

The old screen looked like a bowler hat. The brim of the hat is the flange
that allows the screen to bolt to the case. The rest of the screen is all
wire mesh, with a hole to allow the oil pump pickup through. The updated
screen (PN 930.107.314.00) is similar, except the wire mesh part is only
around the perimeter of the flange. The top of the "hat" is now solid
metal, again with a hole
to allow the oil pump pickup through. The top is also concave, which is
why the drain plug won't fit in the same place. There is a large dimple in
the plate for the plug, but it's offset to the left. The new screens aren't
cheap, maybe $85. I managed to find a used one, but they seem to be rare.

According to UpFixin Volume VIII, "The 911 Lubrication System" by
A.L.Caldwell, you should be able to tell if you have updated pressure
relief valves by the screw cap you have. The original is round, 25mm in
diameter and has a slot across it for a large screwdriver. The first
update used a 23mm diameter screw head, with a groove machined around its
perimeter near where it contacts the case. My 1979 SC has this type. The
current version of the update uses a screw cap with a raised 17mm hex head
machined onto the 23mm circular base. The update was incorporated at the
factory beginning with SC engine numbers 6282539 (49 state) and 6581060
(Calif.).

BTW, this article also has a photo of the updated sump screen. This is a
reprint of the original article that appeared in the April 1989 Pano.

Hope this helps!

Mark
1979 911SC Targa
=======================

Hope this helps some more!
Jw

[wckrause]

Why does the sump screen need to be updated? Is it just a track issue, or should I do this for street too?

[Jdub]

As I understand it under heavy throttle/curves (i.e. tracking the car) it is possible to cause total oil pickup loss with the all-mesh screen, resulting in an oil dump to the sump and high temps showing on your oil temp gauge. The updated half mesh/half covered bowler prevents this situation.

I don't think this is required for a street car, but the oil pressure springs and valves as I understand it are a good idea regardless. I know Warren has commented on how, over time, the spring tension in these springs is lost. It makes sense to update these items as they are probably old anyway given the age of our SCs.

That's my understanding anyway. A search on "high oil temp at the track" or similar will reveal more real-life experiences on the subject. I am very glad the PO performed all of these (and many more) updates on my car, though I am unsure about Bilstein Sports in a Targa.

Jw

[Chris Bunker]

I have gone through this update on my 78. I was experiencing the over heating and power loss during my DE sessions, but the car ran absolutely cool on the way home and any other time on the street for that matter. I think you'd have to be a pretty careless driver to get to the speeds and lateral accels required to make the old screen an issue while driving on the street. Since the update, the temps have definitely come down, but I think I still need a better cooler as it runs a little too hot for my tastes sometimes at the track. I have a Turbotrol cooler in the RF wheelwell.

Later,
Chris Bunker
78 SC