RB26 Front Sump Setup with Custom Crossmember

[Kevlars30z]

I'm a person that likes searching for my information, rather than starting threads that ask about things that have been done. As the title states, I'm trying to keep my stock front sump on my Rb26. Many of you will say to go with a custom Rb25 sump or ask pat1 to make me one. I was going to do that but 1) I'm a person that likes to keep the budget low as possible & 2) the Rb26 sump has some advantages. I came across a build thread from 2008 that supported my idea, http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=218870 The build could be found here on HybridZ but over at Zilvia he states the Pros of having the front sump.

 

Now my main question, does anyone have a picture of his custom crossmember set up? OR a picture of it being done on another Z that I haven't came across? I've searched far and wide, although my father and I can fabricate one on our own, I would like an example to go off of. 

 

Thanks fellow members 

[rk2334]

better to go with R33gts or s14 crossmember, approximately  2inch wider

[Neverdone]

The hardest part I'm thinking about this is what the front crossmember not only holds the engine up, but also the suspension and steering rack. Moving the steering rack fore or aft changes steering kinematics and unless you want to also customize the front knuckle to get it closer to what it was (assuming you've got a really good understanding of desinging steering systems) it's probably gonna be a lot of work.

 

Can you notch out the front sump if it's suppose to rest? Looking at a picture of an RB26 in a S30 with a rear sump pan really doesn't look like there's much room to have anything up front.

[Namor]

I've never done any research any oil pan modification, but is there any reason you couldn't just modify the stock oil pan to be rear sump instead of buying one premade?  It doesn't seem like that difficult of a change. 

[Kevlars30z]

The hardest part I'm thinking about this is what the front crossmember not only holds the engine up, but also the suspension and steering rack. Moving the steering rack fore or aft changes steering kinematics and unless you want to also customize the front knuckle to get it closer to what it was (assuming you've got a really good understanding of desinging steering systems) it's probably gonna be a lot of work.

 

Can you notch out the front sump if it's suppose to rest? Looking at a picture of an RB26 in a S30 with a rear sump pan really doesn't look like there's much room to have anything up front.

 

 

I had the idea of moving the steering rack forward but like you stated, that would require me in going into deepwater.  I've also thought about notching the pan but it would end up losing oil capacity. I did notice that blu808 managed to trim the crossmember enough to fit the front sump pan and managed to keep the steering rack mounts. He said they made a jig from that trimmed crossmember and made one that managed to add support. He never mentioned modifying the steering rack position. 

 

 

I've never done any research any oil pan modification, but is there any reason you couldn't just modify the stock oil pan to be rear sump instead of buying one premade?  It doesn't seem like that difficult of a change. 

 

 

You can modify the oil pan to make it into a rear set up (like zt-r did) but that would require a lot of chopping and aluminum welding. I find it easier to make a crossmember since I don't have much experience with aluminum. 

[Namor]

Oh, I didn't realize the pan was aluminum. 

[Neverdone]

What that guy did was the most time intensive and questionable route around a problem that there is a clear answer for. The crossmember he made looks quite bad and puts way too much stress on a welded joint. I really hope it doesn't break...but I'm not gonna be surprised if it does.

 

CX Racing already makes a rear sump pan that's only $465

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Sump-RB26DETT-RB26-Aluminum-Oil-Pan-For-Nissan-Datsun-S30-240Z-260Z-280Z-/390890791671

 

Unless you value your own time at worthless and have easy access to materials and are a really good welder, I don't see any good reason to not just run a rear sump pan.

[Kevlars30z]

Correction, it was DREW RBZ, not zt-r. 

 

I just got the idea because I can weld and have access to the materials. Plus, I was just trying to keep it money friendly as possible. I never saw his finished result, so I don't know his structure. I was planning on creating a rectangle design since the R32s crossmember is shaped that way. I haven't dished out a custom rear pan set up, just seeing if I can save $400+. 

I have read that CX racing oil pans require some finishing touches to bolt up and the baffle will need some improvements. I personally prefer not going with CX racing.

[jacky4566]

Looking into this for a different swap with a large front sump. 

 

Aren't the steering knuckles symmetrical and thus reversible? At least the AZC ones are. Just swap left and right.

 

I think the trickier part would be mounting the rack on the other side of the member. 

[seattlejester]

^Wouldn't the TC arms get in the way?

 

That does seem like a lot of effort. A quick look at aftermarket offerings from mckinney and even CX show better baffling then the factory. If you guys are sufficient at fabrication you can modify or make a new windage tray if you wanted that benefit. 

 

I imagine the end result being an awfully offset style crossmember based off of where that was going. I'd be concerned with the rear deflecting. I suppose with enough gussets and triangulation it might not be that bad. Seems like a lot of fabrication for a fairly small net profit (your time and labor). 

[Kevlars30z]

More than likely the TC arms will get in the way. I was planning on running a Tomei baffle kit. Just wanted to throw this out there before spending the money on a custom pan. A family friend use to build race cars for RMR, if he has the chance, I'll ask him to take a look at it and see what he thinks. I'm currently doing rust repair, so I'm about a month away from dropping in the motor. 

[rk2334]

I bought rb25 pan and modified it Check my building

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/123114-golden-rb-240z/?do=findComment&comment=1151028

[510sr20det]

On 5/4/2017 at 2:58 PM, seattlejester said:

^Wouldn't the TC arms get in the way?

 

That does seem like a lot of effort. A quick look at aftermarket offerings from mckinney and even CX show better baffling then the factory. If you guys are sufficient at fabrication you can modify or make a new windage tray if you wanted that benefit. 

 

I imagine the end result being an awfully offset style crossmember based off of where that was going. I'd be concerned with the rear deflecting. I suppose with enough gussets and triangulation it might not be that bad. Seems like a lot of fabrication for a fairly small net profit (your time and labor). 

CX