curtie94

1991 Honda Accord oil light comes on dim at idle, but then was bright and flashed on and of at idle. I just changed the sensor because it stayed on for about 6 seconds at startup. The sensor fixed that. Could it be a bad sensor or something? What are your ideas is it dangerous to drive it like this.

Hondas06

Flashing oil pressure light indicates a momentary loss of oil pressure.

Continuous oil pressure light = no oil pressure.

If you're concerned about the pressure I'd manual gage it fo shizzle!

Does the engine sound noisy (rattle/knock/lifter chatter) when the light is flashing/on? If so YOU HAVE NO OIL PRESSURE. Stop driving the car. Let me know what you find!

TOO MUCH TORQUE

IS THERE OIL IN THE CAR?

curtie94

no the engine sounds fine even with the oil pressure light doing that.

yes there is oil i checked it after the light did it, it is right up to the full mark.

kidcool1977

Your bearings could be on their last life does the engine knock at first start up.

StreetsideStig

By the "sensor," do you mean the oil pressure switch? Those tend to go out.

curtie94

Ya the oil pressure switch is what I was talking about. I changed it my last oil change and ever since the light does this. My oil level did drop once below the minimum line, but I added some and ever since the level was fine. The car is so low to the ground that I cant get under it to see if it is on all the way. The light also comes on dim when I turn the wheel at idle.

The light acts fine for about the first 10 minutes of driving.

Hondas06

You say the car is pretty low? Have you looked at the bottom of the pan to see if by chance it's dented in on the bottom, perhaps from bottoming out?

This can restrict the pick-up tube and cause low oil pressure (volume) if it's dented bad enough, which might turn the light on in the manner you're experiencing.

curtie94

You know what I have never looked at the pan other then when I had it at school. I have only bottomed out hard once and that busted my radiator. Whenever I go over a speed bump I do grind. Would it be dangerous to drive like this? And why would it on;y do it after 10 minutes of driving and only at idle?

213374U

If you're light comes on while driving and stays on solid, one of 3 things has happened. No oil as was mentioned before, or an issue with the pump as was also mentioned, or the switch. The oil level has to be VERY low for the light to come on solid. In any event other than a faulty switch, this is a VERY bad thing... TURN IT OFF IMMEDIATELY!!!

Would definitely check your oil pan as Hondas06 said. The pickup is very near the bottom of the pan, though I'm not sure on the exact clearance. Even a single dent in the right place can leave your motor starving for oil. Quickest way to kill any car, run it without oil.

holmesnmanny

If you hit low enough to bust your radiator odds are you dented the oil pan. If your car isn't making any noises yet you could still be in luck. You need to get your oil pan looked at before driving it again. The oil pick up tube sits low in the oil pan and sucks oil up into the engine.

You can get a jack and jackstand set for like 50 bucks. Invest in it.

curtie94

OK I just looked and I have a dent about 2 1/2" long by maybe 1/4" deep dent on the front of the oil pan closest to the front of the engine. IF it was that then why did it start doing it a few months after I bottomed out.

holmesnmanny

That doesn't sound too deep. How many miles on the engine ? Probably is the oil pump going out. You really need to have it manually checked.

MAD_MIKE

Possibly metal fatigue catching up with you.

StreetsideStig

$60 online.

curtie94

Engine has 167,000 miles.

curtie94

OK so today I went for a ride. I drove for about 1 Hour 30 Hours the light never went on until the last 10 minutes of the ride. I idled into McDonalds and the light flashed on real dim then came on dim but solid. If I hit the gas even just enough to move the tach 100 rpms the light goes off. This is really getting old. Oh yeah I just remembered usually it starts to do it when the rpms drop below idle, usually if I forget to put the clutch in. After that first time the light loves to come on at idle, it used to come on at 700 rpms but now it is even coming on at 900 rpms.

213374U

Replace the pump and look for metal shavings while you're in there.

holmesnmanny

We already said the pump was bad. It's obvious. Not really sure what else you need to know.

I guess you want your engine to blow up to be sure.

curtie94

Ok im just curious since it only does it after the engine warms up could the oil be thinning out to much. Could I use a thicker oil to stop this? The oil level seems to drop sometimes but not others would a thicker oil stop this? I was thinking 5w-40 instead of 5w-30.

213374U

R-E-P-L-A-C-E T-H-E P-U-M-P!!!!!

curtie94

For all of you who told me to change the pump that wasn't it. I changed the sender at school today and have no more problems.

curtie94

Its happened again. A couple days ago I went for a ride and stopped the car was idling then I went to turn the wheel and the oil light came on. When I stopped turning the wheel the light went off. Then it started to come on when the car was just idling. I gave it some gas and the light went off then came back on.

Then today I went for a ride about 10 minutes and the light came on solid at idle, gave it gas and the light went out. I bought a cheap sender from parts plus for $6 a few months ago. And it just started again. When the light comes on there is no engine noise at all it runs normal. The car does run rough at idle is there anyway the switch is rattling causing it to come loose or something.

I was planning on buying a manual gauge and install it next week. Does it sound like the switch or actually no oil pressure.

When I checked the oil it pretty much came right off the dipstick is the oil too thin. I am using 5w-30. Should I change to 10w-30? It is do for an oil change in 1000 miles. It isn't low and smells fine.

kidcool1977

Get your gauge, check your oil pressure.

motegicivic

The grade of oil is more for oil loss issues, by the way 10w 30 The 10 is for the start up visocity only then goes to 30 when warm like a 5w 30 will.

Did you check to see if the pan is dented as other said? Might be an issue with the oil pump.