1G Frontline Fabrication oil pump install

[lenny 15]

I am getting ready to install my frontline fab oil pump and I’m looking to see if anyone else has any tips on placement of the OFH, oil coolers used, etc. I currently have the PWR universal oil cooler I am planning to use but it’s going to require some fabrication in order to fit up front for sure. Improved racing also has an oil thermostat that I’ve picked up. Right now I just need to decide on a quality set of lines and fittings as well as some mounting solutions since this is going to be a street car, but will see time on a road course. It looks like a custom timing cover housing will be required to clear the oil lines, if I run one at all.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[LaserAWD]

I'll be doing this soon to my car as well with a new engine being installed. Subscribing to this cause I can't find anything on YouTube showing installs people have done. I need to pick up a thermostat for it as well. I've also seen a few people on Instagram talking about the regulation on filter relocation unit not being the best and some people have upgraded that part. I think it was Matt Wheatley in his colt that talked about it somewhere.

I have a 1GB but was considering putting the oil cooler in the drivers side fog light area with potentially mounting the remote filter in the same area.

 

[LaserAWD]

I haven't gotten the engine in the car yet to figure out the actual oil cooler lines but thought I'd post this here to help anyone looking to install the Frontline Fab oil pump. The numbers in the photo are the under head bolt length. All are M8x1.25 thread except the OEM M10 at the top.

The stock size bolts work in some locations but the standard front cover bolt kits from JNZ and others will not have all the bolts you need because of not using the stock oil filter housing. Also the bottom right bolt between the two -10AN ports needs an allen head (or button head) type of bolt. I could not get any hex head bolts to fit and still be able to get a socket on them. Even the ARP 12 point bolts with 10mm heads had too big of a flange (~15mm IIRC) to seat down in the area. The bolt I got from McMaster has a ~14mm head and just squeaks in there.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

Stock bolt part numbers:

M8x16 : MF140223 (Qty 4 needed)
M8x20 : MF140225 (Qty 4 needed)
M8x25 : MF140227 (Qty 2 needed)
M10x30 : MF140062 (Qty 1 needed)

M8x35 : 91306A777 at McMaster is what I used : https://www.mcmaster.com/91306A777/

As an additional note Frontline Fab originally told me he thinks it should work with AC. I have mocked up the engine and the AC belt goes directly through the lower right -10AN fitting location. There is no way I can see AC working with this oil pump so I have removed it from my car.

I'm working on seeing how much cutting will have to be done on the timing belt cover to fit. Once I have that complete I will try to post up more pictures with what I have done.

 

[We're on Boost]

M8x35 : 91306A777 at McMaster is what I used

I kind of hate button head bolts if I can use a regular socket head bolt instead, because I'm always afraid that I won't be able to get the button head back out of there a few years later. The socket in a button head is both smaller and shallower than the socket in a regular socket head. Easier to strip it if the bolt is a little stuck when you try to take it out.

So, if it's the small head diameter that you want, and more head height doesn't hurt, I'd get a regular class 12.9 (very strong) socket head, zinc plated, M8 x 35. The extra alloy content of class 12.9 probably improves corrosion resistance too, and makes it stronger than class 10.9.
The drive size is 6mm, rather than 5mm in the button head, and the head diameter is 1mm smaller (13mm rather than 14mm).
Like this:
M8 x 35 socket head class 12.9

If you want a lock washer under the head, scroll down to the bottom of that page where they show "metric high collar lock washers". Those washers are very stiff and they come out to a little less than 13mm OD when compressed. The ones I have come out to about 12.5 mm. They are about 0.083" thick.

 

[LaserAWD]

So, if it's the small head diameter that you want, and more head height doesn't hurt, I'd get a regular class 12.9 (very strong) socket head, zinc plated, M8 x 35. The extra alloy content of class 12.9 probably improves corrosion resistance too, and makes it stronger than class 10.9.
The drive size is 6mm, rather than 5mm in the button head, and the head diameter is 1mm smaller (13mm rather than 14mm).
Like this:
M8 x 35 socket head class 12.9

If you want a lock washer under the head, scroll down to the bottom of that page where they show "metric high collar lock washers". Those washers are very stiff and they come out to a little less than 13mm OD when compressed. The ones I have come out to about 12.5 mm. They are about 0.083" thick.

There is definitely room for more head height. I wouldn't want a lock washer digging into the nice billet front cover though, maybe a wave washer? Then again the stock bolts do not have any washers so might not be a need for one. I went with the largest diameter bolt head that would fit in that area as all of the OEM bolts have ~16mm bolt head surface and figured that was for distributing the clamping force.

These bolts only get torqued to 14-16ft/lb so I'm not worried about not being able to remove it later. The tensile strength difference between 10.9 and 12.9 shouldn't even come into play at this low of a torque either as both are rated for over 30ft/lb max torque. Even though it's only a 10.9 bolt it is zinc plated and shouldn't have any corrosion issues to worry about.

----------

On a different note now that I removed the AC I was thinking of relocating my alternator but it looks like I would run into the same problem of the accessory belt being in the way of the lower right oil port even if I try to put a banjo fitting directly on the front cover.

Also I had purchased new OEM oil pickup bolts and those were too long and would bottom out trying to install the pickup onto the FF oil pump. I don't remember the exact difference in the bolts but I found some shorter ones in my spares that were the same grade and with a lock washer that I was able to use and torque to spec. Here's a pic, about 4mm difference in length:

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

I have to ask, what was the need for the FF oil pump? Rebuildability, better pump, peace of mind or just plain ole personal preference???

 

[LaserAWD]

I have to ask, what was the need for the FF oil pump? Rebuildability, better pump, peace of mind or just plain ole personal preference???

One of the big reasons for the oil pump for me was to keep the oil pressure under control, especially at high rpm along with startup. It's been shown that a stock oil pump, even with the relief valve ported, can have crazy high oil pressure on cold start, 100psi +. Then there's a similar issue as you start getting up in the 9k+ rpm range where you have too much oil pressure, again 100psi +. The remote filter housing with this pump has an adjustable pressure regulator where you can set your base oil pressure and get that 10psi per 1000rpms that most people prefer.

The stock pumps are also know to have different failure modes that the gerotor style pump setup cures, so yes better pump for sure. There is the aspect of being able to rebuild the pump. The pump itself can flow more than the stock pump. The way the oil flows out of and returns to the pump can solve cavitation issues. There's a lot of this information on the FF product page: https://www.frontlinefabrication.co...s/products/4g63-dsm-evo-ball-bearing-oil-pump

I had originally bought the English Racing underdrive oil pump gear to try to solve the high rpm issues but after reading more I went with the Frontline Fab oil pump. It did take quite a while to arrive and my car has been down waiting for it so I'm hoping it works as advertised to keep my new 2.0 aluminum long rod motor together at all the rpms.

 

[We're on Boost]

I hope the install goes well and that it works well in use!
I'm kind of interested in it because it seems to me that our oil pumps are not the most reliable part of the engine. And the cantilever effect of the stub shaft type has always seemed a little creepy to me, although that's what I have in my car.

BTW I don't think 30 ft-lbs can be right for the torque rating on an M8 button head.
Holo-Krome says Max Tightening Torque for theirs is 24 Nm which is 17.7 foot-lbs. Theirs are made from material that is stronger than class 10.9. Monster Bolts has a chart for class 10.9 button heads and they say 22 Nm for those, which is 16 ft-lbs.
The head style de-rates the amount of clamp load you can use by a lot.

Since you aren't going higher than 16 ft-lbs with it, I imagine you'll be ok, and the button head will spread the load out on the aluminum a little more than a regular socket head would. Too bad you can't use a regular JIS flange head hex bolt there.
Take a look at page 86 in the Holo-Krome Technical Handbook for some good button head info. That's 86 on the actual page, not in the reader sidebar. I think the reader will say 94 / 102. Heck here it is:

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[LaserAWD]

That's good information about the button head vs hex head torque. I didn't realize there was a difference and was just going off max torque on Engineering Toolbox for M8 steel coarse thread:

Torque Specifications for Metric Bolts: Maximum Values & Tables

Recommended thightening torque metric bolts.

www.engineeringtoolbox.com

Learn something new everyday!

And if there was just a bit more room you could fit a 12 point ARP style bolt in there, they were 15mm head diameter using a 10mm 12 point socket. It just wouldn't seat and hit the aluminum for the bottom oil passage in that area even when off the engine.