SSI Clinc; SC's & Oil-Lines

[island911]

One more useful¹ tidbit (for the World Dominating SC owners) that came out of the clinc is how to deal with the SC oil line.
Tyson & Sean took the "hard way" approach.
Rather than replacing the line with the "backdated" line, the SC original line was modified (. . read; bent into submission).
The Problem with the SC line is it interfers with the heater tube.

Having the car on the lift, along with the right amount of guys and tools alowed us to cold bend the oil-line to a new path. Mostly it just needs to be a bit longer; and by taking some bends out we got a straighter path. . .and barely enough length to make it happen.


Note: the blue line is the old path.

disclaimer #1) $200 worth or 2¢ worth. . .you decide
edit: image size

[Jim T]

Hey, that's really cool.

A shop that I know that puts SSIs all the time laughed at me when I said I didn't want to have to change the oil lines, they said its not necessary, but I didn't see how they do it.

Now I know!

Question: After its modified, will the oil line work with the old crossover exhaust (for putting it on for a certain bi-annual reason in California)? Also, is there another oil line that you need, or can you do the job without having to buy any oil lines?

If no oil lines are needed, I am one step closer to SSIs.

SSI was at Dunkel's today. They had around 10 boxes of brand spanking new SSIs. Including a set perfect for my SC. $760 (pretty funny, a guy right next door was trying to sell used ones for $750!).

Those things are so beautiful. I am really jonesing for them, bad.

[Bill Verburg]

An additional benefit of backdating to the older lines is cooler oil. Keeping the lines away from the exhaust helps keep heat out of the oil and the old line running under the front part of the engine is in a good spot to shed some heat into the air stream below the car.

[island911]

If they do the visual then I can see having to change them back. . . .And, I don't see a problem coming from the new position of the oil line.
I hear the SC's will pass the sniffer w/ the SSI's, if all else is in good order.¹

The shops have a much easier time using the backdated line.²
It's good to hear the pricing.

I have a feeling this clinc is going to help SSI sales.³

1) 2¢ worth
2) per JW and Tyson
3) more than 2¢ worth.

[Tyson Schmidt]

If you do the mod we did above, you don't need to change it back to put on your original exhaust for the inspection. It's a good idea to add a rubber coated support clamp to support the line like we did. (shown in first photo.)

There are no other oil lines to get if you do this mod. So yes, you can do it without buying any oil lines. (But I have to say for the record, I officially recommend backdating the oil lines. It's just more sanitary.)

Bill has a good point about the oil cooling. Here in the Northwest, that's a non-issue though, luckily. Also, losing the original Catalyst exhaust will cool things down all on its own. And of course, there's the weight savings!

[Bill Verburg]

In addition to the new line running parallel to the ssi(bad), they will also be parallel to the muffler in a fairly stagnant air flow zone(also bad). Where the old style lines are near the ssi they are perpendicular except for the S hose. The # 1 cause of S hose deterioration is heat soak from the headers after parking. While moving there is enough distance and air flow to keep the heat at bay. If the oil lines are r&r'd regularly they are not a problem to change out. They do become a problem if they are only r&r'd every few decades.

[Tyson Schmidt]

Bill, I'm not sure I follow you. The oil line is still in the same place it's always been with the old exhaust, just slightly bent to clear the previously non-existent passengers side exhaust outlet. So there really aren't any problems there that weren't there before in regards to exhaust heat transfer into the oil line.

Also, this is the scavenge line that is pumping oil back to the tank, where it can sit in the tank and cool off.

But you're probably just pondering an "ideal" set-up. In which case, I agree. The back-dated oil lines are ideal, but the question for most people is surely "is it worth the extra money?"

[Bill Verburg]

Yes, and the old design was a poor one because of the proximity along much of the length of the oil lines to the exhaust and muffler. When I changed out my oem 76 exhaust for the ssi and old style lines I noticed a marked reduction in oil temps.

As I stated the problem with the S line is heat soak after the car is parked. The line should be insulated from the exhaust. The hard scavange line does return oil to the tank but you still want to reduce any heat load on the cooling that you can. Without a very large cooler and or very good air flow though it, the cooling is marginal for hd usage. I fought that battle for years. The older lines are a step in the right direction which entails marginal cost and no permanent modification to the chassis.

All I can comment on are what I have seen and what I would/did do to my car. Yes, I am always searcing for optimal solutions

[Tyson Schmidt]

Well hey, this will make you jealous then. The early cars like my '72, came with "aluminum" hard lines. All of the replacement hard lines now are steel. When the rubber hoses that were attached to them went bad, I cut off the crimp fittings and saved the original aluminum hard lines. You can then buy bulk hose (make sure it's the right quality stuff. Mercedes sells it in bulk.) and re-clamp it onto the original al. hard lines.

[Bill Verburg]

I never heard of al. hard lines. I'm not sure about its application here but in bicyles al. is known for its tendancy to fracture rather than bend a little. Thats why steel and Ti. frames have such a deservedly good reputation.

I considered getting an al engine lid but gave up the idea. I could save more weight by removing the spoiler but I like it too much.

I do know that the early al. radiator style coolers were notorious for bursting after or during winter use. Apparantly they couldn't take the first burst of hot oil into the thick, cold, sluggish cooler oil when the tstat first opened. Of course this was before the multi vis oils became accepted.

[Tyson Schmidt]

Heh heh. Well, mine are going strong after 30 years, so I think I'm out of the woods.

Actually the reason I really wanted to keep the aluminum lines was for weight reasons. I'm kind of obsessive about that. I really hated trashing my magnesium cam covers for the aluminum Carrera versions, but I hate oil leaks even more than I hate weight.

[Bill Verburg]

Life is full of compromises, I really want a GT2, wouldn't kick a GT1 or 3 out of the garage either. You still have the original al. radiator?

[Jim T]

Originally posted by Tyson Schmidt
I really hated trashing my magnesium cam covers for the aluminum Carrera versions, but I hate oil leaks even more than I hate weight.

Umm, dude, take a look under your car!

[Tyson Schmidt]

Jim T, that's not my car in the picture.

And Bill, my T didn't come with a cooler. A 2.4 liter living in the NW never ever gets above 220 deg. if it's running right.

[jwetering]

Sorry to drag this old post up but I'm having a bit of a *time* with my oil ine bending project.


First off, my original routing was almost good enough to go UNDER the new exhaust pipe on the passenger side. Natch I wouldn't run it there because for sure it would get dinged..but it gives you an idea of where I started from.

As of this morning, I've got the oil line about where it lays in the first picture of your demo. I can sort of see how I'm goig to get it moved the rest of the way, but I think I have to remove the line and straighten the very last bend a smidge...is this what you guys dd at all?

Secondly..the flexible part o fthe line has some pretty major distortion now that the position has moved som much. Is this normal...will the stress break the line...

rsvp

[Early_S_Man]

I don't know about the '72 lines ... anything was possible that year as the last hurrah of Herr Piech's weight reduction/distribution fanaticism! But, the '73 hard oil lines were cadmium, or tin-plated steel. All, except the brass lines from the external thermostat to the front cooler, that is!

[island911]

Jasper, the oil line we bent in to submission was close to start with on Seans SC. He had the pre 74 pipes to begin with. His pre 74 pipes were sagging so much, there was lots of room for the connection without interferance.
So the answer to your question is; Maybe.
Our start point was a molested line to begin with, so who knows.

Of course this means we need to have another SSI install clinc. . .and I have the perfectly stock candidate car in mind.
Tyson, do ya have so time to kill?

For the record, heres what the stock SC line does. . .

[Tyson Schmidt]

Jasper, I believe when we originally bent the pipe, (3 or 4 years ago) we also had to bend the one after the rubber hose, so as to not kink the rubber portion. We bent it up toward the rear, I believe. This is the one that runs longitudinally to the chassis.

Glen, I just can't figure out where in the world we'd get a volunteer for the next SSI install, or I'd do it.
Seriously though, I'm game if you are.

[emcon5]

Hell, I will Volunteer, I have the SSI's in the garage. Only problem is I am about 800 miles away from you guys.

Tom

[island911]

That okay Tom. You can still Volunteer. Have the SSI's Fed-Ex'd up here, and we'll send back the complete photo's

Tyson, I've been shopping for mufflers. . .we'll talk.