Changing your oil is a job that every gear head can do easily. However, adding an Accusump to the car can make this engine maintenance task a bit more complicated. There are a few extra steps required to be sure your Accusump is operating properly and getting its share of fresh oil.
The steps of the process are no more difficult then those of a typical oil change. Success is just a matter of following the correct sequence to ensure you are draining both the engine and Accusump oil and refilling both to the proper level again. The correct sequence will also set things up for you to check your Accusump's pre-charge setting during the oil change. A pre-charge check is an important step in making sure your Accusump is performing as designed.
To get started prepare your car as you normally would for any other oil change. Then, once you have the vehicle safely on jack stands or a lift and the engine is cool enough to work on follow the steps below. Note: We are assuming you have done typical oil changes before, but if not or if you have any questions be sure to check with a trusted source for your vehicle on how to properly lift the car and change its oil.
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Begin your oil change by opening your Accusump valve. This allows the oil stored there to discharge into your engine and drain into your oil pan. Whether you have a manual ball valve or an electric opening the valve will drain the oil for you. NOTE: If you have an electric valve wired into your ignition accessory make sure you only activate the ignition circuit to open the valve and do not turn the engine on.
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Next, pull your drain plug and begin draining your oil from your oil pan. This part of the process will obviously take longer than normal because the oil from the Accusump that is draining through the engine will need to drain out as well. You will know your Accusump is empty when its gauge stops moving and reads the original pre-charge pressure, typically 7-10 psi. If your Accusump gauge settles at a point below what you know your pre-charge was set to, you will want to pay attention to the next step.
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Now that your Accusump is emptied of oil, you have an opportunity to check its air pre-charge. The pre-charge is the amount of air pressure the Accusump is holding when the oil side of the unit is empty. You want to make sure that the pre-charge is holding within the acceptable range of 7-10 psi. If your pre-charge is not within 2 psi of what it was set up with during the install then you need to pressure check the unit. THIS STEP IS CRUCIAL FOR PROPER ACCUSUMP OPERATION! Learn more about how an Accusump works by checking out our "Accusump Basics" post.
Pressure check the unit by pressurizing the empty unit with 60 psi of air and letting it sit overnight. There should be little if any variance from the 60 psi when checked the next day. If the pressure does drop check for leaks around the threads of the air gauge and air valve. In the unlikely event that no leaks are found but pressure is not holding you should consider having the unit rebuilt. If you wish to have the unit rebuilt please call us at 203-481-9460 or email info@cantonracingproducts.com for more information.
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Put the drain plug back in. Now that you have checked your Accusump's pre-charge and all the oil has finished draining, reinstall the drain plug and torque appropriately.
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Fill your engine with the normal amount that the oil pan will hold +1 qt. *(If you are using a 1qt unit only overfill by 1/2 qt.)
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Start your engine and let it idle for about 3 minutes to allow the Accusump to fill. If you are using an electric valve you can turn the valve off at this point. The one-way design of the electric valve will allow the Accusump to fill quickly in the off position. If you have a manual valve you will of course have to leave it open to let the Accusump refill.
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Turn off your valve to hold the oil inside your Accusump once it is finished filling. The Accusump is done filling when it has filled up to a pressure that is equal to your engine's oil pressure.
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Turn the car off and check your dipstick. It should be under the full mark as some of the oil has been pumped into the Accusump. Check your Accusump gauge again and it should read close to what your oil pressure was when you shut the engine off.
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Fill the engine to the appropriate level on the dipstick and you are finished.
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