What is going on? My oil light keeps coming on!!

[AlaskanJack]

My 91 Ex. I keep having a problem with my oil light coming on and yet my oil level is fine. I start it up and the oil light may come on drive it a hundred yards turn it off. Start it back up and its off. But after another 100 yards and turning it off and on it may come back on. (oh I was garage saling when I noticed this so that why the 100 yards)

Could my oil pump be going out or is my oil getting thin or something? I have noticed that the engine temp has been running high due to driving with high rpm's. My O/D is not working and so my rpm's run around 3000-3200 rpms. I plan on getting under it today and see if the OD is simply a bad connection.

 

[BradE.]

Sounds like your oil pump. You might want to make sure you gauge isn't playing tricks on you though. Those oil gauges are the "idiot" type, I think it only takes 5 Psi of oil pressure for it to show normal.

 

[AlaskanJack]

I kind of ignore the guage, but what does it take for the oil light to come on? Is it a pressure light or what?

Is the oil pump mechanical or electric? Can I check it if its electrical or is it even easy to get to?

 

[yob_yeknom]

Low pressure is what makes the light come on.
What does your oil pressure gauge show? Is it in the middle or at the bottom? The sending unit for it is electric and easy to replace.
The oil pump is mechanical.

 

[SteveVB]

Who hold on....which lamp

You have an oil pressure gauge for the oil pressure, the oil level light is for the level. The light comming on has NOTHING to do with oil pressure - only the level in the pan. What doest the pressure gauge do when the light is on? Does it drop?

The sender for the level light is on the left side of the pan, drain the oil and pull it and replace or you may be able to clean it. There is also a relay with a time delay for that sender which from your description may be bad, but I would take a look at the whole circuit. Also 15a fuse - but that would cause the light to be out at start up. So- I would check the sender and the relay.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Oil pressure guage doesn't change and it reads near high. Oil level is good.

So which is? Yob or Steve. Does the oil light come on for pan level or pressure?

Man I need to install an A pillar pod and get a true oil pressure guage. Time to start checking into this.

 

[yob_yeknom]

My bad. The earlier models must have an actual oil light then. I assumed it was the check guage light like in the 2nd gens.

 

[mrboyle]

It is a oil level indicator. It has nothing to do with oil pressure. I'd start by checking the wireing and the sensor itself.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Thanks for clearing this up for me. I'll check it out/

 

[Crankcase]

I think the reason the light comes on sometimes and othertimes not, is that it is hooked up to turn on after 3 driving cycles with low oil.