Thread: Impending doom?

Alright, I will try to make a long story short.

I was coming back from running to town and pulled out from a stop sign. I jumped on the throttle because there was someone coming that I did not realize was as close as they were. I pulled to 80 mph, leveled out and held there for a few seconds and then my low oil pressure light came on.

I immediately let off the throttle, shut off the music, and hit reset to shut off the dinging so I could listen to the engine. I heard no other unusual noises, but the oil pressure dinging started again. I hit reset again so I could continue to listen. The light remained illuninated for another 5 or 10 seconds then went out completely.

I was only about a mile from home so I just babied it to the driveway. I backed in, and just listened to it idle. I heard no other noises and no oil pressure light. I revved it and listened, no unusual noises or oil pressure light. I popped the hood and listened, heard nothing out of the ordinary.

I shut it down and went and grabbed a rag. Checked oil, it was at the top of the hatch mark. Oil was changed about 7 weeks and 1100 miles ago. Temperature was normal when the light came on too.

The only "noise" I hear sounds like an exhaust leak. I know I have one at the back of the downpipe, but I do hear a "tick" somewhere on the rear of the engine. That has me a little paranoid.

So give it to me straight. Should I start looking for a replacement now?

hard to say, time will tell i guess.

ive always wished i had some where to keep a spare engine. so maybe you have the room. plan for a rainy day sorta.

Everybody needs a spare but I'd start with a new sending unit (and inspect where it screws in, too) and a wiring inspection. As all the GPFers like to say- Engines are $300, whats the big deal? Seriously, shop a little just so you are not alarmed by choices if she does blow.

Hey, can a guy connect a mechanical guage temporarily? That would at least give some info. get under the dash and unplug the damn chime speaker! Can't stand those.

I already thought of looking at the sending unit and wiring, but I was running out of light when I was looking things over. Anyone point me where to look for it?

The only other thought I had was that since I was climbing a hill and had it pulling hard that oil moved away from the pickup and starved the engine for a second causing the light to trigger (although this is probably a long shot considering the oil is full)

On a 99-03 3800 its in the RH inner CV joint / above the oil filter area, seen in RH wheelwell with wheel turned. Careful, new, bad (leaking) B-W units are out there, I had one.

FWIW I have the cold exh leak too. meh. Get a stethescope out (or just a stick) and listen to things once in awhile so you can spot changes easier. Old school tip o the day.

Yup right by the oil filter you'll see it once you either pull or turn the wheel.

i love my oil pressure sensor so much its in the trash lol i blew out 3 of them, my oil pressure is just fine i guess. i got the brass plg mod in its hole for what 2 years now?


this is one of them times we all wish we had a real oil pressure gauge.

Originally Posted by idrivejunk

On a 99-03 3800 its in the RH inner CV joint / above the oil filter area, seen in RH wheelwell with wheel turned. Careful, new, bad (leaking) B-W units are out there, I had one.

FWIW I have the cold exh leak too. meh. Get a stethescope out (or just a stick) and listen to things once in awhile so you can spot changes easier. Old school tip o the day.

I use a screwdriver as a stethoscope. Been doing it since I started working on cars. Thanks for the heads up on the BW units.

Originally Posted by REDCOMPG

Yup right by the oil filter you'll see it once you either pull or turn the wheel.

Thank you sir. That is what I figured, I glanced, but like I said it was getting dark fast. I will look in the morning.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

i love my oil pressure sensor so much its in the trash lol i blew out 3 of them, my oil pressure is just fine i guess. i got the brass plg mod in its hole for what 2 years now?


this is one of them times we all wish we had a real oil pressure gauge.

For real. I think I have a real one stashed somewhere. Maybe I can fit one in the sensor spot to verify actual pressure.

On the BWs I encountered, in between the two terminals there was a small hole with the tip of a rubber seal visible inside. The defective one had no rubber visible there just bright metal down deep. Didn't leak at first, took a week or two. Got same part # again and it is OK so its a hit-n-miss thing at the factory.

Again, thanks for the heads up.

Like I said in the morning I will probably look at the switch and the wiring and verify there is no issues. Might even pull it out and clean it.

I'm going to look in my stash and see if I can find the oil pressure gauge I have somewhere. Maybe I will have the adapter to plug it in and verify the oil pressure. If all things indicate the oil pressure is good then I can stop sweating it. If oil pressure looks sketchy I'll start calling junkyards.

So I got impatient and ran down to the basement to go through the stash I have in an old bookbag. First off, that damn thing STINKS. It got wet when I got some water in the basement and I guess I need to air it out. LOL

Second, I found a gauge. Its not the gauge I wanted to find, but nonetheless its a gauge. I must have given/sold the other one to my cousin. I also found some line and one fitting that looks like it could be the right size. (Advance says the oil pressure switch is 1/4-18)

What I didn't find was ferrules or the end that screws onto the gauge and the fitting. Might run over to my uncle's tomorrow to see if he has anything lying around so I can confirm the oil pressure.

I am going to be nuts until I can figure this out. I am supposed to drive to Norwalk next weekend for the Summit Nationals and have 3 people with me. If my car can't go I have no idea what we are going to do. I really can't afford to rent a car either.

slap me for not knowing, but doesn't the computer shut down fuel if oil pressure goes away? I guess thats why SD called it the plug mod- because that feature would have to be defeated if present and running a mech gauge or plug. Unless you somehow plumbed both in. I'm hoping maybe you have one just starting to leak into the connector like mine did, and thats just causing the false alarm due to bad contact. Eat a good breakfast first lol drink some water then wait awhile before you get all upside down. Try not to sweat the implications until you have a look-see.

dont think so on the low oil pressure, that light comes on and 99% of the time the engines shot, cause it comes when it reads less then 5 psi. and its to damn late by then.

the fact it went off could be good maybe a bad sensor.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

dont think so on the low oil pressure, that light comes on and 99% of the time the engines shot, cause it comes when it reads less then 5 psi. and its to damn late by then.

the fact it went off could be good maybe a bad sensor.

That's what I am hoping for. I would think if the pressure really was that low that I would have heard all sorts of racket.

fingers crossed

most of the time there a little knock it seems that just gets worse. but you hear that right away. id think a main would fail first for lost pressure. and they tend to not knock so much but squeal.

Definitely no squealing noises.

I am feeling a little more confident that it is either a failing sensor or maybe, just maybe, the theory I posted about possible starvation for a split second from doing a hard pull while going up the hill.

I will say at this point that I am cautiously optimistic, while still knowing there could be a major issue at hand.

fingers crossed.

when you do get a gauge hooked up, cold it should read over 50 easy or higher, warmed up around 20 or a bit more. @ idle.

they rent testers too at the parts store. it screws into the same port the ops is in, its got a 1 foot hose and a gauge on the end of it. not good for driving around but good for the idle test.

Might go that route if my uncle doesn't have any fittings. I can probably "rent" the tester for nothing since my cousin works at Advance and I am on a first name basis with most of the other people there. LOL

Well, might have some "good" news. I went out and started the car and it still sounds normal. I jacked the car up, took the wheel off, and unplugged the sensor. As soon as I did a drip of oil came out of the sensor. So I guess its looking like (or at least I hope its looking like) the sensor is starting to fail and may have been the cause of the LOPL.