Oil light question - can anyone advise?

[iggi]

Hello,
This is either such an obvious question that you'll be laughing at me from behind your screens, or it's something so dire that you'll send commiserations my way...

The oil light came on yesterday, and it was indeed low when I checked so filled it up. Now the light comes on (and stays on) but isn't a bright red like when you start the engine, but is definitely visible - any ideas what this means?
The handbook wasn't helpful!

Thank you for reading

[harris121163]

the first thing to do is put an oil pressure gauge in were the oil pressure switch is and find out if you have any oil pressure if you do you you just have a faulty oil pressure switch. if there is no oil pressure you need to investigate further hope this helps. Almost forgot check your oil level first.

[iggi]

Thank you - I don't have a gauge but I'll know what to ask the garage to do now

Cheers

[AdrianC]

Now the light comes on (and stays on) but isn't a bright red like when you start the engine, but is definitely visible - any ideas what this means?

It means you've got some wiring issues in there somewhere. The oil pressure switch(es) is/are either on or off. You should have a bright light or no light, there shouldn't be any shades of grey (pink?).

[Ian Hulley]

My oil pressure light used to 'pulse' dimly with one of my Nokia phone chargers. The oil light isn't a 'Low Oil Level' warning as such it's a 'Low Oil Pressure' warning .... sometimes the same thing but often not .

As a friendly piece of free advice you need to ask yourself a couple of important questions ...

1) How did you allow yourself to run low on oil ... running a classic vehicle you should be checking the fluids every day ?

2) Where did the oil go to ? The oil fairy didn't visit overnight and steal it.

Ian

[shepster]

2) Where did the oil go to ? The oil fairy didn't visit overnight and steal it.

Ian

An oil fairy there may not be but a money fairy there definately is!

Every Saturday morning the b*tch visits our house and empties my pockets, gives me a few digs to the head as well judging by the 'thumping' i usually have!

[Ian Hulley]

Are you trying to drink with men again Shep ?? now you know what happened last time ...

Ian

[iggi]

Thanks guys. Feel I need to go out with my phone and see if it affects it - phone more reliable than the van at the moment!
Am duly chastised re oil. Would never occur to me to check it on a daily basis though, it's more a before-long-journeys-when-you-do-the-tyres type thing.
Went through MOT less than a month ago so hoped all would be well for a while!

Tempted to take a hammer to the thing sometimes...

Thanks again for all replies -

[AdrianC]

Am duly chastised re oil.
Went through MOT less than a month ago so hoped all would be well for a while!

The MOT doesn't check the oil level.

Tempted to take a hammer to the thing sometimes...

Older vehicles can be frustrating for people used to nice reliable modern cars. Even when they were new, they wouldn't have been as hands-off as modern cars are. Add three decades and many thousands of miles of of wear, tear and hardening-of-rubber, stir gently with a large pile of legacy neglect and bodges, and you really do need to be fairly hands-on, even if it's only to keep checking and prodding and poking and peering regularly. If it's a new-to-you, then VERY regularly. Once you know it doesn't tend to get through fluids, then you can slacken off a bit, but don't be surprised if it suddenly gives you a little nudge not to be complacent!

[getunder]

My Oil light came on and stayed on while driving up a steep narrow winding hill in Germany with nowhere to stop until half a mile on. Longest half a mile ever. Found the wire connection on the engine had come adrift from the terminal tag. Could have been hanging on just a few strands of cable for some time. Could this be your trouble ? Just a thought.

[iggi]

Thank you both. I'm making a list - leaving it alone till the weekend then will go through the suggestions.
I am rubbish mechanically but I have kept it on the road for over ten years now, mostly by handing garages lots of money!

[NicBeeee]

After recently sorting out some wiring issues in the cab, putting all the cabling back as original, I was alarmed that the buzzer had been disconnected by previous owner and duly went of when up to temp and above 2000 rpm. Found the switch to be at fault, whilst searching for info I found these articles that may be of interest. The first info is for a 2.1i as it is American but most of the info transfers over in respect of how the switches work. I ended up fitting a wet pressure gauge at the low temp switch.


http://www.vanagain.com/troubleshoot-th ... nd-buzzer/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.vanagain.com/stop-your-oil-l ... lickering/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ian Hulley]

Oil pressure Buzzer Of Doom (b.o.d.) warning system on late system 1.9 and all 2.1 engines is a common problem ...

The wiring to the sensor near the water pump becomes brittle with being repeatedly heated up for nearly 30 years as it crosses the cylinder head,

The one to the sensor between the pushrod tubes can also fray against the protective shield these are easy to replace with nice fresh cable back to the twin plug near the black box on the engine bay.

The multi-plug terminals can get furred up (ours did) and require cleaning and coating in Vaseline or similar to prevent it happening again.

The sensor near the pump has a terminal which is at 90 degrees to the cable and should have a small cable tie holding the cable in place to the sensor ... this may have dried up and dropped off, the cable to the terminal is known to fray and become loose. This terminal is often caught by a fan belt if it comes off or a stray strand off the belt which can damage the terminal or cable to it.

There could be a loose multiplug on the loom to the dash pod that just needs leaning on to push it on more securely.

All of the above can cause intermittent incorrect warnings BUT you topped your oil up and the problem went away .... I would replicate the journey (WITH engine oil in this time ) and see what happens. Many 'false' b.o.d. issues aren't false at all ... the sensors trigger the alarm at moments when the engine experiences low oil pressure or sudden drops at 2000+rpm ... after a high speed cruise on the motorway and come off on a slip-road for e.g. is a classic. The engine may do that for quite a long time but eventually it presents itself in a far more spectacular way

Ian