msdawkins

I bought a 2000 Civic LX back in May with 92k miles on it. I noticed that when the car was started after not running for a while (overnight), the oil light would stay on for 2-3 seconds, but would then go off and stay off. I believe that the manual says that it should go off within 5 seconds (don't quote me on that).

(My previous car, a 94 Civic DX, only took about 0.5-2.0 seconds for the oil light to go off when cranking it cold.)

But on Saturday, I had the oil changed for the second time since I've had the car, and now the oil light takes 3-5 seconds to go off. Also, it sometimes flickers on for a quarter of a second right after going off initially, then stays off. My first oil change since I had the car was done at Honda and they used 5W20 - and this most recent change (not at Honda) used 10W30. My initial thought was that the oil weight change might cause the extra delay. I did check the oil level and it is at the top hatch mark on the dipstick. I also had corrosion on my (+) battery terminal, but I cleaned it off with baking soda water and applied some Vasoline to keep it from corroding again. It didn't have any effect on the oil light (wasn't sure if it was an electrical problem, but I don't have issues with any other indicators). I do have an issue with my engine feeling like it is idling too low when stopped and the A/C compressor is running - and recently the A/C compressor will sometimes cut off and on in 1-5 second intervals until I give it some gas. That may be just as simple as changing the idle speed, but I thought I'd mention it in case anyone thought that it could be an alternator/electrical issue related to the oil light.

Anybody have any suggestions for things to check? Or does this sound fairly normal? Most people that I talked to (with other kinds of cars) said that it was not normal for the light to stay on that long.

Probot

thats weird..my oil light did the same thing when there was only a quart left in it (to my surprise) - i was going to say quickly check and add oil cause you're low but you said you JUST did an oil change. not sure if its a sensor of some sort...sorry couldnt be much help..but just keep checking the oil i guess.

msdawkins

Yeah, the oil level is right where it should be (top hatch mark).

A few days before the oil change, I had checked the oil level and it was 1 or 2 cm above the top hatch mark - I guess that at my first oil change, Honda had filled it high. I've been told that overfilling is pretty bad, but that probably wasn't enough to cause oil-fouled spark plugs.

Anybody else have any suggestions about possible sensors or electrical things to check? Thanks!

Si_chRis

Mine is like that....that light is just to indicate oil pressure....but I think the reason why it goes out in 3-5 sec is maybe a bad oil pump....since my sisters 05' Honda takes less than a second to go off from a cold start.

sohctodohc

bump i have a 94 civic ex with b16a swap doin the same damn thing oil is on the top line and everything so some help for the both of us would b great

sohctodohc

cmon some help would b awesome

msdawkins

Anybody else have any suggestions on other things to check?

Johnny Ricer

the oil pressure switch on the back of the block could be taking a **** but first get a oil pressure meter attach it to your lines and see what your pressure reads as post it bac here if you are in 20 to 30 PSI your oil pump is fine if not you should think about a new oil pump.