Just yesterday a "Pegasus" auto racing supply catalog showed up in my mail box (sometimes I accidentally get catalogs that I like). The website address is www.pegasusautoracing.com and the telephone number is 1-800-688-6946. On page 56 of the 20th anniversary edition is a 2/3 page discussion of the Canton/Mecca, heavy duty Accusump. The reason for all this detail is to say that I have installed a 3 quart, electric-solenoid actuated accusump in my car in an effort to improve engine reliability by decreasing start-up wear.

BTW, a discussion of a pre-luber has begun over in the Cobra Talk section, and this is mentioned there too. Thinking that this information might also be helpful to others still planning to build their engine, I am bringing this into the Tech Discussion part of the forum along with some search terms that others might also use. As you will see in the other thread discussing oil (Filling it with oil"), others already have a pre-oiler or are going to use a technique of spinning-up their oil pump with a drill motor before starting the engine.

Another advantage of the Accusump is it's action as a pressure regulator and reservoir to keep oil flowing through the engine even when the oil pump isn't picking up.

Here is an excerpt from Pegasus' catalog:
" An accusump is a hydraulic accumulator that utilizes a piston to separate the oil from the pressurized air chamber. The inside surface is precision machined and polished to allow the piston to slide freely in response to changes in system pressure. Both manual and electric versions are available. With the manual type, the driver operates the valve and it must therefore be mounted in an accessible location. The electric version [with electric solenoid] is controlled by a switch or can be wired into the ignition system to automatically operate the valve when the ignition is turned on." Not sure I clearly understand all of this, I just know what it does!

They come in increments of 1, 2 and 3 quarts. Diameter is between 3 1/4 " and 4 1/4" and length is 12" to 16"...your basic cylinder. On one end of the cylinder is a pressure gage and on the other is the oil inlet/outlet along with a pressure relief valve. Without oil lines and mounting brackets, prices are $150, $175 and $ 185 respectively for the manual versions and $100 more each for the electric solenoid versions. It takes a few hours to install it. Clamps add $17.50. Installed, it will be around $500, a good investment seeing that the engine is worth thousands. Accusump is a brand name of Canton/Mecca, but there are other manufacturers and approaches as well that might be more adaptable to your machine.

Mine is mounted in front, transversely, between the engine and radiator on the cross-member that seems to be in just about every cobra. The oil filter is remote and mounted on the underside of the same cross-member. Filtered oil flows into and out of the Accusump. The discipline that I'm trying to develop before starting is to turn the key to the middle, prestart position, and to watch the oil pressure rise as I am adjusting my seat belts. As the pressure begins to fall back down from it's peak, after about 15 to 30 seconds, depending upon engine temperature, I then start the engine. The reason that I wait that long is to let the oil fill all of the passages and to begin falling back into the pan. This way, I believe that everything is oiled before starting.

I've convinced myself that my engine will live a whole lot longer with this pre-oiler and that it will easily pay for itself over the life of the engine. My hope is that this post will save at least one one of your engines from a premature demise.

All the best,
Randy Klein


[This message has been edited by Randy Klein (edited 02-08-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Randy Klein (edited 02-08-2000).]