Radical SR3 RS simply goes out

Could you please send me over the data files from these drop outs Helmut and I will take a look for you.

Dan@rlmracing.com

Posted by: @helmutweber

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I also noticed that when I turn on the main switch, the AIM dashboard turns on and shows the basic data on the display.
When I start the engine the AIm dashboard goes off briefly and then comes back on. Looks like a "reset". Is this normal when starting the engine?

Hi Helmut,  Dan will be the best one to comment on the engine issues, but in relation to your AiM dashboard question above... this happens sometimes on the cars I have owned.  It seems to be caused by the voltage dropping below some threshold when the car is starting (and happens more often in my car when the engine is cold probably highlighting the extra starter load under that condition) and the AiM dash is switching off a s a result.  I ended up replacing the main battery in my car (the one in the engine bay, not the 'start assist' battery in the sidepod) and it improved but did not entirely go away.

The thing to be careful of if this happens is that sometimes when the dash re-starts automatically (almost immediately once the voltage recovers from the engine start) it's software fails to 'boot' properly and that 'basic data' you referred to will not appear, with the values showing "0"... in this case you will need to stop the car, reset the master switch and then restart the engine.  The replacement of the main battery in my RSX has prevented this from happening (proof that my main battery wasn't 100% healthy)

I hope we can help you get to the bottom of your issues...

Rod

@Dan Phillips
I sent you the full Data to your email.

Just for completion on this one, hope Helmut does not mind me posting it, but the engine was cutting out due to a low oil pressure trip.

@rlm-dan 

Hi Dan & Helmut,

I found a way of reconfiguring my MXL2 AiM dash/data system to capture all alarm events (including the 3 factory ECU driven alarm events like low oil pressure, engine coolant temperature and fuel pressure) by putting in a bunch of 'status variables' that relate to each alarm condition.  This mean that whenever I get any alarm the 'status variable' for that alarm is triggered (turns from a 0 to a 1 in the data, and stays there until the alarm condition is gone).  This means, for any issues like this, you can see it really easily in the data from the dash.  I then configured a page in RS3 to show the all these status variables (ie alarms) in a 'channels report' table... and this allows me to see every alarms state on every lap of a session.

Basically if I ever have any alarm that occurs too quickly to see, or is hard to diagnose and requires you to log into the Life system (like the oil pressure trip), I can see that in a very simple table... and for further diagnosis you can then open that specific lap in time based trend and watch exactly when the alarm (status variable) is triggered, for how long, etc.

It works great!

Here are the Status variables/alarms that I have configured.

and here are some PowerPoint templates showing the changes I have made...

 Maybe this will help someone else.... its a much better/easier system to diagnose this way.

Rod

Hello Dan and Rod,

@Dan
Of course you can post your analysis here. I'm happy when I get help. And your analysis is also correct. As I already wrote to you, pieces of metal were found in the oil that was drained out. The engine will be removed again next week so that it can be serviced. I would ideally like to send the engine to Dan RLM, but it's probably not that easy because of the EU since I'm a private person.
The only thing that annoys me is that the engine was removed before the track day at Nürburing, was in the Tuner Motor Company to be checked and I was told that everything was OK.
But Dan is right. I checked the data from the last three track days after Dan showed me what to look out for. And you can see that the oil pressure has become less and less. 3 track days ago I still had around 4 bar at over 9000 rpm. Now at the end it was only about 2.8 bar.
But the workshop told me that that was enough and I relied on that. But OK in Germany they say “wipe your mouth and carry on”.

Another question about engine oil. I recently started using this oil:

Mannol MN7832 4-stroke power bike 15W-50 10 L

is this OK for my engine?

@Ron

Thanks for your instructions, I will try to implement that. I still have the AIM MXL Strada, but I hope the programming is the same.

I will keep you updated and send pictures if I see anything on the engine.

Regards Helmut

Hi Dan,

Here is the error why my engine no longer built up oil pressure.
There were small aluminum chips in the oil pressure regulator and blocked it so that it was always open.
However, the connecting rods and main bearings were not damaged.
Just wondering where these pieces of aluminum came from?
They look like a small aluminum sealing ring or washer!
I think you should definitely install a new oil pump. You can see that the gears look a bit worn out.

@helmutweber .. thanks for sharing the pictures.  Great to help others to know what to look out for.

Have you got any pictures of the oil pump gears you mention?

The bearing looks fine - hopefully they are all that good.  This is a good example of where the ECU trips have saved your engine!

Good luck with the reassembly and first start-up.

Hallo Rod,
Here are the pictures: