yesterday I was driving and the light began flashing. I checked the oil and it was LOW. I wasn't driving hard shifting at 3500-4000 rpm. I am now super paranoid since this is a new motor. my question is when the light flashes is the oil low enough to do damage within a mile or so tops? I think the way the catch can is set up is the reason it was so low on oil so that isn't an issue. it doesn't smoke or anything just worried about damage to the bottom end? any imput would be awesome.

 

I'm sure someone with experience will ring in or you can do a search, but from what I've heard the stock oil light coming on is NOT good. It means you have less then 5PSI of pressure...so usualy next to none. I've seen posts where people are like "i saw the oil light go on and 10 seconds later I spun a bearing." Hopefully nothing happened to your ride, and for sure remedy the problem before even starting the car up again, like inspecting the oil pump or adding some oil and checking for leaks when the car is turned back on!

 

I did all that. and the light didn't come on till I got on the brakes at a stoplight when traveling about 45mph(pretty quick yellow so I was on the brakes pretty hard at first I thought it was because of the hard braking)pulled over maybe 1/2 mile up the road shut the car off and added oil(carry a quart with me at all times. then drove it to my buddies shop(maybe a mile up the road) and filled the oil. I drove it from there home and to school and work today. it idles ok but until it gets warm I hear a noise but can't tell if it is from the top end or bottom end. and like I said it is a new motor so maybe I am thinking I am hearing things.

 

that started happening to me...dun dun dun dun i spun a bearings

same thing here it was a new motor

 

what do you mean it started happening to you. that is the first time the light came on?

I was told that the cold start thing might be piston slap because of the forged pistons?

 

i would stop driving it right away, maybe your oil pump just took a dump on you?

 

no because when I added oil the light went out so it has presure.

 

I know it's not so much along the same lines, but I used to rely on the oil light to tell me when I needed oil in my $250 85 crx. If it came on around corner, time to put a couple quarts in.

You're probably fine if you weren't on it too hard while that low. I'd invest in an oil pressure gauge though. That's pretty much the only gauge I always watch. Wouldn't run w/o it.

 

Ive had an oil light come on twice before during extremely hard cornering when I was low on oil. Never any damage and I was on it hard too. I think if it was a problem it would have spun a bearing immediently afterwards.

 

thanks guys I was thinking the same thing about a spun bearing right away.

I actually have an oil presure gauge........in my back seat cause I haven't hooked it up yet.....it is definatly next on the list now

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dennis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I know it's not so much along the same lines, but I used to rely on the oil light to tell me when I needed oil in my $250 85 crx. If it came on around corner, time to put a couple quarts in.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ha and i thought i was the only one, i did the same thing with my 92 cx hatch when it had the stock motor, get on the brakes hard and see that oil light pop on and you know its about 2 quarts low.