Low oil pressure, is this a common problem?

"Ulf" > wrote in message
news

Snip

>
> Agreed, but it's not like I'm in the construction business... :-) Speaking
> of braking, I did have the ABS kick in once when I was braking for a red
> light. The brakes on the trailer weren't really that great, but I guess
> that can't really be expected on a rental. Then again, the sand might have
> weighed a little more then I first thought too. I just did some
> calculations and the volume of the bed is about 1.6 m^3, the question is
> if the sand would cover the whole area up to the top of the sides or not.
> Assuming it would, and with a density of 1.5 tons/m^3, that's like 3 tons
> including the trailer. I regret not using the scale they had where I
> bought the stuff, it could have been a nice surprise... :-)
>

Solid rock has specific gravity of 2.7 - 3.2 density and some sands (such as
as Zircon sand) 4.6!

Your weight estimate may be a lot low.

If your ABS is coming on in the dry then the total load or its distribution
may be out of limit, however that is what it is there for and although it
may indicate that you are pushing it and may not stop in time, you are
unlikely to hurt the brakes.

Not so the engine and transmission, which are not going to like dragging a
truck load of sand about for very far.

Jeff Strickland wrote:
>
> "Ulf" > wrote in message
> news >
>>> Quite often, the limitations on towing isn't getting going, but getting
>>> slowed down again. I gotta wonder if a yard of sand or gravel is more
>>> than a
>>> BMW should be working with. It's one thing to drag a SeaDoo or two to
>>> the
>>> river, and quite another to to deliver a ton or more of building
>>> materials.
>>
>>
>> Agreed, but it's not like I'm in the construction business... :-)
>> Speaking of braking, I did have the ABS kick in once when I was
>> braking for a red light. The brakes on the trailer weren't really that
>> great, but I guess that can't really be expected on a rental. Then
>> again, the sand might have weighed a little more then I first thought
>> too. I just did some calculations and the volume of the bed is about
>> 1.6 m^3, the question is if the sand would cover the whole area up to
>> the top of the sides or not. Assuming it would, and with a density of
>> 1.5 tons/m^3, that's like 3 tons including the trailer. I regret not
>> using the scale they had where I bought the stuff, it could have been
>> a nice surprise... :-)
>
>
>
>
> In the construction business or not, I can't help but think you are
> overloading your car and putting yourself at serious risk. I gotta think
> the chassis isn't very happy to have all of that tongue weight hanging
> off of it either.

Well, I don't know about "serious risk", driving 55 mph in the right
lane is as safe as it gets. Besides, on a twin axle trailer the tongue
weight is pretty low, anyway. Of course, towing a trailer twice the
approved weight of the hitch still isn't the best idea, so you do have a
point.

>
>
Ulf

John S. wrote:
> If the sump shows full on the level and the problem only appears when
> on an incline then you need to have it checked out soon. It may be
> nothing, but the dealer should be able to replicate the low pressure
> indication with a real pressure meter. The dealer will also be able to
> go through a complete diagnosis are rule out reasons for the low
> pressure light to come on.

The oil change I did today fixed it. I parked in the same spot idling
for several minutes without any issues. The oil must have been lower
than I first thought, or maybe it was too thin...

>
Ulf

R. Mark Clayton wrote:
> "Ulf" > wrote in message
> news >
>
> Snip
>
>
>>Agreed, but it's not like I'm in the construction business... :-) Speaking
>>of braking, I did have the ABS kick in once when I was braking for a red
>>light. The brakes on the trailer weren't really that great, but I guess
>>that can't really be expected on a rental. Then again, the sand might have
>>weighed a little more then I first thought too. I just did some
>>calculations and the volume of the bed is about 1.6 m^3, the question is
>>if the sand would cover the whole area up to the top of the sides or not.
>>Assuming it would, and with a density of 1.5 tons/m^3, that's like 3 tons
>>including the trailer. I regret not using the scale they had where I
>>bought the stuff, it could have been a nice surprise... :-)
>>
>
>
> Solid rock has specific gravity of 2.7 - 3.2 density and some sands (such as
> as Zircon sand) 4.6!
>
> Your weight estimate may be a lot low.

I don't know. The max load for the trailer was just under one ton, so I
find it very unlikely that the weight of the sand was much more than
twice that. With a density of 3 tons/m^3 we're talking five tons, and
that's a lot.

>
> If your ABS is coming on in the dry then the total load or its distribution
> may be out of limit, however that is what it is there for and although it
> may indicate that you are pushing it and may not stop in time, you are
> unlikely to hurt the brakes.
>
> Not so the engine and transmission, which are not going to like dragging a
> truck load of sand about for very far.

Come on, it's a BMW. It's designed to driven 155 mph all day long on the
Autobahn... :-)

>
>
Ulf

Ulf wrote:

> Well, I don't know about "serious risk", driving 55 mph in the right
> lane is as safe as it gets. Besides, on a twin axle trailer the tongue
> weight is pretty low, anyway.

Nope. Wrong! It makes no difference if the trailer is a single or
double axle, the tongue weight must *intentionally* be made to be
approximately 10% of the load or you are setting yourself up for some
serious fishtailing, which is a safety concern for you and those driving
around you.

> Of course, towing a trailer twice the
> approved weight of the hitch still isn't the best idea, so you do have a
> point.

There are two weight ratings on hitches, tongue weight and towing
weight. Neither should be exceeded for safety reasons, regardless of
the tow vehicle.

-Fred W

Ulf wrote:
> John S. wrote:
>
>> If the sump shows full on the level and the problem only appears when
>> on an incline then you need to have it checked out soon. It may be
>> nothing, but the dealer should be able to replicate the low pressure
>> indication with a real pressure meter. The dealer will also be able to
>> go through a complete diagnosis are rule out reasons for the low
>> pressure light to come on.
>
>
> The oil change I did today fixed it. I parked in the same spot idling
> for several minutes without any issues. The oil must have been lower
> than I first thought, or maybe it was too thin...
>
>>
> Ulf

Did you also have the loaded trailer attached? If not, the car was not
at the same attitude as before.

-Fred W

"Ulf" > wrote in message
...
> Jeff Strickland wrote:
> >
> > "Ulf" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>> Quite often, the limitations on towing isn't getting going, but
getting
> >>> slowed down again. I gotta wonder if a yard of sand or gravel is more
> >>> than a
> >>> BMW should be working with. It's one thing to drag a SeaDoo or two to
> >>> the
> >>> river, and quite another to to deliver a ton or more of building
> >>> materials.
> >>
> >>
> >> Agreed, but it's not like I'm in the construction business... :-)
> >> Speaking of braking, I did have the ABS kick in once when I was
> >> braking for a red light. The brakes on the trailer weren't really that
> >> great, but I guess that can't really be expected on a rental. Then
> >> again, the sand might have weighed a little more then I first thought
> >> too. I just did some calculations and the volume of the bed is about
> >> 1.6 m^3, the question is if the sand would cover the whole area up to
> >> the top of the sides or not. Assuming it would, and with a density of
> >> 1.5 tons/m^3, that's like 3 tons including the trailer. I regret not
> >> using the scale they had where I bought the stuff, it could have been
> >> a nice surprise... :-)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > In the construction business or not, I can't help but think you are
> > overloading your car and putting yourself at serious risk. I gotta think
> > the chassis isn't very happy to have all of that tongue weight hanging
> > off of it either.
>
> Well, I don't know about "serious risk", driving 55 mph in the right
> lane is as safe as it gets. Besides, on a twin axle trailer the tongue
> weight is pretty low, anyway. Of course, towing a trailer twice the
> approved weight of the hitch still isn't the best idea, so you do have a
> point.
>

Serious risk comes when the bonehead -- that's a relative term, it is
difficult to find more of a bonehead than the guy with a trailer load of
building materials behind a BMW -- in front of you slams on the brakes for
some reason.

Tandem axle or single, the tongue weight is a function of where the scoop of
building material is placed, if the material is on the back, then the tongue
weight is low, if on the front then the tongue weight is high. Looking at
the pic you posted, your weight is high. My guess is the trailer weight
exceeds the hitch capacity, and the tongue weight is too high as well.

Frankly, if I was a cop and saw you coming, I'd be dropping in line behind
you and hitting the lights, especially on the freeway. I might give a blind
eye to a surface street infraction if the speed was below the posted limit
and an extremely large following distance to the car in front of you, but on
the freeway there would be know way you could haul that Sanford & Son load
to a halt in an emergency. That load has no brakes. That is, the class of
trailer hitch that would be reasonably installed on a BMW would not take a
trailer brake controller, and therefore even if the trailer had brakes, the
BMW isn't going to operate them.

Gentleman,
let compare the load of a car or a boat put on a trailer pulled by a 5
series with regard to the sand load he is trailing.
Is there a serious difference as far as the trailer is suited for ?

> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote :
...
[...]
> Serious risk comes when the bonehead -- that's a relative term, it is
> difficult to find more of a bonehead than the guy with a trailer load of
> building materials behind a BMW -- in front of you slams on the brakes for

[...]

You assume that the guy is driving like a mad. You make assumptions about
the way he is driving on.
Why shouldn't a BMW be used for transporting something else than diamonds
or pearls ?
Everything in your reply is subjective.

Sorry, but I find your reply as disrespectful and abusive towards the guy at
the origin of the post.
Are you a sherrif or a judge ? Have you special rights ? Are you superior
because driving a BMW ?

[...]

> Frankly, if I was a cop and saw you coming, I'd be dropping in line behind
> you and hitting the lights, especially on the freeway. I might give a
blind

Potential road rage ???

Regards

Jeff Strickland wrote:
> "Ulf" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Jeff Strickland wrote:
>>
>>>"Ulf" > wrote in message
>>>news >>>
>>>
>>>>>Quite often, the limitations on towing isn't getting going, but
>
> getting
>
>>>>>slowed down again. I gotta wonder if a yard of sand or gravel is more
>>>>>than a
>>>>>BMW should be working with. It's one thing to drag a SeaDoo or two to
>>>>>the
>>>>>river, and quite another to to deliver a ton or more of building
>>>>>materials.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Agreed, but it's not like I'm in the construction business... :-)
>>>>Speaking of braking, I did have the ABS kick in once when I was
>>>>braking for a red light. The brakes on the trailer weren't really that
>>>>great, but I guess that can't really be expected on a rental. Then
>>>>again, the sand might have weighed a little more then I first thought
>>>>too. I just did some calculations and the volume of the bed is about
>>>>1.6 m^3, the question is if the sand would cover the whole area up to
>>>>the top of the sides or not. Assuming it would, and with a density of
>>>>1.5 tons/m^3, that's like 3 tons including the trailer. I regret not
>>>>using the scale they had where I bought the stuff, it could have been
>>>>a nice surprise... :-)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>In the construction business or not, I can't help but think you are
>>>overloading your car and putting yourself at serious risk. I gotta think
>>>the chassis isn't very happy to have all of that tongue weight hanging
>>>off of it either.
>>
>>Well, I don't know about "serious risk", driving 55 mph in the right
>>lane is as safe as it gets. Besides, on a twin axle trailer the tongue
>>weight is pretty low, anyway. Of course, towing a trailer twice the
>>approved weight of the hitch still isn't the best idea, so you do have a
>>point.
>>
>
>
> Serious risk comes when the bonehead -- that's a relative term, it is
> difficult to find more of a bonehead than the guy with a trailer load of
> building materials behind a BMW -- in front of you slams on the brakes for
> some reason.

I was in the right lane 2 sec. behind a semi both times I drove from the
sand pit. I would have had ample time to take evasive action in case
something unexpected were to happen.

>
> Tandem axle or single, the tongue weight is a function of where the scoop of
> building material is placed, if the material is on the back, then the tongue
> weight is low, if on the front then the tongue weight is high. Looking at
> the pic you posted, your weight is high. My guess is the trailer weight
> exceeds the hitch capacity, and the tongue weight is too high as well.

You're probably right. Looking at the other pictures it looks like I got
a much better distributed load the first time, despite a probably higher
gross weight.

>
> Frankly, if I was a cop and saw you coming, I'd be dropping in line behind
> you and hitting the lights, especially on the freeway. I might give a blind
> eye to a surface street infraction if the speed was below the posted limit
> and an extremely large following distance to the car in front of you, but on
> the freeway there would be know way you could haul that Sanford & Son load
> to a halt in an emergency. That load has no brakes. That is, the class of
> trailer hitch that would be reasonably installed on a BMW would not take a
> trailer brake controller, and therefore even if the trailer had brakes, the
> BMW isn't going to operate them.

If you look at the picture again you'll see that the trailer has surge
brakes so I don't need any brake controller. Also, if you think it's
more dangerous driving on the freeway than on a surface street where
there are kids, crosswalks, speed humps, intersections, traffic lights,
bicyclists, etc., then you obviously don't know what you're talking
about. I don't get what's so terrible towing a trailer with building
materials either. You say recreational equipment is okay, so I assume
you'd approve of me towing my motorcycle, but how about my lawn mower?
Yes, no, or maybe only at night?

>
>
>
Ulf

Malt_Hound wrote:
> Ulf wrote:
>
>> John S. wrote:
>>
>>> If the sump shows full on the level and the problem only appears when
>>> on an incline then you need to have it checked out soon. It may be
>>> nothing, but the dealer should be able to replicate the low pressure
>>> indication with a real pressure meter. The dealer will also be able to
>>> go through a complete diagnosis are rule out reasons for the low
>>> pressure light to come on.
>>
>>
>>
>> The oil change I did today fixed it. I parked in the same spot idling
>> for several minutes without any issues. The oil must have been lower
>> than I first thought, or maybe it was too thin...
>>
>>>
>> Ulf
>
>
> Did you also have the loaded trailer attached? If not, the car was not
> at the same attitude as before.

No, but since the problem was still existed after I unloaded the
trailer, it made a very small difference.

>
> -Fred W
Ulf