Ciffs: Oil light on, oil level = ok, oil seems to be pumping, smells like burnt oil...


Long Story:

Highway driving, about 75 mph, when oil light came on. Immediately pulled over and checked oil level which seemed to be OK. Just for *****, I put in that half quart that I had with me. Drove to next exit (7 miles) and stopped at a truck stop. Added another 1/2 quart. Oil level stayed at about 1/4 inch above the 2nd "level indicator" hole on the dipstick. I unscrewed the oil cap and oil was being flung around so it appeared that the pump is still working. Also noticed that the light would stay off when I started it, but when the rpm's levelled out (~800 rpms) then the light would come back on.

Now, I was 80 miles away from home and no where near any place I knew. I even looked in the phone book for a Honda dealer - of course there were none in the area (Sunday night, so like it would have mattered anyway). I was scared shitless to drive it, since I've only been driving it about 3 weeks since we finished the vtec head project on it. Finally, after 3 hours worth of getting nowhere fast I decided to drive the rest of the way home (I know, I know - what an idiot!). I kept it at 60 mph, as if that would have made any difference, and just got home about half an hour ago. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, besides the oil light staring me in the face the whole way, except that when I stopped at about the 50 mile mark I could smell burnt oil - but oil level was still good.

All I could find searching on here were people's oil light flickering or coming on sporadically. Mine stay on. So, I know the sensor is below the oil filter. The only thing I found out of the ordinary was what I thought was a vacuum line not attached to anything, but it had a piece of plastic in the end of it.

1. Is there an external oil line that goes to the sensor?
2. If that broke/got disconnected - I'm assuming that it could leak down onto the exhaust? (hence the burnt oil smell?)
3. Since I've already driven it 80+ miles with no apparent ill effects - would it be easiest to change this guy myself or have the professionals at Honda do it?
4. Am I even on the right track, in your opinion.

-Sorry for the novel, just wanted to include all the info I could.

 

ok, did you remove the little plug in the back of the block? ( just wanna make sure)

i believe that the oil sensor is plugged in the cooler where the oil filter goes. except it goes toward the intake manifold.

 

EDIT: Oh yeah...misunderstood you at first. Yes, the plug is not in there. I've been able to hit vtec....just this crap started this evening

No, I haven't done anything - was at a truck stop without a jack I trusted enough to be under the car.

 

Jacked the car up after work today and had a look underneath and the oil pressure switch is leaking....just enough to make it drip down on the exhaust and smoke like a bitch = very annoying in traffic. Probably happened when I took it to the quickie lube place for an oil change...

I ordered it from Honda dealership ($37 - includes faster shipping). Is it really as simple to replace as just wrench the junk one off and thread the new on into place with some thread tape or would it be better to give Honda another $90 to change it there - that's what the service guy priced me.

 

Just to finish up the topic ('cause all the ones I searched for never said what happend)-

Changed the oil pressure sensor today (took like 15 minutes, including jacking up/down and cleanup and the dealership wanted $90 to do it).

Oil light is off = yay!
No oil leaking out = yay yay!
Problem solved

Note: I wrapped the **** out of the threads with teflon tape, the one I took out looked like it might have had some thread-lock on it but not much.