1995 Plymouth Acclaim New Owner

I just bought a '95 Acclaim with 140,000 miles to use as a commuter car. It's got the 3.0 V6 and a 3 speed auto. I changed the oil yesterday and added 4.5 quarts of oil to the motor as per the manual. Now, unlike before, I get a flickering oil pressure light when I stop at stop lights, but it goes away quickly when I begin to move? Am I just low on oil? or has my engine gone out on me in one day?

Also, I can't get an accurate reading with my dipstick.....I can't discern any spot where the oil level is.

It was a cheapie, but I LOVE this car already, any help with these issues is greatly appreciated.

Reply to
jmcgill89
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My Acclaim had the 2.5 rather than the 3.0, but 4.5 quarts is what it required when you changed the filter as well as the oil, which I always did. Are you sure you put in 4.5 quarts? If you can't see any oil on the dipstick after putting in this much oil, then something is fishy. Either you have the wrong dipstick, you put the oil in something other than the crankcase, or you have a leak and it has leaked out. The fact that the oil light is flickering tends to suggest that it really is low on oil and thus may take suspicion away from the dipstick.

I'd put another quart or two in, at least enough to register on the dipstick and see if the light stays out. Might also want to find someone with another 3.0 and compare your dipstick to theirs to see if the length and markings are the same.

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

What viscosity grade of oil did you use?

Erm...you can't? That's certainly odd. You do know how to check properly (pull, wipe, reinsert, pull, read), right?

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

If you are sure that you put the proper amount of oil in don't overfill to eliminate a problem that wont go away. If the engine is not making any noise and you see oil getting to the top of the valve train you no it is getting properly lubed. Do an oil pressure test to ease the mind and install a new oil pressure sending unit and be on your way. Then double check the dipstick for proper readings, sometime you have to clean it off really good to see the oil on it as you pull it out

Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech

Reply to
maxpower

Perhaps I should have been clearer about the dipstick. It's not that I can't see any oil on it, it's just that the oil is smeared all the way up past the marks, and I can't get a good reading. I put 4.5 quarts,

4.7 if you count what I added because the light was flickering.

No leaks that I could find. My oil pan gasket needs changed, but that wouldn't have caused a huge leakage in one day.

How do I go about finding and replacing the sensor and or test the pressure?

Also, I'm having an issue with my temperature gauge and gasoline gagues not being consistent. For the Temp gauge, it will start out at about halfway, then go down to almost cool when I'm moving, but go up to almost hot when I'm idling. For the gas gauge, it won't register any more than 3/4 tank when full, and it can fluctuate by more than 1/4 tank when I'm making turns at speed.

Any ideas about this?

Reply to
jmcgill

This often happens when the engine is hot. I tend to check my oil when things are cold. Then the oil pretty much stays in place while you remove the dipstick.

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

Well, It's not been as bad with the flickering today on the way to work. Ironically, it seemed to do better when I switched the A/C on (It's like 60 here in DC). That being said, I don't get any discernible difference when I push in the A/C button....no light, nothing. Do I have a blown fuse, or is there something more wrong?

Just getting used to the new ride.

Reply to
jmcgill

Purchased a '93 Acclaim two years ago with a 2.5 engine.

It has been great for me as well. When I changed the oil on mine, the oil pressure indication did something similiar to yours although I did not get any oil pressure light flicker. Just a dip in the oil pressure on the gauge when stopped for lights. I use

5W30 oil as I believe most MOPAR engines of that time used that oil grade.

Could it be that the oil pressure sensor needs to be replaced? I use to drive an '86 New Yorker with a 2.2 engine and the oil pressure sensor went on it and the flickering oil pressure light was the indication.

By the way, I just replaced the Oxygen sensor on the Acclaim in September as my gas mileage had been declining for the last year. Before I changed the O2 sensor, I was getting approximately 500 kilometers per tank. After the sensor change, I'm getting 750-800 kilometers per tank (as long as temperatures are mild). The sensor has already paid for itself during the gas price spike during October.

Steve

Reply to
Steve

I'm going to check out the oxygen sensor in my car as well as the oil pressure sensor. It's running great, and I'm very happy at this point.....aside from the fact that the AC appears to need a recharge.

I have noticed that the oil pressure light does not flicker when the AC is on (button pushed in)....perhaps the car's idle is higher when the compressor is running.

Reply to
jmcgill

10w30 is more appropriate at this stage of that engine's life.

Certainly could be.

Hope you didn't use a Bosch, or you'll soon get to do it again (and again, and again, until you start using a different brand).

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

I agree with the other opinions that say that the oil light flicker almost certainly indicates that the oil pressure sensor switch (not sending unit, which technically provides an analog signal to a gage - you don't have that - you have a switch which controls an idiot light) needs to be replaced (but if it will make you feel better, have the pressure checked by someone who will not try to flim-flam you). And yes

- when you turn your a.c. on, the idle gets compensated to a higher speed, so the flicker stops - typical of a bad oil pressure switch.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Reply to
Bill Putney

Bill, SHAME on you. Only the losers at General Motors think there is any such a thing as a dashboard "gage".

You're not a loser at General Motors...are you?

He might or might not, depending on whether he has the plain or fancy instrument cluster. The plain one hasn't got an oil pressure gauge. The fancy one does. Both have an idiot light. A combination sender-switch is used with the fancy cluster.

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

No, I've got the plain instrument cluster. I'm awaiting my service manual for the car, as I'd like to do these repairs myself. I think I can do most of them except the serpentine belt.

BTW, is the oil pressure sensor switch near the oil filter on the underside of the engine?

Anybody out there have any success with those do-it-yourself AC recharge kits?

Also, I think I need to either bleed my cooling system or install a new thermostat because my temperature gauge varies wildly depending on whether I'm sitting or driving.

Also, also, What would cause a gas gauge to vary by as much as 1/4 tank when taking turns?

Sorry for the Questions, but I'm loving my car.

Reply to
jmcgill

The recharge kits work fine. I'd suggest you get a set of gauges as well. The problem here is generally there is a leak that caused the refrigerant to escape and the cheap and easy recharge will work for a day or two if you are lucky. It generally requires an expensive diagnosis and part replacement. Hope your results differ. Post your result and actions you take for the benefit of others.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Shuman

Hope you got the *factory* manual, not the junk from Haynes.

Don't remember where it is on the 3.0. This will be in the manual.

Depends what you're trying to do. If you're just trying to get by until you sell the car, they're fine. If you want it fixed properly, without damaging the system, then the DIY kit is not the way to go. Properly-done A/C work is more complex than it seems.

These two problems could well be related, since the fuel and temp gauges share a common voltage controller. That is: Could be a gauge problem rather than a temperature problem.

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

I'll have to give that voltage problem a look on the gauges...I'd hate to have to replace that cluster.

I got my new oil pressure sensor, and I'm unfortunately, the manual is the haynes or Chilton manual, I can't locate a chrysler one online right now.

Reply to
jmcgill

Why? They're neither expensive nor difficult to replace.

Garbage. Contains way too much wrong information, and a great deal of needed info is missing. Using it is counterproductive.

They're available most of the time on eBay, and you can get 'em new over the parts counter at the dealer service department. Or, you can get a

1-year
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subscription for $25, which gives you all the factory info including TSBs and wiring diagrams.
Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

First off, I've never replaced an instrument cluster before, so I really have no idea what I'm doing. Until I get SOME KIND of manual, I'm not going to touch anything that has to do with electric components or gauges.

I really don't even know what is wrong with the damned thing. Even when full (overflowing) the gas gauge never shows more than 3/4 tank.....and the level shown on the gauge varies wildly when turning. The behavior of the temp gauge is not quite that weird.....especially when turning.

Reply to
jmcgill

OK, fair enough. It really is exceptionally easy, though. Requires little more than a philips head screwdriver and 10 minutes' time.

If you're getting variation when turning, then one of two things is happening: Either the gauge sender (in the tank, part of the fuel pump) is faulty, or the gauge head itself (in the dashboard) is faulty. Is the behavior exactly the same whether you turn right or left? Or is it different right vs. left?

Reply to
Daniel J. Stern

Where is the oil light in the fancy one?

Is there a "Check Gages" light in the fancy one?

I was surprised when I discovered that the plain one has a "Low Fuel" light. I should say rather an icon that 10 seconds of mental decoding tells one "oh, it must be a gas pump, fuel must be low". :) Like the oil can light.

Thanks.

Reply to
clemslay

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