I recently finished boosting the B16 in my EM1 and everything has been running great except for that I'm having an issue with my oil light coming on. This just started in the past days and the car has been boosted for 2 weeks now.

When I cold start it when it hasn't been driven for quite a few hours (overnight) the oil light stays on for the first minute or two of the drive then goes away. If the car has been driven recently the light will not come on when I start it. I've checked and I have no oil leaks, and the level is fine. I'm running 10W-30 Mobil 1. My oil feed is straight off the block using the T for the stock oil psi sensor. Could this be causing my issue?

Thanks for the help guys!

 

use an oil pressure guage to see what pressure you have at start up. oil light = zero oil pressure.

 

check your oil pressure with a gauge and you have to do this asap. It could be because of the T you have on the block, but If that light on your dash comes on due to it really having low oil pressure, then its probably already to late. Until you know oil pressure is good I wouldn't suggest you drive it. I broke a rod in two pieces for ignoring that light because I thought it was "A bad switch". Another motor the light came on for no less than a minute and destroyed my bearings

 

No, the T is not the issue. Get a gauge on there asap, I'm surprised you let the car run for that long after the light stayed on, usually if I see that light and it stays on for longer then about 5 seconds, I shut the car off immediately and break out the oil gauge. Could be faulty sensor, could be bearing clearance, could be a failing oil pump

 

Aright I'll get a gauge on and check it on it. When I'm just checking should I run it in the spot that my OEM sensor is? I know obviously the light will come on because its not connected but will that be a usable source for the time being while i check it out?

 

Yes that's how the Helms service manual tells you to check oil pressure. Remove stock sender, put in gauge (1/8" BSPP threads, not NPT - get an adapter), measure.

You should have 80+ psi cold, 10-20psi warm idle, then 50-60psi at 3k rpm. The stock sender pops the light on at or below 4psi of oil pressure.

 

Where can I find an npt to bspp adapter?