Low oil pressure when warm/m43 turbo

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  • HCompain
    Noobie
    • Oct 2023
    • 8

    #1

    Low oil pressure when warm/m43 turbo

    Hello everyone. I'm building a m43b19 turbo, it's pretty much the same platform with m42 and m44. It came stock with balancing shafts, wich i deleted so the engine would be a bit more responsive, and have a bit more oil pressure because the balancing shaft bearings are fed w/ pressure.

    When i start the engine, the pressure is at 3 bat on idle, wich is normal if the oil is cold, and it creeps to 5/6 bar when given revs.

    When the engine warms up, the oil pressure drops to 1 bar on idle and creeps to 2.4 bar when given revs.

    After driving a bit hard, the oil pressure drops to 0.3 bar at idle and do not exeed 1.5 bar when given revs... Seems way too low for me

    I'm running 10w60 and i added a thickening bottle hoping it would help with the pressure but it did not.

    The engine has been rebuilt, so new crank/conrods bearings.

    Maybe the oil gets too hot? Won't be suprising as i'm feeding a turbo

    Thanks for any advice.
    Last edited by HCompain; 10-22-2023, 01:13 PM.
  • 82eye
    E30 Mastermind
    • Jan 2009
    • 1897

    #2
    did it get a new or upgraded oil pump when the build happened ?

    Comment

    • HCompain
      Noobie
      • Oct 2023
      • 8

      #3
      Originally posted by 82eye
      did it get a new or upgraded oil pump when the build happened ?
      I switched to a better looking oil pump from a part out engine, because mine had a bit of scoring

      Comment

      • 82eye
        E30 Mastermind
        • Jan 2009
        • 1897

        #4
        Originally posted by HCompain

        I switched to a better looking oil pump from a part out engine, because mine had a bit of scoring
        did you shim the pump to increase the pressure ? you may need to revisit that.

        Comment

        • Panici
          Moderator
          • Dec 2009
          • 2316

          #5
          Agreed that warm & hot pressures are concerning, especially running a 60 weight oil.

          Those oil feeds that went to the balancing shafts, are they wide open now or did you plug them?

          '87 BMW E30 325is Turbo

          '99 BMW E36 M3 - - - '98 BMW E36 328i

          Comment

          • e30davie
            E30 Mastermind
            • Apr 2016
            • 1788

            #6
            What sort of restrictor is in the oil supply to the turbo? Wonder if its losing all its oil through the turbo.

            Comment

            • HCompain
              Noobie
              • Oct 2023
              • 8

              #7
              Originally posted by Panici
              Agreed that warm & hot pressures are concerning, especially running a 60 weight oil.

              Those oil feeds that went to the balancing shafts, are they wide open now or did you plug them?
              I plugged it so i don't think it's the issue here.. i'm getting an oil temp gauge to see if it's the problem here

              Comment

              • HCompain
                Noobie
                • Oct 2023
                • 8

                #8
                Originally posted by HCompain

                I plugged it so i don't think it's the issue here.. i'm getting an oil temp gauge to see if it's the problem here
                It's not a ball bearing turbo, so no restrictor, and previously i had sufficient oil pressure w/this setup. Now i'll be looking for a oil cooler setup as i see it's a bit more complicated than i anticipated on there m4x engines.. thinking about a plate w/two an fittings where the oil filter housing bolts to the engine and relocate the filter.

                Comment

                • Panici
                  Moderator
                  • Dec 2009
                  • 2316

                  #9
                  Originally posted by HCompain
                  i'm getting an oil temp gauge to see if it's the problem here
                  Good idea.
                  Speaking of gauges, how are you reading oil pressure currently?

                  If electric, you may want to buy a mechanical gauge just to verify your electric gauge is reading accurately.

                  '87 BMW E30 325is Turbo

                  '99 BMW E36 M3 - - - '98 BMW E36 328i

                  Comment

                  • HCompain
                    Noobie
                    • Oct 2023
                    • 8

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Panici

                    Good idea.
                    Speaking of gauges, how are you reading oil pressure currently?

                    If electric, you may want to buy a mechanical gauge just to verify your electric gauge is reading accurately.
                    I thought of that but when the engine is cold it reads 3 bar on idle and i doubt it would be more than that but if i don't see anything wrong i will check that.

                    ​​​​​

                    Comment

                    • HCompain
                      Noobie
                      • Oct 2023
                      • 8

                      #11
                      So update, today i installed an oil temp gauge and the oil warmzd up steadily to reach 100° wich is wayy below my expectations! But shortly after i tried to increase the boost pressure to 0.8 bar and my stock headgasket didn't liked that..

                      Comment

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