Blew my K20a engine on AA3 - Advice needed

[NKC]

Hi guys,

Another update. After 590 track miles, the k20z3 gave way as well and this time I'm pretty confident about why it happened. Oil Starvation on these engines are well known especially without a baffled pan and my track +the Atom on slicks has many high sustaining G's that are left turns. I would feel this turbo type lag coming out of corners at about 7-8k rpm which later turns out the be the V-tec not activating due to low oil pressures. Both engines were blown after a resident race car driver drove it which means it was definitely sustaining the highest Gs for the longest time possible. At over 2 Gs, I doubt a baffled pan would cut it for extended usage.

On the other hand, the k24 on the SRA seems to holding up quite well after 1000miles on the same track. I'm wondering if the SRA has a baffle due to its racing nature? On our 3 mile track, my AA3 is about 3 seconds faster than an SRA driven by the same race car driver. Why does the K20A and the K20Z3 suffer and not the K24 in the SRA?

Anyway, I'm glad this happened at the end of the season so I've got a good 6 months to figure this out. Does anyone here have experience with a dry sump kit for the our engine and Atom? I wonder if it'll fit back there.

[cvjoint]

Hi guys,

Another update. After 590 track miles, the k20z3 gave way as well and this time I'm pretty confident about why it happened. Oil Starvation on these engines are well known especially without a baffled pan and my track +the Atom on slicks has many high sustaining G's that are left turns. I would feel this turbo type lag coming out of corners at about 7-8k rpm which later turns out the be the V-tec not activating due to low oil pressures. Both engines were blown after a resident race car driver drove it which means it was definitely sustaining the highest Gs for the longest time possible. At over 2 Gs, I doubt a baffled pan would cut it for extended usage.

On the other hand, the k24 on the SRA seems to holding up quite well after 1000miles on the same track. I'm wondering if the SRA has a baffle due to its racing nature? On our 3 mile track, my AA3 is about 3 seconds faster than an SRA driven by the same race car driver. Why does the K20A and the K20Z3 suffer and not the K24 in the SRA?

Anyway, I'm glad this happened at the end of the season so I've got a good 6 months to figure this out. Does anyone here have experience with a dry sump kit for the our engine and Atom? I wonder if it'll fit back there.

I've been staying away from adding aero for this very reason. I believe that with slicks we're already pushing our luck. The Honda touring cars use a custom baffled pan and accusump on cars like Civics with no aero. We certainly get higher lateral G than they do.

My understanding is that the extra oil capacity of the K24Z7 SRA is nothing more than overfilling and the pan is stock but I could be wrong. HPD does work with TMI from time to time. It's possible we get some sort of HPD pan. Small chance, but possible. Most likely, the K24Z7 revs are much lower so the bearings can sustain dry periods for a bit longer. At 190whp the K24Z7 is also stressed very little compared to a bosted K20.

What lateral G are you seeing on the K24 and K20 cars? I see 1.7 at times for brief periods and 1.6 for as many as 4 turns in a row. Stock K24Z7 on Formula Atlantic slicks and going well at 5,000 track miles.

Richard has a K24/K20 frank with a Dailey dry sump, he's your man:
https://www.arielatomchat.com/forums/thread2783.html
https://motoiq.com/building-the-natu...engine-part-1/

[cvjoint]

Any update on oiling upgrade? I'm starting to see low oil pressure in high G turns as well. Switched to 50 weight oil and keeping the engine overfilled but could still use more pressure.

[s2kseven]

I don't know what you think about this;
If I blow my turbo K20 engine (which I'm waiting and waiting and waiting), for sure I will attempt to put a motorcycle engine in an ATOM.
Bore the Susuki Hayabusa to 1500cc and turbocharge the engine. Try to get atleast 300hp or more. I will save a lot of weight. I will also fit with Westgate garage bike differential with quaife and electric reverse https://chaindrivediff.co.uk/product...-differential/
I owned Westfield 7 and I had a turbo hayabusa engine. The chassis weight of the Westfield almost the same weight of an Atom. If it works in the Westfield, it will also work in an Atom. I love the hi reviving engine with an insane sound of akropovic exhaust system .... almost an F1 sound.

If a turbochaged K20 is properly map, it is very hard to blow the engine. K20 is a bullet proof & still running like a bull.... i'm still waiting!!

SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK ?

[WJS26]

I believe Radical RPE makes a transaxle that would work without any chain drive. In fact, you could purchase the entire engine/trans for a Radical and go from there.
That would be an awesome engine for the Atom!

[cvjoint]

I don't know what you think about this;
If I blow my turbo K20 engine (which I'm waiting and waiting and waiting), for sure I will attempt to put a motorcycle engine in an ATOM.
Bore the Susuki Hayabusa to 1500cc and turbocharge the engine. Try to get atleast 300hp or more. I will save a lot of weight. I will also fit with Westgate garage bike differential with quaife and electric reverse https://chaindrivediff.co.uk/product...-differential/
I owned Westfield 7 and I had a turbo hayabusa engine. The chassis weight of the Westfield almost the same weight of an Atom. If it works in the Westfield, it will also work in an Atom. I love the hi reviving engine with an insane sound of akropovic exhaust system .... almost an F1 sound.

If a turbochaged K20 is properly map, it is very hard to blow the engine. K20 is a bullet proof & still running like a bull.... i'm still waiting!!

SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK ?

A turbocharged K series engine has the most potential for performance of all engines that fit in the stock wheelbase. I say if what you are interested in is going quick, you already have the ticket!

Now I do think that it's important, I'd even say imperative, that the engine you use is fun to use. To me sound and throttle response are very important. It's also important to have a reliable engine.

So on one side we have the K series turbo for laying down the law of the land and on the other the most soulful engine, which imo is the V8 naturally aspirated. In the middle is the rest. I think if you want high revs and good sound a naturally aspirated K20 will fit the bill just as well as a busa engine turbo. You will get roughly the same power and roughly the same sound quality.

For me a Rotrex charged stock K20 head/built K24 bottom frank is the combo to have. It will have 90% of:
the output of a turbo K series engine
the throttle response of the V8
the reliability of the stock engine
the sound of the V8