In case you missed our first blog, Accusump Basics click here to understand the Accusump and how it works. The most important accessory to an Accusump oiling system is the valve. The valve is important for proper oil control and maximizing the efficiency of the Accusump.....
For applications that are pre-oiling with only engine maintenance in mind there are 2 options: Manual Ball Valve & Electric Valve. As for which of those options is best for any particular situation it comes down to the preference of the user. The manual ball valve is simple and effective, but requires you to physically operate the valve. How convenient this is depends largely on the location of the valve and whether it is in reach of the driver. If the valve can not be reached from the driver's seat you will be doing a lot of running around the car to operate the Accusump. This is not ideal. Our cable actuated manual valve can help here a bit by provided a greater range of operation when the manual valve is not in reach.
The Electric Valve, on the other hand, can operate at any distance from the driver. It can be activated by a switch or set to operate automatically when wired into the vehicles' ignition circuit. The Electric Valve is the most convenient option. When considering the valve needs to be opened before each engine start and closed before each engine shut down, many users decide they prefer the automatic capability of the electric valve. An added bonus with the electric valve is its one way design when closed. This allows the Accusump to continue to refill even after the valve is off and closed to discharging. That feature allows your Accusump to charge up and hold on to your systems highest pressure before shutting down for the day. This peak pressure ensures the Accusump is holding the most oil.
Want a quick visual guide to making your valve choice? See the bottom of the page to get our downloadable Accusump Selection Guide.
For race applications that are installing an Accusump to address a low oil pressure concern, the options are similar, but different. The same manual ball valve options mentioned above can be used in these oil pressure control situations. As before these valves are the simplest and most straight forward in operation and installation. However, unlike when being used for pre-oiling only, the simplicity of the manual valve limits its performance when protecting against oil pressure surges. Being totally open all the time the manual valve will discharge oil any time there is any drop in pressure. The valve makes no distinction between a small insignificant drop in pressure and the big drop in pressure that you put the unit in to protect against. That means you might reach that tight corner or deceleration zone with less pressure in the Accusump due to the unit discharging some of its oil before you got there.
For those that want the most protection, The EPC (Electric Pressure Control) Valve addresses this "premature discharge" by providing a "smart" valve that will hold the Accusump's max pressure until the moment you need it. In addition to increasing pressure drop protection, the EPC valve's "smart" operation ensures your Accusump will not discharge extra oil in the pan that may creating windage and causing parasitic power loss. Both of these situations make the EPC valve a must have for the track.
Selecting the correct version of the EPC valve can be a tricky situation. It is important to select a valve with a pressure switch that is below your warm idle oil pressure so the Accusump will not be discharging at idle. Yet you must also pick a valve with a pressure setting close enough to your normal operating pressure. This way the Accusump will be responding when you want it to. Stick to these criteria and wire the valve to your ignition accessory and you will not have to worry about touching your Accusump valve at all. If ease of use is your priority then this set up is optimal.
In a situation where an engine has idle oil pressure below even our lowest valve option (25 psi), we recommend selecting the pressure switch that is right beneath the normal operating oil pressure instead. This set up however, requires the driver to use the valves' electric toggle switch to turn the valve off when at idle. This is done when entering and exiting the track. Doing that will ensure that the Accusump isn't discharging while at low RPM or at idle and overfilling your oil pan.
