There is a product running through my head that is based on a technology that a friend has developed and I am curious if there would be any demand for it in the aftermarket performance industry.

Ill just give the cliff notes on it.

Lets say you have added an aftermarket oil temperature gauge to your vehicle. What if you could purchase an upgraded sensor for that gauge that was a direct thread in replacement for your current temp sensor but it added a feature to monitoring your engines oil. Right next to your oil temp gauge, or away from it (if you prefer), you could mount 2 LEDs that indicated to you 2 poor conditions of your oil.

One LED, perhaps red, would indicate that your oil has excessive metallic particulate matter. This could help with early detection of excessive engine wear or just be used as an indication that its time to change your oil as it has become contaminated.

Another LED, perhaps green, would indicate that your oil has potentially been contaminated by engine coolant. This could help with early detection of sleeve installation issues or in some cases a bad headgasket.

The product would consist of the replacement sensor that is calibrated to match your aftermarket oil temperature gauge so that no additional bungs need to be added to your engine, a very very small black box to hide under the dash, and the 2 warning LEDs to mount.

The cost would be somewhere in the area of the regular cost of a replacement oil temp sensor for your gauge, perhaps a few bucks more, but in any case, no more than $125 would be imaginable.

Would people buy this?

Another question would be... how much would it be worth to people to be able to have complete and live oil analysis capabilities? What does it cost every time you send your oil in to have an analysis done?

 

Sounds good.
I think blackstone is like $20 a pop?

 

That sounds pretty sweet to me. I think people would buy something like this. I know I would be interested in it.

 

A product like was showed at this year's SEMA show. It some "product of the year" category award. I will try to search for it later.

 

Well I can speak about the metallic particles portion of your idea. While it will give you an idea if there are any metallic chips in the oil, if you get to that point your engine is pretty much done. We use the same thing in aviation. Helicopter transmissions have chip detectors in them and the warning light goes off as soon as metal bridges the gap between the two leads. The transmissions are beyond repair 99% of the time. Now oil analysis capabilities would be great. No more paying money to blackstone.

 

That's very interesting. As long as the person/company supplying the product, backed it up hassle free. Not enough of that going on these days. Everyone about the quick buck. Obvious the technology for this is not new. So there shouldn't much of trouble issues as of now, I would believe.

 

Sounds great..

 

If it worked I'd buy it, but not as described. I would want to know at the onset of engine damage, not AFTER the oil has metal chips in it. Is the oil pressure sensor port upstream of the filter?

 

Combine it with an oil level sensor and keep it reasonably priced and I think it'll sell like hotcakes.

 

Where would you exactly mount it though? Just trying to get a good insight. If I bought a oil temp gauge, I'd be mounting mine to the AAM oil pan spacer, so if possible to add this feature, would that be suitable level for a low oil checkpoint?

 

Maybe attach a crystal ball?

 

is this similar to how the GM oil sensors work? I know some GM cars have an oil condition sensor in them that tells you when yuor oil is needing a change, not just based on mileage...

 

your experience with one product of similiar use doesnt relate to the possible product i am speaking of. the sensor that could be used in the product i mention has never been a part of any mass production or used by anyone outside of the engineer that developed it

 

unfortunately an oil sensor could only sense what is in the oil... so unless metallic particulate matter gets in the oil, its not going to detect engine wear in another fashion. however, CHIPS and PARTICULATE MATTER are entirely different subjects. If you have a CHIP of metal in your oil, youre probably long screwed.

 

Its a similiar idea. I believe that GM uses some type of algorithm based on load, mileage, and sensor readings before it gives you the light to change.

 

let me know, i searched around and i havent found anything. i have found that there are definately various technologies to accomplish simliar tasks at different levels of detail, but i havent seen where anyone is offering any use of the different technologies for the live automotive aftermarket use.

 

I send all of my changes to Blackstone, but would be interested in something like this.

 

Here's some of the criteria I would use in determining whether to buy something like this:

1. Can it work, i.e., does the manufacturer explain its function. If I don't understand the principle by which it aims to accomplish its stated purpose, I am unlikely to buy it. I would need to know how the oil filter condition affects the indication, what electrochemical mechanism is involved, and what the threshold is for the LEDs and why. So far, I have not got passed this one.
2. Will it tell me anything useful, i.e., will it tell me the condition of the oil, the filter, or the engine, and will the results be actionable. It must allow me to take action in time to prevent or reduce engine damage or its purpose is irrelevant.
3. Positive customer feedback and industry reviews.
4. I would pay well over $150, if it saves me from a $3,000 repair bill.

This is something I saw that may be similar.

http://crave.cnet.com/8300-1_105-1-0...dition+monitor

 

I am down! I will want to have one on any FI car with no exception, even sketchy NA cars like the VQ.

 

Sound like a very nice mod ... and in the long run it might even cut cost....

But are you talking about something like this (http://flowtonics.com/Index.html) Because I would like to know more than just "Change oil now"

What I mean is, if the sensor has a software with it that would give us useful information like, fuel contamination, moisture, viscosity, etc. that would be nice addition to any car (daily driven or track used) ...

Az