On Pops the Oil Light

[JRA2000TL]

Just took the SHO for a 20 min. drive as I haven't had it out in awhile and 2 or 3 times when I pushed in the clutch to downshift (RPMs dropped), the oil light popped on....damn! It went back off each time and I got the car home. I have had some oil leaks, so I checked the level and it was quite a bit below the add line. I know we have a "oil level" and an "oil pressure" light, but could that low level drop the pressure enough for it to pop on and off like that?

No other noises except the usual clacking I've heard the past 4k miles that sounds like it's coming from the valve train.

If it needs a motor, I'll have to park it for awhile until I can afford to put a new one in over the winter. I have bearings to put in it but haven't yet.

Edit: Just added about 1/2 qt. of 10w40 I had in the garage and it put it to the ok range (maybe I didn't give it long enough to drain to the bottom when I checked it last). I started the car up and idled it, loaded it up with the a/c on and revved it but it didn't come on.

Who knows. Maybe I'll try an oil sending unit first since that's a piece of cake fix. If not.....I'll have to decide if I wanna put a motor in it.

 

[sperold]

If you put another sender in, try installing the tee and have a mechanical oil pressure gauge under the hood. This will ease your mind over the condition of your motor. Get a gauge with a small range, like 0 to 40 or 50 or so, because I don't think these engines put out a whole lot of pressure. Maybe get one for a tractor at a farm supply place.
If you have the rod bearings.... put them in when you have a moment.

 

[luigisho]

How far down did the revs drop? The oil light will pop on when the revs don't allow for enough oil pressure. How many miles on this motor?

 

[JRA2000TL]

How far down did the revs drop? The oil light will pop on when the revs don't allow for enough oil pressure. How many miles on this motor?

Maybe around 1k-ish....just normal driving, not excessively hard, slowly braked, pushed in the clutch to downshift....dropped to 800-1k maybe, light popped on, completed my shift and accelerated and it went off.

Car supposedly has 74k on it; not sure if it's 174k. I ran a carfax when I bought the car and the mileage looked legit over the years as it was recorded periodically up until I bought it. I have driven it maybe 4-5k miles in the 2+ years I've had it.

Not sure what to do if it winds up needing an engine. I can't afford to get to it now anyway...but removing and installing an engine exceeds my mechanical ability.

 

[luigisho]

New engine might be but not rod bearings. They're not that expensive and could save you alot of trouble down the road. It's not common to need them at 74k but I have heard of a few that did.

 

[rubydist]

If you think about the capacity of the sump, and the flow rate of the oil pump, you will marvel that the oil gets back to the pan fast enough to keep the pump going even with the oil at the proper level. oil levels below the 'add' line can easily result in not enough oil in the sump and occasional flickers of the oil pressure light.

This is why its important to check the oil regularly, especially if you know you have leaks.....

 

[warmonger]

keep an eye on the oil level. it sounds like its just a combination of the low revs and lack of oil. mine pops on for a second if i let the rpms get to 6-700

 

[SHOtime2511]

Mine will come on if the revs drop below 5-6 hundred also,that seems to be the norm.
Try the sending unit first but it would be good practice to change the bearings before your stuck with a blown motor.