Since a fellow R53 lost an engine on 9/25th HPDE, the discussion has been around oil starvation on track and oil baffle to prevent one. I took the opportunity to collect some empirical data this weekend at Spokane Racepark.

Attached is data from a lap I had at Spokane Racepark. My car doesn't have any oil baffle for this entire year, no baffle this weekend. However the data shows for this particular track, the momentary lateral or longitudinal G has little affect on oil pressure. It is mostly affected by RPM of the engine. At any given time on the track, my oil pressure was never below 40psi.

Other data: Oil temp was at 200~210*during this entire 25min session. I've an 11 row Setrab cooler. Ambient temp was 55~60*. Oil was fill to 3/4 mark on dipstick, no over fill.

So base on this data, I don't think running track day without baffle on this track would cause oil starvation. The Gs I pull at Spokane is similar to Pacific Raceway.

Installing one while you have access to oil pan would be wise and good insurance. I would be installing one during my off season build.

Data chart from one lap...2.5mile lap. My starting point for the lap is the last inter connect between the front straight leading into T4. Minus lateral G is right turn, Positive G is left turn.

 

Great post...excellent data chart attached.

 

What is the scan rate and collection period for the oil pressure metric?

ie How often does it check the oil pressure, and for how long does it measure to determine the oil pressure?

I want to make sure your data is precise enough to capture a "momentary" loss of oil pressure. How ever you define that.

Alan

p.s. I hope your conclusion is correct. I've never had an issue with autox and track events the last 5 years, but I recently did go to r-comp tires.

 

The oil pressure is from a 5v Autometer Oil pressure sender/gauge kit, its constant loop, measuring electric current resistance. The data collection is done via Traqmate, set to sample at 20hz or 20 times a second.

In my car when the oil temp reaches 180~200*, at engine idle speed of 750~850rpm, the oil pressure is 15~20psi. If you study the data chart I posted from the 2.5mile lap, oil pressure never drops below 39~40psi.

Again this is just my attempt to collect empirical data for something that have much myth and hearsay around it.

It would be great to see other people's actual data to enrich this discussion.