Oil light on 94 won't go off

[sonoman]

The "check oil" light won't reset on my 94 Explorer. I changed the oil and the level is good. In the past, if the light came on, I just changed the oil and it went off automatically. How do I reset it?

thanks

 

[Dan Whitaker]

There is no way to reset it. It could be the sending unit is bad, or the oil pump is about to go out or has gone out.

How may miles are on the engine? Can you hear the lifters ticking?

 

[sonoman]

The engine has 125k. I am original owner and used synthetic oil since new (started after break-in).

Seems to have oil pressure (per gage). Engine runs great. No sound of lifters

 

[fixxxer]

I'd say a bad oil pressure switch or it has become disconnected. You have a oil pressure sending unit for the pressure gauge in the dash and a low oil level switch that lights up when you are approx 1-1.5 quarts low. The oil-pressure switch is on the left hand side of the engine, next to the power steering pump.

 

[Maniak]

What "light" are you talking about? The light on the bottom right of the dash is for low oil level, not oil pressure. It goes on when your low on oil (1-2 quarts depending on how the truck is sitting).

AFAIK there is no low oil pressure light on the dash.. just an analog idiot light, which is the oil gauge that reads in the normal range when you have 5psi or more of pressure.

The oil level sender is on the drivers side of the pan..
The oil pressure sender is on the block just in front of the motor mount.

You can see both spots in this pic.

~Mark

 

[sonoman]

Thanks for the pics. Nice looking engine

The problem is the idiot light below the IP won't go off. The gage on the IP shows good pressure and appears to worki properly, but the "check oil" idiot light stays illuminated. My 16 year old son has been driving my old vehicle--the problem appeared about the time he did an oil change at school auto shop (not sure whether the light came on before or after he changed the oil...it may have been what prompted the oil change). He also took the vehicle out mudding, but I think the light problem pre-dated that episode.


Assuming it is not just a loose connection, how can I test whether it is the switch on the pan before I replace it? Is there any fix for it? I assume I can get it off without taking the pan off. Is that true? Also, I assume I will need to drain the oil to replace the switch on the pan...is that correct?

 

[robertseber]

i second this to how would one go about testing that switch

 

[jd4242]

try and disconnect your battery first for a little bit,this will reset you computer