Idiot Oil Light

'94 Legend GS

75,000 Miles I've owned the car for about 15 months and have no idea of the history. Work I've had done includes the timing belt/water pump, brake master cylinder and EGR valve.

Car has been 'sitting' for about a month while I have been doing some cosmetic work to it. I finished over the weekend so yesterday I drove to work, about 7-8 miles. Getting to work was fine (freeway), while coming home (surface streets) the Oil Light came on. Since I was about to stop anyway, no big deal. I stopped did some grocery shopping and added a quart of oil to the list. Checked the oil when I finished shopping and it was down so I added my quart. Start up, everything fine, drive home.

I had to go out later that evening and when I was just about to where I was going, oil light came on. Did what I needed to do (about 2.5 hours) and when I left I checked under the car for a pool of oil, nothing. Checked the level, fine. Started up, no oil light. JUST about home, light came on. Put it in the garage and brought the other car to work today.

Any Ideas Anyone? Sending unit? Pump? Anyway for an idiot mechanic (myself) to debug the possibilities or do I need to trust the shop? If it's a matter of reading the blinking code lights, I can do that....but that's about it. Any idea on the cost of the various options? I likely won't do the work myself, whatever it is so it will be shop time.

Thanks in advance guys....

Reply to
None
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None wrote in news:FJOdnaJ3IffJL3XeRVn- snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

You have potentially serious problems here.

If the oil level is OK and the oil light comes on at idle when warm, there is a strong probability of worn crank/connecting rod bearings, or a worn oil pump. In other words, the engine may have severe wear. Alternatively, you could have a blocked oil pump pickup screen, suggesting neglect, and sludge.

You need to bring the car to a garage that can hook up a pressure gauge to the oil pressure switch hole and verify the oil pressure.

If the pressure is actually low, continuing to drive it will cause additional severe damage. Get this looked at ASAP.

Reply to
TeGGeR®

TeGGeR's response is good, especially in your situation, but when my daughter's '93 Accord had a flashing oil light (owner's manual says "excessive fluctuation in pressure") I gave it some thought. TeGGeR's way is the most certain to lead to a proper fix, but....

The most common cause of oil light coming on is failure of the oil pressure sender. Right now you are in a quandry because you don't know if the sender is telling you wrong or if the oil pressure really is too low. What I elected to do was replace the sender so I could assume it was now getting correct readings and then seeing whether the light came on. I was in luck - it was only the sender.

In any event, don't drive the car anywhere until this is sorted out one way or the other. You indicate it will be done at a shop, so my post is more for the benefit of others - the shop will do it the right way because they'd be crazy not to. Just don't drive it there. Having it towed to the shop is worth it for this indication, no matter that the odds are in your favor.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

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