Oil Light

['A20A3']

OK here's the thing. After driving my car for a while, when it gets nice and warm, my oil light flickers. I never screw around with this so I just kill my car right away. Once it cools off, I'm good, but as soon as it gets warm again it goes back to the flickering again.

I have a few theories for this.

1. OIL - When I was away, my mom had the oil pan gasket changed and subsequently they changed the oil and oil filter. Possibly the oil is of an improper weight, and when the engine warms it up it is either to slippery for the pump to deal with, or it's too thick.

2. OIL PRESSURE SENSOR - The sensor could be bad and I need a new one. The only disagreement I have with that is that why does it only happen when the engine is really warm?

3. OIL PUMP - The most expensive and pain-in-the-ass problem. My only guess as far as this is involved is that the pump is on it's way out. After all, it's the original pump and has lasted 160,000 miles. I was thinking though, I had my timing belt replaced too, and maybe the pump was damaged, or maybe when my oil pan was removed the pump screen was damaged. I'm gonna use process of elimination on this one. I'm gonna change my oil, and if that doesn't cure it, then the sensor, and if that doesn't cure it, then the pump.

Any ideas or input on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[smufguy]

i dont see why your oil pump should be damaged or going out. Actually the pump should be happy if the oil is warm cause the viscosity decreases upon temp increase so it shoudl be easier for it to push around ;).

Next, your pump pully might be acting strange. I never really looked at one besides the one in the schmatics, but i presume it runs off the timing belt or what not. So check to see if the timing belt is sitting right on the pully and not slipping.

Improper weight wont be a consideration unless the oil is much thicker, as in one of those weird ass numbers. but i still dont think it would make much of a difference since the temp is not that cold these days, like freezing i mean.

[shepherd79]

when was the last time you replaced the oil filter?
you have oil pressure drop somewhere. so it is eather oil pump or oil filter.

['A20A3']

Dammit. I'ts still doing that shit. My oil filter is new, so I have no clue if that's involved or not. I'm taking it in sometime this week. I'm gonna let the experts handle this one.

[accordlxi2.0]

okay first off . . . .does'nt our car's come equipped with a feature where it disable's the engine, when the oil get's low so it does'nt damage the engine.

plus your sensor could be doing what a gm sensor does (crank sensor)
it's fine when the engine's cold or when your driving regularly, but when it's under to much load and too hot the sensor freeze's up . . . . .

[AccordEpicenter]

accordlxi2.0... no they dont..

Heres a stupid question but it just might be it, is the wire actually on the top of the sensor in the back of the engine? Mine fell off and it would make the light flicker and act gay... somthing to check.

['A20A3']

I looked down there and yes, it is connected. This is a tricky one indeed. All I can come up with is, the oil pump, or the pump screen. It bet it's one of those on it's way out.

Any other ideas?

['A20A3']

Ok, I think I figured it out. The oil pressure sensor is on top of the oil filter base. You can see it through one of the gaps in the intake manifold. There's a wire going to the sensor, and a rubber boot thingy that goes onto the sensor. On mine the wire is apparently still connected, but the boot thing has split so i can see where the wire is connected. Maybe this is what's causing my crazy oil light?

What do you guys think?

[smufguy]

Ok, I think I figured it out. The oil pressure sensor is on top of the oil filter base. You can see it through one of the gaps in the intake manifold. There's a wire going to the sensor, and a rubber boot thingy that goes onto the sensor. On mine the wire is apparently still connected, but the boot thing has split so i can see where the wire is connected. Maybe this is what's causing my crazy oil light?

What do you guys think?

Mine is cracked on the boot and i can see the connector, but it has nothing to do with it cause i dont get the light.

one easy thing, just drain the old oil, put in the new oil and measure the old oil and see if u actually have less oil, which is less than 3.5 quarts. Cuase u dont really get 4 quarts of used oil. I tend to get about 3.8 quarts of old oil every time i change it.

['A20A3']

There's a little less than 1000 miles on this oil and filter. When the oil pan gasket was changed so was the oil and filter, and I talked to the mechanic that did the work and he said he put 10W-30 in. I hope that it isn't something expensive like the pump or screen.

[01RomanSS]

Try running some 20W-50 motor oil. Your rod and main bearings are getting worn as the car gets higher mileage. The thinner oil won't build up enough pressure between the main bearing surface and the crankshaft journal. Thicker oil will increase the pressure and satisfy the oil pressure sending unit.