RE: LTW Oilpan

[Duane Collie <drcollie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>From: "Andrew D.Mendez" <AMENDEZ@domain.elided>
>Subject: LTW oil pan group purchase
>
>Please repost once you negotiate the price down to
>less than $100 installed. This is my lifetime
>estimate of how much I will spend on extra quarts
>of Mobil 1 and a plastic funnel to rectify the oil
>starvation problem.

>What the hell is that thing made of, platinum? Has
>a single person on the digest had any oil
>starvation problems with an extra quart of oil on
>board? 

Andrew!

Tsk,tsk,tsk...and you seemed like such a level-headed fellow! <g>. Here's
the basic oil-starvation class on the E36 M3...(gotta get a Rolling Rock -
be right back)...:

The U.S. M3 is basically 325i on the lower end of the engine, and was NOT
designed for the rigors we are putting it through on the track and
autocross. On left hand turns at High "G"s the oil sloshes and the lifters
starve = tap-tap-tap while they pump up again over time.  That ticking
means a lack of oil at the top of the engine. Not very reassuring.

Now..you can overfill like you are doing.  Couple of problems with that
(and this is straight from the PTG lead engine man, not my speculation) ..
the pan is NOT designed for the overfill and when you dump the extra quart
in it, the crank is churning the oil as the pan is overfull.  According to
PTG this is costing you something on the order of 5 hp when this is
happening as the crank is now in the oil bath. Not very desirable.
Additionally they tell me its potentially hard on the seals - the engineers
here on the Digest can debate whether it is or not.  Secondly, when you are
driving RABID in an M3 with R1's and as many mods as my car has on it, you
are putting on far more "G's" than a stock M3 so no amount of overfill is
going to work. My car taps wildly on hard left turns no matter how much oil
is in it. 

The LTW Oilpan is an entire kit, not merely a baffled oilpan. Included in
the kit are an entirely new GT Oilpump which replaces the standard oil
pump, a new pan, (3) sets of various tubings and O-Rings, together with a
new strainer.  Also, you won't be self-installing this kit unless you are
an advanced mechanic as it requires removing the alternator, power steering
pump, loosening the steering shaft, removing the entire steering rack,
removing the engine subframe and supporting the engine from above with a
hoist, etc.  Takes the PTG guys 3 to 4 hours to do it - they've done
several and have the right tools. And with this LTW oilpan, the oil
capacity is the same as stock = no sloshing.

So there ya have it. Yes, it's expensive, but cheaper than a new engine.
Then again, if you happen to be more 'cruiser' than 'racer' you don't ever
need it.  

Duane Collie
SVR / UUC / Rabid Bubba

P.S.  Those of you going to ///M day this week can ask PTG gru's in person.
 They plan to have an open 'Tech Session' there under the tent.

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