Oil Flow - S65 Oil Flow Analysis

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.

Everyday driving and hard cornering

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.  Grocery 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.

Testing Results

BMW Factory 702/703 Bearings

Overview

Distance Traveled	Metric (KM)	SAE (Miles)
Starting Odometer	50007	31073
Ending Odometer	60548	37623
Total	10541	6550

Statistics
Number of cold/warm starts	366
Distance Traveled	6550 (10541 KM)
Data Log Entries (#)	5268532
Individual data items collected	142250364

Cold Start Analysis

The factory oil pump is a variable vein (variable pressure) oil pump. 

Two oil pumps are installed in the S65 engine; the oil return pump, which is driven via a gearwheel by a crankshaft, and the volume flow-controlled main oil pump, driven via chain drive bythe oil return pump.

In the S85, the VANOS high pressure pump is installed instead ofthe S65 oil return pump, and the S85 oil return pump is contained in a  housing together with the main oil pump (tandem pump).

Since there is no space to install a tandem pump in the S65, the oil return pump has been moved from the main oil pump housing and installed instead ofthe VANOS highpressure pump. This allows the pump drive principle (crankshaft=> gearwheel => pump => chain => pump) to be maintained. As in the S85, the volume flow-controlled main oil pump is a hinged-valve oil pump with a feed capacity adjusted to suitthe VANOS lowpressure system.

The duocentric design ofthe oil return pump ensures thatoil is always available atthe inletpipe ofthe main oil pump in the reararea ofthe oil pan, even when braking sharply from high speeds.

The electrical oil return pumps installed in the S85 for scavenging the cylinderheads are no longer required, which results in a furtherweightsaving.

This is made possible bythe lowernumberofcylinders, modification ofthe oil return routes, and the large capacityofthe oil pan.

The oil pan has a capacity of 8.3 liters (S85 9.3 liters).

The oil supply is also guaranteed atextreme longitudinal and lateral accelerations ofup to 1.4 times the normal gravitational acceleration.

The oil filterhousing is installed on the engine.

BMW TIS Training Manual

	Metric (BAR)	SAE (PSI)
Minimum oil pressure at idle	1.0	14.50
Minimum oil pressure while running	4.0 – 6.0	58.0 – 87.0

Oil Pressure Analysis

TBD

Oil Flow Analysis

TBD