I want to install an oil quality sensor (density + viscosity + temperature + humidity) to monitor online the lubrication the oil in my car (BMW series 3 E46), save the data and see the results online in my phone. A lab analysis tests many more parameters but those 4 are fine for me.
The tech part is solved as my company gave me the sensor for free and it uses standard communication protocols so there is no problem to get the data out. I still need to figure out what output rate is good as the default setting of 2 measurements per second do not make any sense and it will just take up storage space. Maybe 1 sample per hour would be a good figure to start with.
My idea is to test the oil in the can before changing the used oil and take save the sensor data while I use the car normally until the car computer says it’s time to change it (I believe it only counts the mileage) and see how it has degraded. I will in the meantime sample the old oil as I only need to wet the sensor in my table and ask in the forum about if it still good (maybe it just needs filtration) or not.
The problem and main reason for the post is to ask you if you have done something similar before (it can be any kind of sensor that required to be in contact with the oil) and how to mechanically attach the sensor to the car. I don´t need the oil to be flowing as the sensor does not care.
I have a screw version (1/2” gas fitting) but there is no way I will drill the oil pan:
This is the same sensor with a baseplate:
I could run the oil trough the baseplate, but in this case I would need to pump at least 1ml oil to the sensor (+ the oil to fill the tubbing) and pour it back into the car… if the tube fails the oil will be pumped out of the car!
There shall be some easier way to do it like bypassing the car original oil pump or inserting the sensor somehow in the place of the original oil level sensor (that is broken anyway) and use my sensor also as a level switch (as it would measure air when the oil is low)…
If someone can help me it would be a cool weekend project and later I could even add more units of the same sensor to monitor the fuel (the fuel where I live is good so really there is no need, power steering oil or the refrigeration water...) If it´s too complicated to install I will forget the project and try to find another use for the sensor.
Thanks!
The tech part is solved as my company gave me the sensor for free and it uses standard communication protocols so there is no problem to get the data out. I still need to figure out what output rate is good as the default setting of 2 measurements per second do not make any sense and it will just take up storage space. Maybe 1 sample per hour would be a good figure to start with.
My idea is to test the oil in the can before changing the used oil and take save the sensor data while I use the car normally until the car computer says it’s time to change it (I believe it only counts the mileage) and see how it has degraded. I will in the meantime sample the old oil as I only need to wet the sensor in my table and ask in the forum about if it still good (maybe it just needs filtration) or not.
The problem and main reason for the post is to ask you if you have done something similar before (it can be any kind of sensor that required to be in contact with the oil) and how to mechanically attach the sensor to the car. I don´t need the oil to be flowing as the sensor does not care.
I have a screw version (1/2” gas fitting) but there is no way I will drill the oil pan:
This is the same sensor with a baseplate:
I could run the oil trough the baseplate, but in this case I would need to pump at least 1ml oil to the sensor (+ the oil to fill the tubbing) and pour it back into the car… if the tube fails the oil will be pumped out of the car!
There shall be some easier way to do it like bypassing the car original oil pump or inserting the sensor somehow in the place of the original oil level sensor (that is broken anyway) and use my sensor also as a level switch (as it would measure air when the oil is low)…
If someone can help me it would be a cool weekend project and later I could even add more units of the same sensor to monitor the fuel (the fuel where I live is good so really there is no need, power steering oil or the refrigeration water...) If it´s too complicated to install I will forget the project and try to find another use for the sensor.
Thanks!