[vangroovy]

Hi all. Have driven my 2007 elise twice on track in the last year, no prior tracking of the car. Car has 22k miles.

1st time on track, I got a low oil pressure light after 20 mins of lapping, then check engine light. Oil pressure resolved after resting car & took car to Lotus where they cleared the engine code. (cam valve timing sensor due to the low oil pressure.

Lotus didn't have much in the way of solutions, but I found baffled oil pan (gpan3) at Sector 111, designed to address this issue of hi-G right turns starving car of oil.
Just had it installed, oil level is at the fill line, returned to track only to experience same issue again, each time after about 15-20 mins of lapping.

Added more oil to the car (additional litre), low oil pressure warning again after 15 mins lapping.

The car has undergone the oil line recall and running stock parts except the gpan3. Never have an oil pressure issue with road driving, no oil is leaking from the car. It was not a hot day 75 degrees F.

I want to have problem-free track sessions, help! I don't know what to do next.

 

[mikelr]

Installer possibly used too much sealant which squeezed out (inwards) into pan, dislodged and is caught in the sump pickup screen partially blocking it. DO NOT TRACK OR DRIVE HARD until you have the pan pulled to clear the blockage, sounds like you will be lucky if you haven't done any damage already.
Good Luck!

Edit: Just reread your post, I thought your problems started after the Gpan install.... at the very least I would install a oil pressure gauge in the car to keep an eye on the pressure, you may have a top end oiling issue that is starving the cam timing actuator and possibly second cam circuit but that is secondary oiling compared to your main bearings. Your motor can survive a little oil starvation to the cam control circuit, your bottom end can't. There are oil screens in at least one end of the head (left side/rear of motor) that may be blocked causing the issue.

 

[addertooth]

What would be useful would be a description of your tires and suspension. If you are close to stock suspension/tires, with a gPan3, I would look somewhere else than the oil pan. I assume low oil pressure only occurs on long right-hand sweeper turns. If it happens anywhere else, that is another clue/symptom.

 

[vangroovy]

Installer possibly used too much sealant which squeezed out (inwards) into pan, dislodged and is caught in the sump pickup screen partially blocking it. DO NOT TRACK OR DRIVE HARD until you have the pan pulled to clear the blockage, sounds like you will be lucky if you haven't done any damage already.
Good Luck!

Edit: Just reread your post, I thought your problems started after the Gpan install.... at the very least I would install a oil pressure gauge in the car to keep an eye on the pressure, you may have a top end oiling issue that is starving the cam timing actuator and possibly second cam circuit but that is secondary oiling compared to your main bearings. Your motor can survive a little oil starvation to the cam control circuit, your bottom end can't. There are oil screens in at least one end of the head (left side/rear of motor) that may be blocked causing the issue.

Ok, thanks, will look into oil pressure gauge as next step.

 

[vangroovy]

What would be useful would be a description of your tires and suspension. If you are close to stock suspension/tires, with a gPan3, I would look somewhere else than the oil pan. I assume low oil pressure only occurs on long right-hand sweeper turns. If it happens anywhere else, that is another clue/symptom.

Stock suspension & tires (yokohama advan neova ad07).

I 'm not sure if the oil light first comes on specifically in a long right sweeping corner vs a tighter/ lower speed corner. It's hard to keep my eye on that spot on the binnacle constantly on track to catch the moment the light comes on!

Thanks for reply.

 

[<@¿@>]

What oil are you using and what oil filter are you using?

Does you car have dual oil coolers or just one? Look to verify.

What sandwich plate is on your engine? The thermostat might be dead in the OEM plate.

 

[vangroovy]

What oil are you using and what oil filter are you using?

Does you car have dual oil coolers or just one? Look to verify.

What sandwich plate is on your engine? The thermostat might be dead in the OEM plate.

Will check on brand of oil.
Brand new K&N filter installed at time of gpan3 install last week.
Dual oil coolers.
Sandwich plate is stock, will investigate thermostat in sandwich plate.

Thanks for reply!

 

[<@¿@>]

Will check on brand of oil.
Brand new K&N filter installed at time of gpan3 install last week.
Dual oil coolers.
Sandwich plate is stock, will investigate thermostat in sandwich plate.

Thanks for reply!

I guess I should have been clearer...age of the oil filter is more important. Size comes into effect with age. If you've got a small, old (both small and old are relative terms), that is more critical.

These questions are to rule out one of two conditions that could cause oil pressure drop...1. restriction and 2. loss of viscosity. Restriction is obvious... Oil viscosity can also be lost by oil quality or oil temperature...

 

[sturgeongeneral]

By all means don't push it until you have it resolved! It could be a bad pressure switch.

 

[cph]

I had a G- Pan fitted to my Exige but this didn't solve a low pressure moment on one long LH corner at my local track .. Installed a Accusump and this helped but still experience a momentary drop in pressure [ data logged] before the Accusump kicked in.
Best cure was not to hit that corner so hard ... everywhere else is fine .
This was on Yoko street tyres .
I am not sure the Baffled pans give as much protection as some people think .

I sold the Exige and purchased a 2-11 and this used a Moroso Pan with accusump and same problem , have now converted to a dry sump .

 

[mikelr]

By all means don't push it until you have it resolved! It could be a bad pressure switch.

If he is getting codes for cam phase timing do to oil pressure I don't think that it's simply the pressure switch but that would be cool if it was..

 

[holmz]

.... at the very least I would install a oil pressure gauge in the car to keep an eye on the pressure...

Everytime I read these suggestions I laugh.

Does no one realize that it is almost imposible to look at the gauge while cornering? Or do I need more practice texting to build up the skills?

 

[iana]

Check that you have the correct oil filter fitted. See this thread for info:

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f312/k-n-mp-2009-oil-filter-looks-different-made-mexico-159321/

and here:

BOE Fabrication - Lotus Elise, Exige, and Evora Performance ECM Tuning Products

 

[vangroovy]

Thanks, restriction vs viscosity. Will be chasing down both.

 

[vangroovy]

By all means don't push it until you have it resolved! It could be a bad pressure switch.

Yuuuup! No tracking until it's sorted. Road driving has been fine, as always.

 

[vangroovy]

Everytime I read these suggestions I laugh.

Does no one realize that it is almost imposible to look at the gauge while cornering? Or do I need more practice texting to build up the skills?

I agree it's hard to keep an eye while driving, but I still appreciate the input!

 

[vangroovy]

Yikes! I bet I got the Mexican version. That's loco, muchachos! I'll check that out too. Thanks!

 

[mikelr]

Everytime I read these suggestions I laugh.

Does no one realize that it is almost imposible to look at the gauge while cornering? Or do I need more practice texting to build up the skills?

Yes, you need practice
Under the circumstances it is possible to snap a glance at a gauge mid corner to make sure things aren't going horribly wrong.
I do it all the time...:coolnana: