A key area that many people overlook when building a track car is engine oil management. Track cars are typically exposed to greater lateral forces than street cars which can lead to oil starvation issues. Oil starvation usually results in a blown engine that requires an expensive rebuild. Most aftermarket baffles combat oil starvation by preventing the oil from sloshing against the walls of the pan (i.e. away from the pickup).
Since Project LSX-7 will be used for amateur drifting and autocross, I decided to source a baffle to help ease my worries. Although a dry sump system would be ideal, the budget for this project doesn’t allow for it. After doing some research, I found a company called Improved Racing. They developed and sell what I feel is the best oil pan baffle for LSX engines. I contacted the owner of Improved Racing and he decided to help out by sponsoring Project LSX-7!
Improved Racing is Project LSX-7’s first official sponsor. Here’s a bit of info about how the company started:
Improved Racing Products, LLC was founded in late 2007 as a hobby-based business when its founder set out to tackle the oil starvation issues prevalent in the GM LS-series engines. The company’s extremely popular line of trap-door oil pan baffles bolt directly into the stock oil pans of several vehicles and provide vastly improved oil control for a fraction of the cost of a dry sump system or aftermarket oil pan.
Quality
The baffle I received had a nice finish and and the edges were clean and free of burrs. The baffle was packaged nicely and contained instructions that even provided the torque spec for the mounting bolts. It’s not often that aftermarket parts come with instructions let alone torque specs.
How it Works
The design uses a trap-door system which means that the hinges on the left, right, and back of the baffle close under hard cornering and heavy braking. By closing, they prevent the oil from leaving the center cavity (the location of the oil pickup tube). The hinges snap shut quickly and have been modified to only open 60° from the closed position. This prevents them from getting stuck in the open position. Below is a video shows just how well the baffle keeps the oil around the center cavity.
Installation
Improved Racing recommended washing the baffle with degreaser in order to clean off any oil or aluminum dust from the manufacturing process. I used a brand new F-body oil pan from GM, so I only had to remove the 7 M6 bolts securing the stamped steel baffle to the bottom of the oil pan.
GM F-body oil pan with stock stamped steel baffle
Once these were removed, the Improved Racing baffle was slid into place. The baffle fit perfectly and all of the mounting holes lined up. The stock bolts were reused and torqued to 106 in-lbs.
GM F-body oil pan with Improved Racing baffle
Cost
At a retail price of $199, this product is a no-brainer. It will give me confidence that the engine can handle the rigors of racing and drifting without having to spend a small fortune on a dry sump system.
Summary
I’m extremely satisfied with the baffle. It fit well and I have no doubt it will work as designed. Improved Racing makes other parts for RX-7’s along with baffles for the 2010+ Camaro/Pontiac G8/Holden VE and the GTO. 240SX owners who intend on swapping an LSX engine into their car should seriously consider picking up one of Improved Racing’s GTO baffles. Improved Racing also sells the trap doors used in the construction of their baffles which can be used in custom oil pans or fuel cells.
Check out Improved Racing’s Facebook page and “Like” it: https://www.facebook.com/improvedracing
[Sources: Improved Racing]
Previous posts about Project V8 RX-7:
Update 6 – Parts Engine Teardown
Update 5 – 5.3L Engine Purchase
Update 4 – The New Shop
Update 3 – Drivetrain Choices
Update 2 – Interior and Wiring
Update 1 – Engine Bay Preparation
Introduction to the Project
1 Comment
Looking good! I really enjoy my Improved Racing Strut Bar, adjustable end links and oil cooler adaptor. Wish I would have installed a baffle myself, maybe next year :).