I have a 90 EX with 200k, I didn't check the oil for a while like a dummy. As I exited the freeway, the oil light was flashing about once per second. I drove into a parking lot, parked, checked the oil. It was below the dipstick. Added 1/2 qt oil that I had on me. This got me to an auto parts store without the light. Bought a jug of 10W-30 and refilled it. Probably 2 qts or more out of the jug. Went on my way cussing at myself for being a dummy.

So did I just ruin my motor? It is not noisy (yet). Would the oil light come on solid if the problem were more "severe"? I don't have an owners manual.

 

Well it seems to be fine today still, only time will tell I guess. Does anyone know what the blinking oil light vs solid oil light means (is there even a solid oil light)?

 

I don't think the oil light comes on solid. A blinking oil light means that oil pressure is low or you could have a bad oil pressure sending unit. In your case, it sounds like your oil level was just way too low which brought down the pressure and caused the light to start blinking.

Because you stopped and put oil in immediately, you probably didn't cause any immediate damage. I would top it off and then monitor it weekly from now on to figure out why you are losing so much oil in the first place!

 

I know one reason why I am losing oil, because it is running rich due to a bad O2 sensor. (I am currently trying to figure out how to get the electrical plug un-frozen so I can replace it.) The spark plug tube O-rings are also bad which gives me a puff of smoke at startup but I doubt this is a significant loss. Most of it is probably being sucked past the rings and burned. Wish there was a way to do just the oil "wiper" rings because the compression is good...

 

My 95 ody had the same oil blink but it was a headgasket blow out and started using 4 quarts an hour while on a trip. Check for oil on the back of the engine - this can be from oil pressure switch (above filter), head gasket or even the cam seal (it has a oil deflector to route oil away from the timing belt and down the back of the engine.)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by runderwo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I know one reason why I am losing oil, because it is running rich due to a bad O2 sensor. </TD></TR></TABLE>
running rich will not cause you to lose oil.

You're very lucky if the compression is still good and you're not hearing any noise. Generally if that light starts blinking your motor is already gone due to lack of oil. It does not come on solid. Blinking = bad and requires immediate action. (shut down, add oil, which it sounds like you did)

 

It's called cylinder wash and it does happen. I doubt it's the biggest contributor to this motor's problem though. Once I fix the O2 sensor and the tube seals then the only thing left is the rings because there is no external leak.

So does the oil light work like in other cars where it switches on when the pressure is low and switches back off when the pressure is high? Or does the ECM "latch" a low pressure condition and blink the light until it is shut off and restarted, even if the pressure goes within spec later?

The biggest thing that bothers me is that I had to drive about 1000 feet to a parking lot with the light on once I got off the highway. With other motors when you have low pressure you have an oil light on at idle but when you drive the oil light goes off. In the Honda the oil light did not stop blinking even when I had it up to 2000 RPM limping into the parking lot. So did that mean I had no oil pressure even at the higher RPM? Ouch...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by runderwo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It's called cylinder wash and it does happen.</TD></TR></TABLE>
yeah if you're running WAY too much fuel. a fouled O2 isn't going to wash your cylinder walls with fuel.

I'm not sure on the switch function. I'm pretty sure that if it saw pressure again it would turn off but can't be positive.

Sounds like it had no oil pressure reaching the sensor even at higher RPM. Hopefully there was still enough in there to lube your crank bearings. Probably was since it still runs.

 

where is this oil deflector and what does it look like.. what do u mean by pressure.. how does the pressure switch detect pressure.. does it measure the amount of fluid in the crankcase or somthing..

 

Actually I think it does latch the low pressure. Because if the pickup was dry it would have thrown the light while I was on the freeway, but I distinctly saw it come on when I was coasting to a stop. So it was running low pressure but not dry so I think I did luck out.

I did find an external leak though, it looks like the oil filter was not seated 100%.. I tightened it up. We will see how much of a difference that makes.

I replaced the O2 sensor and still have a code 41, checked the voltage at the pigtail and the resistance in the sensor so I don't know what the problem is now.

 

just because that light blinks doesnt mean your motor is gone...yes it does mean your oil pressure is low due to lack of oil..but its not going to mess your internals up as long as you drive to the nearest parts store and get some oil...I mean come on..its a honda they last forever..I had a friend one time that ran his CRX 2 months with not a single drop of oil and it didnt mess a single thing up on it..he was acutally trying to blow his motor because he had a swap for it...it was quite funny

 

OK, so I'm not sure where the oil is going. I drove 600 miles and had to put in about a quart every 150 miles. PCV is ok. Oil filter was a little loose and I tightened it. Not seeing any obvious external leaks, but I haven't cleaned the motor yet to check for sure.

I should mention it had a burned valve last year so we replaced the exhaust valves, so I guess the rings may now be letting oil past them from being worn or stuck in the grooves. I will have to go a wet dry compression test to know for sure...

I guess if that shows the rings are shot, then I'll drop in a JDM short block, anyone have experience with that? Seems like I can get one for $300 which isn't much more than doing the rings, rod bearings, new pistons, oil pump, etc... and much easier.

 

you cant check the oil after you just drove the car... you have to let it sit there to cool down for a bit on a flat surface for a few hours.

 

It sat overnight after filling it and driving 200 miles and it's at the bottom of the dipstick, so it's definitely going somewhere.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by runderwo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I guess if that shows the rings are shot, then I'll drop in a JDM short block, anyone have experience with that? Seems like I can get one for $300 which isn't much more than doing the rings, rod bearings, new pistons, oil pump, etc... and much easier.</TD></TR></TABLE>
you can get a low mileage USDM longblock at pretty much any local junkyard for ~$300, which will be a LOT cheaper than a bottom end rebuild and probably even easier than a JDM motor swap.

 

Seems like a F22A4 is hard to find, are the F22A1/F22A6 compatible enough with the mounts, tranny, etc?

 

Anyone used anything like MMO or Auto RX on stuck rings?

 

OK, I ran a quart of MMO in it for 100 miles, then seafoamed in the top end and in the crankcase before the oil change. Looks like I am still using a quart every 300 miles or so, and burning oil under extreme acceleration (i.e. 55mph in 3rd, uphill), so I am guessing at least the oil rings are shot or clogged with carbon. I switched to 15W-40 diesel oil but I guess I will have to just keep an eye out for a new block since there doesn't seem like much else to be done. I'll keep seafoaming it when I change the oil just for the hell of it, who knows, it could still be a stuck ring.