'59 KG LSR Oiling System

About The Oiling System

Denzel engines were "full flow" from the beginning, meaning that oil was taken from the engine crankcase, filtered, often also cooled, and returned to the crankcase.

We are not taking time here to outline the stock components - find that over here on our website - and instead are only including what our Land Speed Record Karmann Ghia has installed.

We are using the stock Denzel oil pump to get the oil from the crankcase and are also using stock Denzel oil fitting to the main oil galley to return oil to the crankcase. UPDATE: The stock fitting "has problems." Namely, if the fitting leaks, all you can do is tighten the steel fitting into the alloy crankcase and if you strip it, you're done! This is what happened to us in 2009. For 2010 we made a temporary solution, but, for the 2011 season, we created a permanent solution - a new reverse-banjo fitting. In our new solution, the fitting remains permanently in the crankcase where sealant can overcome any flaws that might cause leaks, and a steel-to-steel fitting with your choice of sealing washer (we preferr aluminum, but copper and fiber work) between the steel banjo fitting, the steel bolt threaded into the crankcase, and the specially made steel nut that threads on opposite the banjo fitting. The result is that the crankcase is protected and leaks can be positively eliminated.

We are using a standard JAYCEE brand non-bypassing filter to 0.2 microns! Yes, that's their spec, if memory serves. We love that it will not bypass as filters that bypass are essentially filters with designed-in oil filter failure! Depend upon your oil pressure gauge to tell you when the filter is clogged, not a brainless filter that doesn't even tell you it dumped garbage into your bearings!

We also have included a thermostat and cooler - and have secured all three from CB Performance (formerly Claude's Buggies).

These photos are of the installation of these parts in our '59 Karmann Ghia.

Here we can see both the oil return line from the full flow filter / cooler setup back to the crankcase using the stock Denzel oil fittings, and, in the same image, we get a glimpse of the Porsche 356 gauge and bypass filter assembly, "behind" the distributor. Note the hex bolt threaded into the Denzel fitting plugs the location where the oil pressure switch would ordinarily go; it's not needed because the Porsche unit provides a better location for the rather large pressure sending unit. ...Unfortunately, in 2009 we never had time to hook up _any_ of our accessory gauges installed in the dash!...

You can also note in this image that our distributor is the venerable Bosch "019". We rebuilt it and know it is capable of 22 degrees of advance, when it's all in. And finally, note the spark plug ends are the Behru (Porsche) type....

In this final shot you can see the Porsche 356 bypass oil fitting a little better. We could have run the original Denzel filter here, but our external 0.2 micron filter is a lot more convenient and surely filters better. However, still installing the Porsche filter gives the advantage that it provides a place for an oil temperature sender that gets very accurate readings because it has flow through it that originates at the main galley and the temperature remains about the same as oil going to the bearings as it is actually on its way to a bypass type filter (the orange item). The return location from this filter can be seen here too, just to the right of the distributor - the fitting in the left side of the generator stand. The price paid is a bit of oil pressure, but we have plenty available.

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