Oil Accumulators

What Does An Oil Accumulator Do?

An oil accumulator stores pressurized oil while your engine runs and releases it the moment oil pressure drops. That reserve helps prevent oil starvation when oil sloshes away from the pickup under hard launches, braking, or high-g cornering. The Accusump from Canton Racing Products is the original automotive oil accumulator.

A cylinder reservoir connects to the pressure side of your oiling system, and the engine's own oil pump charges it. Inside, a hydraulic piston separates the oil side from the air-precharge side. A Schrader valve lets you add air, and accumulator models include a pressure gauge so you can watch the charge.

Close the valve at shutdown and the unit holds pressure, so it can pre-lube the engine before the next start. That reduces dry-start wear. To see where an accumulator fits among your engine oil system components, read our guide on how engine oil systems work.

How To Choose The Right Oil Accumulator Size

Size your accumulator to your engine and oil flow: larger engines and higher-flow oiling systems need more stored volume. Accumulators are sized in quarts, and 3 quarts is a common capacity. The Moroso Standard 3-Quart Accumulator kit (710-23900K) in this category is one example.

Look at how much oil your system moves before you pick a size. A higher-flow pump pulls stored oil out faster during a pressure drop, so a small reservoir can empty before pressure recovers. If you're upgrading oil pumps and pickups at the same time, size the accumulator for the new pump's flow.

Space matters too. Measure where the cylinder will mount and confirm there's room for the valve, gauge, and feed line. If you're torn between two sizes on a large or high-flow engine, step up to the bigger reservoir. You'll get more reserve oil for the same install work.

Oil Accumulators Vs Dry Sump Systems

An oil accumulator is the lower-cost alternative when your car can't or won't run a dry sump. It adds a pressurized oil reserve to the wet-sump setup you already have. Moving to dry sump systems and components means reworking your whole oiling system.

Before you choose, weigh these points for your build:

• Your budget for upgrading the oiling system
• Your chassis room for dry-sump hardware and lines
• How hard your car loads the oil pan in launches and turns

If budget or packaging rules out a dry sump, an accumulator is the practical upgrade. It backs up oil pressure when slosh causes a drop, and it can pre-lube the engine before startup. That second benefit helps on street cars and race cars alike.

For a deeper comparison of both layouts, read wet sump vs dry sump oil systems.

Installing And Plumbing An Oil Accumulator

Plumb the accumulator to the pressure side of your oiling system, then size the feed line to the run length. Canton recommends an AN-12 feed line for runs longer than about 3 meters and AN-10 for shorter runs. For a clean pressure-side port, see oil filter adapters and remote filter mounts.

Mounting orientation depends on the design. A piston-style accumulator can mount in any orientation. An air-bubble accumulator without a piston must mount vertically with the oil side down.

Add air precharge through the Schrader valve before the first start. Precharge means the accumulator fills only after the engine establishes a minimum oil pressure. Prime a fresh build with oil pump primer tools and shafts before first fire.

The accumulator stores oil while the engine runs, so account for that volume when you check and top off the oil level. For oil selection, see our guide to choosing oil for drag racing.

Oil Accumulator Valves And Accessories

The control valve decides when your accumulator holds or releases oil, and you can choose a manual or electric valve. Close it at shutdown to hold pressure for pre-lube. Open it before you crank so the stored oil reaches the engine first.

An accumulator check valve lets oil flow in one direction in the accumulator circuit. This category carries the Canton Racing Products 24-280 Accusump Check Valve with a 1/2-inch NPT female thread. Confirm thread size against your fittings before you order.

You'll also find related oil-control parts here. Oil separators and catch-can kits help manage oil carried in crankcase vapor. Cooler bypass valves for oil cooler circuits are here too, so you can source more of your oil system in one place.

If you need more crankcase venting options, browse oil catch cans and breather tanks. Then shop the oil accumulators, valves, and accessories on this page to complete your setup.