Oil Light Problem

[fredhurderjr]

I'm not quite sure what's going on with the 89, so here goes.

I've only had the car driving for the past 2 days.

Yesterday, I blew a coolant hose (metal / rubber at the top of the t-stat housing to heater core, which had been looped back to the port under the rear head). Fixed that, had no problem temp-wise on the way into work this morning. I'm in the drive-thru at Dunkin Donuts, 14 miles into my trip, and I see the oil light is on. I pull out of the drive-thru & park the car. I go to put oil in the car, and the oil's so new that I'm having a hard time seeing if it's on the dipstick. It seems like it is, but I'm not sure. So, I add 1 qt, restart the car, oil light's out.

I go back through the drive-thru, and I wait about 6 cars' worth, get up to the window, and the oil light comes on again. At this point, I figure something's really ******* out somewhere, so I pull off again, check the oil, and the dipstick seems fine. The sender wire is good to the oil senders.

There is a brand new oil level sender from the engine swap. Never having owned an 89, the idiot lights & locations are new to me. This was a red light, upper left corner, mostly hidden from sight by the steering wheel. Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[fricker66]

Fred,
Are you sure it's not the oil pressure light coming on? I know on my 89 that the red light on the upper left side is the idiot light for oil pressure. Not 100% sure where the oil level light is but am thinking it's on the lower right corner and it's a yellow light. (Luckily, I've never seen this light come on.) If it is the pressure light, hopefully it is just the idiot light being an idiot!! Keep us posted.

 

[twr]

Low oil light is Orange and says check oil. Low pressure is the red one. From what I remember form my 89'.

<small>[ August 01, 2002, 11:38 AM: Message edited by: twrsho ]</small>

 

[fredhurderjr]

Thanks gentlemen. Next question before I get a new stock pressure sender - I have a new set of Pro-Comp gauges coming in for this weekend (hopefully). I wonder if the Pro-Comp gauge sender will be a direct replacement for the idiot light, or if I have to come up with a "T" unit of some kind?

I appreciate the answers. Saves me looking it up in the 89 Helms.

 

[twr]

Fred,
I can't comment on that - but I tee'd into my idiot light when I put a mechanical oil pressure gauge in.

 

[Mike Kopstain]

Fred as you know, usually the idiot light only comes on when it's too late. I bypassed mine and just put the replacement sender in there. It comes with a bunch of adapters to make it fit, or at least mine did.

 

[jthomas68]

It doesn`t come with a "T".I just yanked the sender and put in the Autometer one.If you`re worried,try the local auto parts shop and buy a cheap-o Sunpro mechanical guage.You get 3 for $19.

 

[fredhurderjr]

I fired it up at work, checked in the oil fill area, cams are cycling oil in there. Seems it's only coming on when the car's hot.

On the way home, the car stalled twice at low rpm, and had poor throttle response otherwise - hesitating, almost bucking.

Temp cycled a bit, but stayed below the N this time. Gauges should be here tonight, so I'll give it a whirl. Thanks folks!

BTW, according to Ford tonight, the SHO only has a oil level sender, and no oil pressure sender.

 

[jthomas68]

Well,it`s not a typical sender as you may think.A standard oil psi sender will measure like the name says,in pounds per inch.The Ford unit is an oil lpi sender.Again like the name says,it measures in letters per inch.

 

[Oz]

i think shes nervous re:impending supercharger.

ok, relevant part of post: did you have an oil pressure gauge on your supercharged car? mine reads about 50+ on throttle, and the lowest it goes is 20-25.

that good?

 

[projectSHO89]

The Ford unit is an oil lpi sender.Again like the name says,it measures in letters per inch.

Actually, it's a digital sender (binary). It's either on(4 psi or more) or off.

Steve
89

 

[fredhurderjr]

Osman -
Yes, I did. At idle, I'd get 12psi or so hot, 50psi cold. At 3k+, 50psi+ hot, 70psi+ cold.

Since the gauges didn't actually get to me tonight, Gary stopped by with a cheapie Sunpro set from Autozone (thanks JT). Oil pressure is almost identical to the 95's readings. Must be a bad sender. Never went below 12-15psi when fully hot at idle.

 

[fredhurderjr]

Well, I guess I may have spoken prematurely.

3/4 the way to work this morning, the engine started clacking really badly.

I'll pull it apart this weekend & see what's what.

FWIW, there's a new sender in there, and the oil light was fine all the way into work.

<small>[ August 02, 2002, 09:20 AM: Message edited by: fredhurderjr ]</small>

 

[jthomas68]

Damn Fred,i`m ready to give you mine just so you don`t have anymore problems.

 

[fredhurderjr]

Taking a break.

Eric's engine is out, and he's swapping accessories now.

I've tried swapping y-pipes, oil change, no difference. Pulled the pan, have looked at cyl. 6, 3, 5, 2 rod bearings so far. No wear marks on the bearings or crank journals, no issues I can see. Time for some Gatorade, and on to Cylinders 4 & 1. I'm gonna be kinda ****** if it's not the bearings.

Earlier, I put a long 3/8" extension to the oil pan & could feel the vibration in conjuction with the clack. Must be # 1 or 4. Gotta be. (?)

 

[jthomas68]

I went thru 3 Gatorade`s myself today doing my strut cups with Tom.It really helps when you`re hot.Let us know how the project works out.

 

[Xs SHO 1]

well from what i hear, maybe ur sho dont like Dunkin Donuts!

 

[SHODWN]

JT, STRUT CUP?

oh and you think Fred want that old white thing?

 

[fredhurderjr]

Ok, finished up, and I'm now puzzled. All the rod bearings looked good, so I moved off to the mains, all of which were good.

Clackety Clack - don't clack back.

Tomorrow morning I'm going to button the Y back on & hit the engine front, and also pull the cam covers again to verify everything's cool up there & the noise isn't traveling on me. If everything checks out like I think it will, I may run it with heavier oil & wait for it to grenade to see what the problem was.

Not a bad day today. Eric & myself, then Jason Mansfield showed up with his 91 for a while, Rickie stopped by to do some brakes on his 92, & Chris swung by (his Gen 2's still in the shop, so he had to use a truck) to offer Eric some support.

Fair warning Eric - next time I look over & see you asleep under the car, I'm taking & posting pics man! wink

Dueling Banjos...

Kilroy Was Here...

 

[SHOTIME]

No better way to say that NESS is closed for the weekend