Things to watch out for at the track

[pkimM3r]

Pasted this in a different thread but more ppl who track will definitely be in this section:

Went out to mulholland drive "the snake" and cruised in. Hit the rest area where ppl park, stopped to chat a little bit then went for a hard run down and back uphill. I went as hard as i can not knowing the turns exactly. Hard as in tail happy and a backfire(?!). I was pleasantly surprised at the backfire as the car is bone stock except tires. Then i let the car cool down and the oil warning too low came up. I freaked out so left after the car was completely cooled down and pretty much neutralled it the way back to the gas station whenever it was downhill. Bought a quart of oil. Quadruple checked the oil level (needs a damn dipstick) and it went back to fine. But was startled so didnt go back. The car was parked on a slope when cooling down and the subsequent oil level warning. Double checked again at home. Read numerous posts on these forums about getting that warning when parked on a slope. This is ridiculous. I freaked out because my evo ix went kaboom because it ate oil so fast and one lazy day turned into failure (but got into a bmw and sold the shell for 9k).

In general, how much oil do these cars eat? Anyone who tracks their car heavily, can you chime in? Im scheduled to go in a couple weeks and now will have an oil change and check fluids before i go out.

Dont know if it said max before and is now reading halfway between max and min. I may not have waited long enough for the oil to settle and will check in the morning again to see if it reads full. Manual says do not add any oil unless it goes to min and tells you to do so. Hence ill just have it redone.

Btw the car was super fast and handled pretty well for severe sloping hairpin turn after hairpin turn (for those whove driven the snake). All i did was add michelin pss. A dude asked for a ride and when we got back he said his legs were shaking and he needed to sit down. Lol. Another dude showed up after my runs going balls to the walls in his ek civic. This was at 11pm and pitch black. That guy mustve had some pretty damn good brakes. Kind of sad that we couldnt go together to see if he was going fast or was just loud. Backfires in the canyons sound awesome lol.

It was a pretty safe night to go all out. Its usually filled with cars and i drive hard never crossing the line. There were 2 cars when i got there and another 3 showed up before i left.

Did this as a test before i take it to the track and glad i did so i know what to possibly look out for. What else are things to look out for? Ive read countless limp mode, coolant, etc. those cant be the only things. This is a 135i dct.

Thanks in advance.

[GaryS]

Yeah, this is something I keep forgetting to complain about. I check that piece of shit oil level gauge before every event, and it always tells me it's at the maximum. But then four times driving home from a track weekend it's told me I'm a quart low. I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by GaryS

Yeah, this is something I keep forgetting to complain about. I check that piece of shit oil level gauge before every event, and it always tells me it's at the maximum. But then four times driving home from a track weekend it's told me I'm a quart low. I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

Yeah i agree - no dipstick is a pita.

[cooler2442]

When I first got the car I had it ask for a quart of oil about every 3 months for 6-9 months. But now it hasn't asked for one since my first dealer oil change. It's just pretty standard. If it lights up asking for one then put it in.

[Ginger_Extract]

Most turbo cars from what I have seen, BMW or otherwise, tend to be oil burners to an extent. For example, on a lot turbo Subies, it's not uncommon to have to add 0.5-1 quart every 1000 miles if you drive them the least bit hard. Also remember, that on a turbocharged car there is a lot more "plumbing" for the oil to have to circulate through, and the pickup point could just be reading a tad low, I cannot speak for the N54/55 specifically because I have yet to dig into mine.

[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by Ginger_Extract

Most turbo cars from what I have seen, BMW or otherwise, tend to be oil burners to an extent. For example, on a lot turbo Subies, it's not uncommon to have to add 0.5-1 quart every 1000 miles if you drive them the least bit hard. Also remember, that on a turbocharged car there is a lot more "plumbing" for the oil to have to circulate through, and the pickup point could just be reading a tad low, I cannot speak for the N54/55 specifically because I have yet to dig into mine.

Yeah i had an evo ix before. In the manual it says do not add a quart unless you are below the min.

Im at the halfway mark between min and max? Should i still top it off with a quart? Now i think my mind is playing tricks on me thinking i hear things fron the motor which i hadnt before i just never had listened to it before.

[08LMB135i]

It's usually about 1 liter from the bottom notch on the indicator to the top notch. If its half way I would add 1/2 a liter.

These days Subaru allows for 1L every 500km which I find ridiculous, potentially having to add oil every time you stop for gas.

[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by 08LMB135i

It's usually about 1 liter from the bottom notch on the indicator to the top notch. If its half way I would add 1/2 a liter.

These days Subaru allows for 1L every 500km which I find ridiculous, potentially having to add oil every time you stop for gas.

Thanks will do

[Focusedintntions]

Generally I'll burn through a quart of oil after a hard weekend at the track. If I don't romp on it too much I may get asked for a quart once during the oil cycle. But i bring a quart of oil with me to the track b/c I've learned that during high rpm use of teh track it'll burn through some oil a bit faster.

[yandy]

Interesting, I have yet (crosses fingers) to experience this, track or otherwise. I don't always redline the car, even at the track, shift 6.2 - 6.5K RPM or so. I take a quart, just in case, because I know it's a possibility, but has yet to happen.

[pixelblue]

I had to add a QT during my first year tracking this car but interestingly I never had to ever since. not sure why since I am going faster and have a tune.

edit - it may have something to do with me redlining the car more in that first year. the only thing that has changed has been that now that I think about it. now I just shift at 6200

[08LMB135i]

I don't track mine but over the last 7000km I haven't had to add a single drop, hopefully that means a well sealed and efficient engine for many km to come! I am at 47500km as of now and I always always always drive like a baby until my oil temp is quite warm.

[pkimM3r]

My drive was primarily 2nd gear from mid to redline and into 3rd for two short stretches i could but right back down to second for the turn.

I got overly in to it when the original plan was NOT to redline. Oh well. Should be ok and oil was never below ok levels. Stupid electronic read out + sloped parking fail. Lol.

Thanks all!