Oil Flow - S65 Oil Flow Analysis
Contents
Test Vehicle
- 2008 BMW M3
- 100% stock engine with 30000 miles
- Stock ECU
- Stock exhaust
Data logging Equipment
- Racelogic Video Vbox Pro, 32-channels engine (ECU) CAN bus.
- Racelogic Mini Input Module. Eight channels A-D conversions, transffered via CAN to Video VBox Pro
- AEM oil pressure sensor. 0-10 BAR; 0-5V analog output to Racelogic Mini Input Module
- Flow Technologies Turbine Oil Flow Sensor. Oil temperature and oil viscosity corrected. Calibrated for Castrol TWS 10W60 oil. 0-15 Gallons Per Minute (GPM); 0-10V analog output to Racelogic Mini Input Module.
Data signals collected and stored
- Timestamp (GMT)
- Vehicle Latitude
- Vehicle Longitude
- Vehicle Elevation (terrain height)
- Vehicle Velocity
- Wheel Speed Sensors (LF, RF, LR, RR)
- BMW internal speedometer
- Odometer
- Brake pedal pressure
- Steering angle
- Fuel gauge
- Vehicle voltage
- Engine RPM
- Throttle position (% open)
- Ambient pressure
- Ambient temperature
- Water temperature
- Oil temperature
- Oil Flow (0-15 GPM)
- Oil Pressure (0-150 PSI)
Testing Methods
Cold Starts
Each cold start was data logged. Data logger was powered up and obtained GPS signal. Once the GPS signal was locked, the data logging was started. After data logging started, the vehicle was started. This allowed the entire starting sequence, low RPMs with the starter, oil pressure, and oil flow to be tracked during the cold start procedure.
Warm Starts
Exact same procedure as cold starts, and for the same purpose. Data logger was powered up and obtained GPS signal. Once the GPS signal was locked, the data logging was started. After data logging started, the vehicle was started.
Normal driving
Vehicle was driven as a daily driver. 27 miles to work in rush hour traffic each day. Spirited high RPM runs when possible. Hard corning when possible. Grociery getting and fast food runs when possible.
Track day driving
I would have liked to include at least one track day with each set of rod bearings, but that wasn’t possible. At the track day event with the factory 702/703 bearings, the car immediately went into limp mode on the first parade lap. We never were able to fix the issue on that day. It was eventually tracked down to bad seals on the throttle bodies and/or possible loose ground strap (both issues were present). Therefore, the track day never happened for the original 702/703 bearings.
