It has been suggested to me that I NOT set rubber on the ridge without an oil pan baffle due to the long sweeping turns there. The suggestion was made by a guy who would know since he races E30s. I'm wondering if the Latteral G experienced by a non-race prepped car with summer tires would still be enough to keep the oil away from the pump. Anyone have any opinions on that?
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1989 - E30 - M20B25 - Manual. Approx 300,000+ miles - Track Rat & Weekend Fun
2000 - E46 - M52TUB28 - Manual. Approx 130,000 miles - [not so] Daily Driver
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I'm looking for a Lachssilber Passenger Fender and Hood. PM if you have one or both to sell! -
I'm not a racer or an E30 pro but I don't think you will have a problem. I see see your car pulling enough G's in the corners to make your oil climb out of the pan and starve the oil pump. -
I starved the oil pump on an m42 on all seasons. Long sweeping bends are going to really make it slosh so yes it can happen. If the guy races e30s there, he probably knows more than random forum people.Comment
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i'll be doing an oil pan baffle in my s50 swap. might as well do it to protect your motor.
seems like cheap insurance to me, just in case.Comment
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Now you see why I'm not a racer or an E30 pro. Lol.Comment
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I think the rule of thumb should be - if you are even considering taking your car to track days, install a baffle. Worth the money for that extra security. If you cook the bearings from not having a baffle, you're pulling the pan anyway, so you might as well do it once!
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Are E30s THAT vulnerable? Track days are all about bringing your car as-is, and no one in any group, club or commercial, suggests a baffle for the oil pan in the car. I do trust that someone who races these cars at their limit with DOT illegal rubber and awesome suspension COULD pull the Gs required to starve the engine. I'm just not sure of the likelihood that I or anyone else can.
For reference, I've already done PIR, Pacific, and ORP without anyone known issues from it. No one told me about baffles for any of those tracks.
The other issue is that my Dad is joining me in an iX, for which there is no know baffle for that I'm aware of. For me it's a question of whether to install or not, for him it's whether he bags the event or comes and hangs out on track with me.
Maybe I'll just tell him to drive slow.-------------------------------------------------
1989 - E30 - M20B25 - Manual. Approx 300,000+ miles - Track Rat & Weekend Fun
2000 - E46 - M52TUB28 - Manual. Approx 130,000 miles - [not so] Daily Driver
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I'm looking for a Lachssilber Passenger Fender and Hood. PM if you have one or both to sell!Comment
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It really depends on the track, and how long your in a sustained high G turn. Turn 6 at the Ridge is a very long left hand sweeper where your pulling high g's for 8 or 10 seconds. If your on the red line at 6500 and you starve for oil, the outcome is not going to be good. Thats why we all run the baffle in our race cars. If you like to run a lot of track days, I would consider getting a baffle. And if you have not driven the Ridge yet, do it !sigpic
PRO3 # 98, 90 325i Calipso 2 door, 98 323is, 74 Jensen Healey, and a few more...Comment
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If you run 1/2 -> a full qt over you can probably get away with it. I've ran a few of my street cars on the ridge before with zero oil pressure issues (the E34 M5t and the E30 Touring).
Now my PRO3 car on the other hand, with R Compound tires and proper suspension I of course run a baffle, but it can pull a much harder lateral G in the corners.
Hard left hand sweepers are what you need to look out for, and as mentioned above Turn 6 is the longest on the track (Similar to Turn 2 at Pacific)
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