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YOUR RESEARCHOil Pressure too low indicator after spirited hill climb
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Check oil level and whether any leaks appeared
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
Gave it a few minutes then checked the oil level and whether any leaks appeared.
Oil Pressure too low indicator after spirited hill climb
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Leading evidence: 'Check oil level and whether any leaks appeared' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'momentary starvation situation' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check oil level and whether any leaks appeared' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Oil Pressure too low indicator after spirited hill climb
momentary starvation situation
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Oil Pressure too low indicator after spirited hill climb
Inspect debris & at the minimum, enlarge stock baffle windows
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Suggestion
Good time to drop the sump plate & inspect for debris & at the minimum, enlarge stock baffle windows for max oil flow to pickup.
Oil Pressure too low indicator after spirited hill climb
Test oil pan baffle limitations & it worked as designed
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Suggestion
OP sounds like your driving course was designed to test oil pan baffle limitations & it worked as designed.
Oil Pressure too low indicator after spirited hill climb
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OP sounds like your driving course was designed to test oil pan baffle limitations & it worked as designed.
I just had a heart attack moment and need some advice.
The story:
03 996 C2 with a fresh engine rebuild to 4.0 litre. Nearly 3000 miles so far.
I crested a ten mile beautifully twisty hill climb which I did mostly in 2nd gear and under 5000 RPM the entire way.
I hit the top of the hill, took a left hand turn down a slight downgrade (about 300 yards) then took a sharp left into a parking lot with very slight uphill slant.
Per usual I hit the clutch and suddenly I got two beeps and saw the dreaded "Oil pressure too low" warning. I immediately glanced at the oil pressure gauge that showed the pressure just under the 1 bar.
I put the car into first to turn into a parking spot and the warning instantly vanished.
The whole incident lasted all of 3-5 seconds.
Of course, I immediately shut the engine down. Gave it a few minutes then checked the oil level and whether any leaks appeared. All good.
I gave it a few more minutes then restarted the engine. All systems seemed to have reset and the idle oil pressure hovered just above the 1 bar per usual when engine is hot.
I ran back down the hill and drove the car another hour home with all systems working perfectly.
I plan on calling my indy tomorrow to discuss.
But I'm thinking maybe oil pressure sensor? Sending Unit?
I've seen a lot of you you with similar incidents. But not the exact conditions I ran into.
Any advice would be helpful.
Additional details:
03 996 C2. Fresh engine rebuild--approximately 3000 miles so far. Done the proper break in and oil changes. Using 10W-40 full synthetic (Castrol.) All as expected and normal. Oil level is one bar below top line on dash read out. About 2/3 up between dots on dipstick. Seems about right to me. (It took 9 quarts on the last oil change, which is within spec, as far as I can ascertain from the manual and this forum.)
Coolant temp was 2/3 of the way up between the 180 and the first hash mark (I assume is about 215 degrees) I estimated the coolant temp was about 200 degrees. Both radiator fans were blowing away at the time.
Sounds like inertia may have temporarily starved your pickup. There are modifications for this if you'll be doing that in the future. It could also be coincidentally a pressure sending unit, which fails often (or the connecting wires) often discussed. here.
Yes, a man has got to know his limitations & also his machine's! OP sounds like your driving course was designed to test oil pan baffle limitations & it worked as designed. If the oil pressure warning light was only on for 5 seconds you should be fine. If you want to do manuvers like that in the future you should install a improved baffle. Good time to drop the sump plate & inspect for debris & at the minimum, enlarge stock baffle windows for max oil flow to pickup.
Thanks for the quick feedback. Sounds like I just pushed to the limit.
And yes, I'll talk to the builder tomorrow to discuss all options--including expanding the baffles.
My builder was Alex at MaxRPM in Bremerton Wa. But the block halves went to LN for the re-sleeving.
Thanks again!
Under some conditions and I think you encountered them, oil can collect under one camshaft cover. G-force can pool oil under one camshaft cover away from the scavenge pump.
Obviously if the oil is under the camshaft cover, it can't be in the sump and this lowers the oil level in the sump. Couple this lower oil level with high g-forces and while I doubt the oil pickup got un-covered, the oil pump probably ingested a bit of oil with some air in it.
If the oil pump had ingested air along with beep I think you would have heard some unforgettable noises from the engine.
As others have offered you need a deeper oil pan and better baffling.
And be sure the oil is fresh. Oil with miles gets contaminated with combustion byproducts of which water is one. This makes the oil thinner and can increase its propensity to foam. This can thus have more aerated oil in the sump than usual and under the hillclimb conditions the defoaming pots just couldn't keep up.
About the fans... unless you had the A/C on the fans were on because the engine coolant was at least 212F and if the fans were on high the coolant could have been hotter, to 216F. Oil temperature undoubtly quite a bit higher, maybe in the 250F range...
@Macster, thank you for the additional insight. Fortunately I didn't hear any horrible noises. If I had I would have called for a flatbed immediately!
@Alpine003, no I didn't get a secondary oil pump. But I'm going to ask about that when I speak to my mechanic today.
Not sure exactly how the oil pressure sender works but when mine started failing the info displayed said something like "Oil pressure sender failure" not "oil pressure too low". Wording might not be exact as I was busy steering, braking and trying not to soil my shorts. New sender made all that go away.
@5CHN3LL and Wildbilly32: my mechanic thinks it could be the OP sensor glitching.
BUT
... given that I was bounding up a twisty hill, with the engine and oil temps at the top of their range... it's probably a momentary starvation situation. He's suggesting I think about the EDS or LN X51 baffle upgrade.
@Aplpine003: He thought the secondary pump option might be helpful. But could be a costly overkill measure since I'm not planning on tracking the car in the near future. (Maybe a little autocross, though.)
He also thought the third radiator upgrade might be helpful as he felt the coolant temp was a little on the high side.
I've got the EDS baffle in my Pelican shopping cart as it looks identical the the LN option but about $90 less. Love to know what you guys recommend.
Thanks!
X51 Baffle and third radiator are great updates. If you find you need additional protection, an Accusump system can also be helpful on a semi-wet sump system like we have.
While I hope it was just a glitch, the upgrades are a great plan. Incidentally, it must have been an awesome drive - most folks only get oil starvation on a track with slicks or semi-slicks.
I think if I was going the route of oil pan replacement w/baffle, I would go with the FVD. I think it is a piece of art:
http://www.fvd.net/us/en/Porsche-0/9...otorsport.html
@CHN3LL: Yes, it was a heck of a ride. Nothing but turns...and I was chasing my buddy who was also driving a 911. So... :-)
For reference: It was Palomar mountain road in San Diego county, CA.
@DBJoe996: Yes, the FVD setup is beautiful. Still in consideration. But at nearly 3X the cost of the EBS baffle alone it may be a little overkill for me--right now. ;-)
The Palomar run is awesome - I'm impressed you were able to maintain decent speeds. Usually the corners are stuffed with "superbikers" putting up and down the hill.
I get a kick out of those dudes in $400 leather pants on $20,000 Ducatis cornering so slowly that pickups and campers are stacking up behind them...but there are guys like that in every sport - golfers with a 30-stroke handicap rocking a $900 putter.
Given my proximity to two hospitals, I get to see tubby doctors built like me riding to work on $10K carbon fiber road bikes. These dudes will spend $1000 to shave off another 50 grams - and then eat a 1-pound breakfast burrito before starting a ride.
...all this said by the guy who has 8-degree shims in his wing but didn't break 80MPH today...
That is a fun road.
I have Highland Valley road a few minutes away, always a good 20-30 minute drive
San Diego PCA has a back country drive coming up soon
always a great drive and usually between 80 and 125 cars.
Tons of fun
http://www.pcasdr.org/event/driving-...ve-the-date-2/
