Oil pressure light at start up....

[SHOoff89]

What is the average time that the light should stay lit on cold start up? I know this sounds like a newbie question, but I swear the light stays on longer than my 89's did with over 200k on the motor. This motor only has 80k, but I am worried about the bearings because the previous owner really neglected the car to the point that I am not even sure he ever changed the oil at all in the 35k he owned it. Thanks for any replies!

 

[MO-KAN SHO]

My oil lights are all off before the airbag light goes off. I'd guess and say that if it goes off within about 20 seconds or so you're probably fine. But that's just a guess.

 

[autobahnsho]

The RED oil light should NEVER be on while the engine is running!

Otherwise you have a problem somewhere with the sensor (if you're lucky) or oil getting to where it should be!

Check my sig, you can't be too cautious about this!

 

[Ishodu]

It should only be on like a second if that. What kind of oil filter are you using? It could be that the oil filter is draining back and its taking awhile for the oil to get to pressure.

 

[SHOoff89]

It doesn't stay on for more than a second or two, but it just seems to be a little bit more than the 89. What oil filter do you recommend? I am not sure what brand I put in when I did the last oil change.

 

[HopefulSHO]

I use Wix (Napa Gold/Carquest Preiums are generally the same) oil filters on my SHO - my oil pressure light stays on for about a half second (if that) once the engine is started. Wix uses a nice fat silicon ADBV; and a good bypass valve too. Almost any properly built oil filter spec'd for the SHO should do a good enough job of keeping oil up there though.

 

[SHOoff89]

Now that I think about it, the light stays on just a bit longer when I start it up in the morning, but once the engine is warm, the light instantly goes out as the motor starts running. If it was a rod bearing causing the oil pressure to be low at start up, wouldn't it be worse when the engine is warm since the oil is thinner?

 

[MO-KAN SHO]

I paid attention to my lights this morning, and I was confusing the yellow and red lights... sorry. I'll shut up now.

 

[HopefulSHO]

Now that I think about it, the light stays on just a bit longer when I start it up in the morning, but once the engine is warm, the light instantly goes out as the motor starts running. If it was a rod bearing causing the oil pressure to be low at start up, wouldn't it be worse when the engine is warm since the oil is thinner?

As long as you have a properly functioning anti-drainback valve in your oil filter, it shouldn't take more than a second to shut the oil light off after starting a hot or cold engine. You are correct that faulty rod bearings might show themselves to a low oil pressure light when the engine gets hot, though. Dosen't sound like your problem though.
If you're real worried about it, go buy a quality (Wix) oil filter, put it on, start it up a few times and let us know what you find.

 

[SHOoff89]

Just for peace of mind, I will be replacing the oil and filter this week. I will let you know if it makes a difference or not. Thanks for all of your help!