Been thinking about a tuna can. Any suggestions? Seems like the smart thing to do for an autocross and occasional track car.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=342241

Smart thing to do to ANY T4!

Especially a T4 in a 914...

Helps it NOT suck in a big air bubble during high G operations.

That's something I consider FATAL to any engine.

https://914werke.com/shop/ols/products/mini-sump

Click to view attachment

The 914werks looks good. No problems with it? Dragging skunks?

...maybe possums
It (the can) actually dosent protrude much lower than the engine bar.

OMG, there's an animal you don't want to hit!

You're in a 914.

Avoid the skunks if at all possible...

The son of a buddy of mine hit a badger once.
He got out to check on it!
It attacked him then his car!
Sent him to the ER...

Down here you really have to watch for armadillos.
They can't see shit and when they get startled, they JUMP 18-24" straight up.
A strong one can clear the hood of most sportscars.
Pick one up, you'd swear it was made of lead.
Another bad thing to hit!

My only misadventure with a tuna can was on my 914 race car. I went wide on the exit of turn 1 at Hallet many years ago, and straddled the alligators just right (wrong) and knocked the can off. Fortunately I saw the oil pressure light and shut off in time. And even more fortunately it did not rip the retaining bolt from the engine case.

Yikes. Badgers and rumble strips oh my...

I did not put one on my 2.3.
I had one on my 2056 that I ran without issues for years. But it was always on my mind that I was driving a lowered car with a can on it. There were a couple times that I hit a dip that worried me, especially when the car was loaded down with bikes and camping gear for a long weekend party campout.

So far, ive not turned the car hard enough to need it, but I have not gone to an AX since 2016. If I start going again, I might put one back on.

Zach

Chicken of the sea

Are there any skid plates out there that protect the tuna can modification?

There were not when I looked into it (like 15 years ago now). On my car the Tuna was at the same level as the engine bar, so on big bumps I'd go slow and listen for a scrape, and back off if I heard one. There was an un-official speed bump on a private road that was tall enough to scrape if I did not take it diagonal. And one big hole/rut in a dirt parking lot that ate my exhaust but thankfully missed the tuna can.

The other issue with them is that you have to be careful putting the engine up and down, and really can't just let it rest on the ground with the can on. Certainly a manageable problem. Engine would sit on an old tire, and Chris makes a version of his lifting plate with a cutout for the tuna can.

Zach

Does your oil light ever come on in longer turns? If not, the tuna can probably isn't needed.

Mine used to come on after a couple of on-and-off ramps, or in a sweeper at an autocross. Doesn't do that after the tuna can...

--DD

No, I have not had any issues yet, autocross it's hard to know but nothing on the track.

As an old school engine builder...

Seeing the OP light even flicker a tiny bit at speed means I've failed miserably, and the engine needs to come back out!

This is why I prefer both a sump extension AND an Accusump (oil pressure accumulator).

My E36 M3 has more oil system mods than anything else.

I installed a real trap door windage tray in it along with a bunch of other stuff.

It's just a streetcar as well.

If you cannot keep the oil pressure layer in the bearings their life is measured in seconds.

1 second of "light on" equals damage in my book...

I like the complete extended sump where you have a quart BELOW the main crankcase like this car.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=369487

Now, that looks too low IMO for a streetcar but the available oil for the pick-up is far greater than a tuna can.

I installed a 15 psi sender in addition to the stock oil pressure sender and the gauge sensor

It easy to see the 15 psi light up without an accusing/tuna can

I figure the pick up is getting some air in the corners or at least enough small bubbles to see the pressure drop that much

Any hard street driving on long corners can cause this
Track I would highly recommend a tuna and or accusump

I always ran both in n the old /4 racecar

I have a couple of the Jonesy tuna can kits available here.

15 psi sender is an EXCELLENT idea.
Shows the very beginnings of oil starvation/air intrusion, long before it's fatal.

An oil delivery system is NOT vented, any air inside the system is BAD!

Picking up any air means something has to change in the design of the system.

Only exception is dry sump. That should be pulling a vacuum on the crankcase.
Those ALWAYS have some form of air-separator, usually in the external holding tank.
The feed to the "pressure" side HAS to be free of air.

I wired the 15psi sensor to the 74 seatbelt warning lamp on the dash
So as to avoid another gauge in the dash
Plus it already a big red lense that catches your eye on the dash

Smart move using that seatbelt warning lamp. I'm repurposing that as well.

I had a deep sump installed on my 914, but it took forever for the oil to get hot. I have a tuna can now.

I had a tuna can on my /4 years ago. The headers did a good job protecting it lol.