Oil Pressure Light Doesn't Come On

[honda]

The oil pressure light doesn't come one when I start the car (Honda Civic 1997--It's supposed to come on when you turn on the car, and then turn off). What does this mean? Is it a bad light, or bad sensor, or bad oil pump? How can you tell if a car is ok to drive if the oil pressure light is faulty? How would you know if you had enough oil pressure?

Checked the oil, and made sure there is enough oil. But engine started making a whushing sound, or some noise at a higher frequency (but not squealing) so I could hear the sound change as I was driving. This happened when it was cold, and belts were squealing earlier in day when first started car up. They stopped squealing after the car warmed up.

How do I know if the engine is ok, and is there a simple way to tell why the oil pressure light doesn't come on when I start the car?

Also, when the car engine is on, but the car is parked, which mechanical parts should I hear? (so I can try to better describe what I'm hearing). I know what the engine sounds like usually, and I know there are two belts on the right side of the car, and I know what the fan sounds like, but what else is on and making a sound when it's on but parked?


Thanks for any assistance.

[lostforawhile]

the pressure sender should be right next to the oil filter should be a single wire, if you ground that wire and turn on the key, it should come on, if it doesnt check the bulb,and the wiring, if it does come on, you need a sender, very common for them to fail

[honda]

Ok. Thanks.

I am concerned that the engine may already be damaged, because now it is very noisy, when I turn car on. Before, as this was occurring, noise would start, and then go away. Now it doesn't go away. I know a mechanic would be able to tell me, but is there anything I can listen for, when car is on, to know if engine is damaged/needs to be replaced, or is possible to repair damage associated with low oil pressure? I drove the car about 40-50 miles after the noise started occurring intermittently.

Also, on a different topic, what color are the lights supposed to be on car interior comfort panel? The AC light comes on green, as do most the buttons, but a couple of the buttons come on orange. Are they all supposed to be green? Does the orange light mean it's not working?

[lostforawhile]

Ok. Thanks.

I am concerned that the engine may already be damaged, because now it is very noisy, when I turn car on. Before, as this was occurring, noise would start, and then go away. Now it doesn't go away. I know a mechanic would be able to tell me, but is there anything I can listen for, when car is on, to know if engine is damaged/needs to be replaced, or is possible to repair damage associated with low oil pressure? I drove the car about 40-50 miles after the noise started occurring intermittently.

Also, on a different topic, what color are the lights supposed to be on car interior comfort panel? The AC light comes on green, as do most the buttons, but a couple of the buttons come on orange. Are they all supposed to be green? Does the orange light mean it's not working?
orange is fine, they are supposed to be that color, you need to get someone to check your oil pressure with a gauge, it sounds like someone sold you a car with low oil pressure by disconnecting the warning light

[honda]

No, the oil pressure light used to work. It just recently stopped working.

[honda]

No, the oil pressure light used to work. It just recently stopped working.

Also, do you know about man hours labor it would be replace the engine on the Honda 97 Civic LX? or a good estimator website? I know a couple of estimator websites, but they didn't give me an estimate to replace the entire engine.

[lostforawhile]

No, the oil pressure light used to work. It just recently stopped working.

Also, do you know about man hours labor it would be replace the engine on the Honda 97 Civic LX? or a good estimator website? I know a couple of estimator websites, but they didn't give me an estimate to replace the entire engine.
buy a used one and swap it yourself it's not hard to do lots of how to on line

[honda]

If I could, I definitely would, but I am not that much of a mechanic! I can do small repairs, but an engine repair is a major repair. If someone were to replace the engine, timing belt and water pump all at the same time, about how many hours would it be, do you know? (Maybe you've done all of those.) And wouldn't this repair require being able to raise the car up, or how would you support something big like an engine while trying to connect things?

[Oldblueaccord]

yes you would need to jack the car up to take the wheels off and remove most of the front suspension parts. The motor you would need a engine hoist.