Oil Pump: Description and Operation

Variable Oil Pump

To ensure high efficiency is to use an oil pump that is variably controlled as required. The pump is designed as an external gear pump with an integrated turbocharger extraction stage for the V8 bi-turbo engine. The required control is provided by the engine management system, while adjustment is hydraulic. The engine management system uses the input values for engine speed, oil temperature and torque. Based on this information, the engaged gear wheel width and therefore the geometric displacement volume of the gear wheel set is changed through the axial movement of a gear wheel and this in turn changes the oil pressure.







The pump ensures that only the pumping work required for the relevant load range of the engine is demanded. This reduces the energy consumption of the oil pump to a minimum and also ensures demand-controlled lubrication.

Additionally, the demand-controlled oil pump for the Panamera now has a new, very flat design. By using the flat oil pan and lowering the position of the engine in the vehicle, it was possible to move the center of gravity of the vehicle down further, thereby achieving impressive roadholding and driving performance.

The variable oil pump works in the same way as the pump used in the Cayenne. The main difference is that the Cayenne oil pump has a 3/2-way control valve, while the oil pump in the Panamera has a 4/3-way control valve. The reason for this is that a hydraulic support is now also used on the side on which the spring force acts. This results in faster control.










The valve shown here on the oil pump (red arrow) is a safety valve (cold-start valve). The opening pressure, which is lower on the Panamera than it was on the Cayenne, is now 9 ± 1 bar. This reduction was possible due to improved oil pressure control (4/3-way valve instead of the 3/2-way valve used on the Cayenne). This opening pressure is generally set as low as possible. The opening pressure on the Cayenne was is 11+2/-1.







One pressure stage and two suction stages are used in the main sump and auxiliary sump on V8 naturally aspirated engines, while one pressure stage and three suction stages are used in the main sump and auxiliary sump as well as in the turbocharger on V8 turbo engines.



Variable oil pump, V6







In order to reduce drive losses and thus improve the efficiency of the engine while at the same time reducing fuel consumption, the V6 Panamera engines are fitted with an electronic demand-controlled oil pump.

The oil pump and its delivery rate are pressure- and volume-regulated over the entire engine map. In other words, a demand-based oil pressure is set with a defined oil volume for each engine operating state, e.g. different engine speeds and loads. The oil pump is integrated compactly in the oil pan area and is driven by the crankshaft via a chain.