Ideas for OP monitoring

[BertBert]

I've got concerns about my pinto oil pressure at race temps. The gauge is pretty well damped so doesn't show any transients. There is an OP warning light that is driven from an adjustable pressure switch. This is at an unknown pressure, but at a guess is 30ish psi - quite high. Hard to know (but changeable obviously).

From the race vid, we have now seen the OP light flickering at race speeds, but have no idea what that means.

Anyone got any ideas for cheapy, bodgy, accurate OP data logging or even a better way of monitoring the OP?

Cheers
Bert

[stevieturbo]

BertBert said:

I've got concerns about my pinto oil pressure at race temps. The gauge is pretty well damped so doesn't show any transients. There is an OP warning light that is driven from an adjustable pressure switch. This is at an unknown pressure, but at a guess is 30ish psi - quite high. Hard to know (but changeable obviously).

From the race vid, we have now seen the OP light flickering at race speeds, but have no idea what that means.

Anyone got any ideas for cheapy, bodgy, accurate OP data logging or even a better way of monitoring the OP?

Cheers
Bert

How cheap do you want ? And do you have a gauge ?

ie, point a video camera at it.

Do you have any electronics on the car ? Want some ?

Logging oil pressure on it's own, not so useful. Really you'd need at least one other parameter, but ideally more. RPM being an obvious one. Vehicle speed handy too and some form of engine load, manifold pressure again being a fairly easy one to give you an idea of engine load at any given time.
These will require suitable sensors. If you're happy buying Chinese, they can be bought very cheaply. probably not most reliable in the world but sufficient for this I'd say.

Some wideband units can offer this ( with added benefit of recording mixtures too ), some dash displays can offer this too...some of those tend to be pricey though.

14point7 make a cheapish standalone logger, here is an impartial review. The product sounds good...although quite often I hear their customer service is less so.

https://www.14point7.com/products/idash

http://www.dtaforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1...

[BertBert]

Thanks for the thoughts. There is a gauge, but it's very damped so pointing a camera at it is not much use.

There are no electronics as they are not allowed in historics. But some could go on for testing. The suggested logger looks interesting.

I have a vbox light that i am selling that i could press into service, but i want to sell it really.
I'll have a look at what you suggest.

Thanks
Bert

[stevieturbo]

Another similar option, not sure if it logs internally or to laptop, but it has some sensor onboard. You'd still need an external one for oil pressure though

http://tunertools.com/innovate!!!--lma!!3!!!-auxbo...


Although as you mention VBox Lite ?

https://store-uk.vboxmotorsport.co.uk/index.php?ro...

Zeitronix is another option for a standalone logger.


But I guess if you're racing, you'd want it installed when you're racing ? Would that be allowed, or is it no electrics at all ?

Edited by stevieturbo on Monday 24th April 23:44

[BertBert]

There's no real problem with having stuff installed for OP logging. I could install my Vbox and do the job properly, just thought there might be a handy standalone logger to use.
Thanks for the suggestions, I'll have a look.
Graham

[BertBert]

I wonder if this might work...
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-usb-dc-voltage-da...

I've got an Aim OP sensor which (IIRC) produces 0-5v.

Bert

[stevieturbo]

The instruction manual download is for a different unit lol.

But from the description...yes and no.

Will it log voltages ? Yes.

But as most good oil pressure sensors require a fixed 5v supply....not sure that unit provides that ? Plus logging OP on it's own with nothing to relate or compare to during the test cycle...again, I'd like to see rpm in there too at a minimum.

Ideally I'd be wanting at least a 2 channel logger that can give you the power to run the sensors.

This would do that, but pretty sure it will require logging to laptop, it doesnt log onboard.

http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/ssi_4p...

[BertBert]

The Aim ones don't need a fixed supply. I assume they have voltage regulation inside them.

However, we have decided to change the shells and have done with it as we are pretty sure it's on its way out.

Bert

stevieturbo said:

But as most good oil pressure sensors require a fixed 5v supply

[radical78]

get an old style oil pressure guage not an electric one and run a pipe from the port near the oil filter

[BertBert]

That's what we have got, but the gauge has too much damping to see what is going on. The OP warning light with a switch in the same place is flickering on in strange places...

On the overrun when lifting off to brake (still with high revs)
On gear changes
On WOT at certain points in the rev range

radical78 said:

get an old style oil pressure guage not an electric one and run a pipe from the port near the oil filter