k24madness

iTrader: (6)

I was talking with one of the Porsche Cup Car mechanics and he told me of a new feature in the later year cup cars. They now have a pressure sensor in the crankcase that is tied to the master alarm. Once a baseline is determined they set the warning light to go off once that number is exceeded.

Seems like a great early warning to impending doom. Those who have AIM dash or Race Logic could do the same.

Savington

iTrader: (31)

If you have excess crankcase pressure, the doom is no longer impending.

k24madness

iTrader: (6)

It's gotta be better than waiting for a rod through the block. Some drivers don't stop when they feel power is down. They charge on till things go boom.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

Just use a boost gauge on a nipple and read it. You will know when the engine is dying.

Savington

iTrader: (31)

Crank pressure sensor won't help with that, though. It will let you know the moment you break a ringland or hole a piston, but it won't give you any indication that you've spun a bearing or stretched a rod.

It's a great sensor to have for on-the-fly diagnostics, which is an important factor in a car that sees time at 12+ hour races (Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring, Thunderhill, etc). For a club racer or an HPDE car, it's nothing a post-event compression/leakdown test won't clue you in on.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Porsche people are funny. I am reminded of the aftermarket kit you can buy for the 996 engine which is essentially a sensor that alerts you that your IMS bearing has failed and you need a new engine.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

Kinda surprised they don't have an anal pressure alarm

tpwalsh

This does bring up the question of unusual alarms. For instance is anyone running a coolant pressure alarm/gauge? It would have saved at least 1 race motor on a team I was crewing with. A screwdriver had nicked a heater core hose, and slowly let out all the coolant. Melted the head and block.

kaboshe

iTrader: (15)

i do,
i know i'm not in some 12h race, but i'm running some prosport premium with an audio warning in case you reach the pre-set limit.

it allready helped a lot when i bursted a coolant hose going to the turbo.
it was only a pin sizez hole, but my gauges went up well before my cluster.

kaboshe

iTrader: (15)

double post sorry

JasonC SBB

I think the idea is the alarm tells you it needs an expensive repair and saves you an even more expensive entire engine replacement.

k24madness

iTrader: (6)

My coolant bypass block is tapped for a AIM pressure sensor. It's on the list to do. I think this is a great idea to know the system has lost pressure and overheat will likely follow.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

In theory, yes. Assuming you notice the little LED flashing at you, and you immediately stop and call a tow truck, there is a chance that you may only require a $2,000 repair instead of a $20,000 repair.

Midtenn

iTrader: (15)

I pick up on lights much faster than I do a gauge. I plan on setting up some alarms through my ECU to warn me of a few different parameters.

Savington

iTrader: (31)

I had one and it got removed in the maintenance shuffle last year. It will go back on for this year, along with warnings for lean conditions (TPS+WB02 combo), low fuel pressure, and possibly diff/tranny temps.