Oil light on but dipstick reads full - please help

brandonj · 10-30-2009, 09:49 PM

As I was pulling into my garage today my oil light came on. I immediately shut down the engine and checked the oil. I just had it changed less than 500 miles ago and it showed full on the dipstick. No oil spots on the garage floor, and no evidence of any leaks underneath. I have been driving in deep snow/icy conditions the last couple of days, and was worried I might have hit something underneath, but I can't see any damage. Since everything looked fine I started it up again to see if the light stayed on, and it did. Any thoughts? Anybody had a similar issue?

Thanks in advance.

*nsnrider* · 10-30-2009, 10:11 PM

check fuses

check oil pressure sensor on the back of engine just above the oil drain plug

how many miles on the engine?
your oil pump might have failed and is not bringing the oil pressure up to speck or the oil filter is faulty.

good luck and hope this helps.

*KRRZ350* · 10-31-2009, 07:06 AM

Is it making alot of noise? You'll usually hear lots of knocking and timing chain noise if you have no oil pressure.

on checking the oil pressure sensor, might be alot of salty water in the plug.

*williamgd2* · 10-31-2009, 09:46 AM

I wouldn't run it until you make sure it has oil pressure.You could turn a bad oil pump into a bad motor.

Superduck · 10-31-2009, 11:20 AM

I too would check the oil sensor. Recently replaced my cv axles and noticed that sensor isn't the strongest connection...it's pretty easy to pull off, so it's plausible it just came undone.

VQP0WER · 10-31-2009, 11:26 AM

Like mentioned before, don't drive the thing until you get it fixed. I threw a rod through my dads Jaguars oil pan over a decade ago because the oil pressure light started flashing and I didn't stop in time.

carrrnuttt · 10-31-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by williamgd2

I wouldn't run it until you make sure it has oil pressure.You could turn a bad oil pump into a bad motor.

A++++ advice. I wish I had it. This is why I now have a different VQ than original. Then again, I used it to justify a new "exhaust manifold" (the kind with equal-length bends) to the wife.

brandonj · 10-31-2009, 04:45 PM

There wasn't any valve clatter or other indication that oil wasn't getting to the motor (and I know that sound from past experience) and the car only has 80k miles, so I checked the sensor and cleaned up around it a little. I also replaced the battery which died after 10 minutes with the headlights on, which I had been meaning to do this weekend anyway since it had been showing signs of weakness. The end result is no more oil light. Hopefully it will stay that way, but my next step will be to hook up a mechanical oil pressure gauge if the light comes on again to see if it is the oil pump or just a bad sensor.

Thanks for the helpful advice. It might be time to buy something with a little more ground clearance if I'm going to keep living in the Rockies - got a smashed foglight too, and last winter I lost a sidemarker.

Ghost_54 · 10-31-2009, 06:49 PM

Sounds like a smart move to check out the oil pressure and pump just to be sure ... glad to hear the lights out

LILMAN · 10-31-2009, 07:28 PM

If there's a bad sensor wouldn't there be an oil leak? I know this is true for the 4th gens.

Mu_036sp · 10-31-2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by williamgd2

I wouldn't run it until you make sure it has oil pressure.You could turn a bad oil pump into a bad motor.

+1, I hope its nothing big man. get all the little things done to get them out the way.

*secondtonone317* · 10-31-2009, 07:53 PM

Just a FYI, If the sensor is unplugged the oil light does not come on. I have not had me sensor plugged in for some time now, no oil light at all. If the sensor is faulty it could be the reason.

*crazy97* · 11-01-2009, 11:25 AM

Wondering how you would check the oil pressure without runing the engine..

spock · 11-01-2009, 05:24 PM

Unplug the coils and crank it over would be an indicator. If pressure is very low while cranking, a good cause for alarm.