[mrvedit]

After throwing a rod and destroying an engine I would like to monitor oil pressure even though I don't think it was an oil problem.
Is the oil pressure available over the OBDII connection?
I have Carly for BMW but don't see oil pressure available.
I see there is an oil pressure sensor, but perhaps it only indicates very low (8 psi?) pressure to activate the "Replace Engine" light.

I just received the Burger Tuning "Oil Cooler Valve" to hopefully reduce oil temps during hard driving. Also considering a 6" electric fan over the oil cooler, but perhaps that will actually block flow at high speed. In other words trying to reduce oil temps and monitor oil pressure.

In short, what is the best electronic or mechanical way to monitor oil pressure?

Thank you.

[ferocity02]

I don't think you can monitor oil pressure through the OBD port, at least not with Cobb or MHD, or perhaps I just didn't see it. You might have to tap in somewhere to get an oil pressure reading and run an external gauge or something. I don't know where exactly you would tap in, but I bet this could be done relatively easily at the oil filter housing. I was thinking about this myself recently. At least have a mechanical gauge that I could read under the hood.

[mrvedit]

Thank you for the quick reply and confirming my suspicion that oil pressure is not available.
Considering all the obscure things that can be monitored on an E90's OBDII port, it is crazy that critically important oil pressure is not one of them.

So far I have found a fitting from LeatherZ:
http://leatherz.com/category/Gaugese90.html

[ferocity02]

Originally Posted by mrvedit

Thank you for the quick reply and confirming my suspicion that oil pressure is not available.
Considering all the obscure things that can be monitored on an E90's OBDII port, it is crazy that critically important oil pressure is not one of them.

So far I have found a fitting from LeatherZ:
http://leatherz.com/category/Gaugese90.html

If you figure out the thread size of the oil pressure switch (the link suggests M14?) you could put together something identical for a fraction of the price. Is your plan for an mechanical gauge under the hood, or are you going to run something into the cabin? (in which case you'll want an electrical gauge and sending unit).

It would be super slick if those aftermarket gauges like Awron could accept a 0-5V input and you could program in the slope of voltage to oil pressure.

[infidel335]

The JB4 app for Android and iPhone lets you run gauges on the phone if it's connected to the JB4. It's pretty cool if you are running the JB4, check it out.

http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21742

http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28880

[mrvedit]

Originally Posted by ferocity02

If you figure out the thread size of the oil pressure switch (the link suggests M14?) you could put together something identical for a fraction of the price. Is your plan for an mechanical gauge under the hood, or are you going to run something into the cabin? (in which case you'll want an electrical gauge and sending unit).

It would be super slick if those aftermarket gauges like Awron could accept a 0-5V input and you could program in the slope of voltage to oil pressure.

I considered your suggestion, but there simply does not appear to be enough room for a "T" fitting, assuming I could even find metric pipe parts.
Therefore, I bought the LeatherZ oil distribution block with their suggested VDO sending unit.
Then I ordered the "Macht Schnell - Ashtray Gauge Panel" for $49 (plus crazy $18 shipping) which sure beats the ridiculously expensive "3D Design" panel for $362.
Next I need to select the correct VDO electric oil pressure gauge. Not sure if the VDO-350104 (0-80 psi) ($31 at Summit Racing) is correct for the sending unit that LeatherZ sells, but sending units are cheap.
That gauge only has a 90* sweep, but full sweep units cost 5 times more.
I have no plans yet for the other two gauge positions, but water temp and vacuum/boost are possibilities.

Again: The JB4 or any other product/app won't help because the engine simply does not have an oil pressure sender. It only has a 7 psi oil pressure switch.