Maynor29

I've dug through a lot of threads on low oil pressure at track events and I'm installing a dedicated gauge with a settable warning light. However, I'm not seeing a consistent answer on what is considered "dangerously low" oil pressure where you should get out of it.

Combo is a stroked LS2, 427 ci, wet sump baffeled pan with a 3 QT accusump that is a dedicated track car.

I'm assuming 30 psi is a good setting for the warning light goes off . However, I don't know if that is enough warning time..... or not enough. Right now with the old mechanical gauge and a passenger watching it, the car has never seen less than 30 psi at VIR, Summit or NJMP. The Glen is the only other track I'm likely to hit this year.

The new gauge will have peak low and high recall which will help for post-session analysis and I really should just have the data fed to my Traqmate to match it to corners.. but that's a project for a different day. Right now, I'm just trying to get a "red light goes off, off the gas, engine off NOW" safety warning..

Any suggestions to help save a motor? Is 30 psi enough warning?

Thanks,

John
E36 LS2

JVetthead

I have mine at 30psi. It has saved the engine once allready when my wet sump LS7 track only motor grenaded the oil pump. I have gone drysump now.. It would be interesting i am sure to track data on oil pressure. The stock gauge lags alot comparing it to the pressure light.

Oil pump carnage...

Maynor29

Ouch, that is the definition of carnage right there...

Thanks for the feedback... the motor survived that pump breakage without additional problems?

gkmccready

Wow. My datalogger shows oil pressure below 20# on long left handers. Stock motor'd '06 LS2. Hot idle can be down below 25# pretty easy, too...

JVetthead

No major damage... right before turn in light went off, looked down had 30psi - looked down at corner exit 0psi shut it down.
Of course tore down engine cleaned it re-bearing and re-ring it while we were in there.
I was getting teens and 20s psi at 7000 after 2-3 laps.
Kind of distracts from driving...

No problem now tho.