My check oil light has been going on and off, kind of like flickerking on and off especially when I slow down the car but goes away when I speed up. I just had a oil change done at midas like 4 days ago, and I check the oil level and its perfectly level with the top hole of the stick. So the crank shaft isn't over filled, and the oil isn't low. The light also doesn't come on right after I start the car, usually after driving for more than 10 min and then slowing down it starts flickering.

My car is a 1996 Honda Accord LX Automatic, all stock.

Any help would be great

 

im a newb too but maybe its a sensor. maybe somebody else may be able to tell us. I have the same exact car, mint condition, love my baby more than i do my girlfriend. I'll look around and if i find something i'll tell you

 

I searched google and found this: hope this helps.. seems like alot

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by oblivion2kx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">First, make sure the battery is fully charged and all terminals are clean. Second, make sure you have fresh NGK plugs--the exact ones that are in your engine. Third, replace your fuel filter.

If the problem persists, then I would perform an "Iso Chronicle Inspection" and replace your igniter, coil, rotor, wires, and distributor cap, because of the age of the car. Sometimes you go ahead and replace items proactively, based on time, in order to prevent problems. My whole gig is to maintain "like new" performance on older vehicles. I get excited when I see a car with 225,000+ miles on it that runs and looks great.

My guess is that you have left platinum or iridium plugs in too long and they need changing. Supposed 100,000 mile platinum plugs often need changing at 50,000 miles. Only change them when your engine is "stone cold," since you have an aluminum head engine. The faint oil light is likely coming on due a degraded electrical system, where the engine is laboring to start and stay running.</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

I've probably got a blown head gasket ... my car smokes when you do a cold start sometimes ... I think the coolant is mixing in with the oil and since I probably have a oil leak too .. thats whats causeing the low oil pressure

 

bump

 

all cold starts on cars are going to give white smoke for a minute or two. My truck and my car do it, ****, my truck does it until its fully warmed up.

And you're oil pump itself might be dying, and you're loosing oil pressure for a split second. I wouldn't keep driving it until you figure it out.

 

I noticed that the light starts flickering on when I'm standing on a stop light, my idle goes below the 700 rpm mark and I know that it's supposed to be at least 1000 rpm unless I'm sitting there for 15 min.

The low idle is whats causing the light since the light goes off when I rev the engine. Also this doesn't happen till at least a half hour of driving the car.

 

anyone have any input on what it may be?

I dont want to change the head gasket or oil pump only to find out I didn't have to

 

My car has the exact problem as you, only I have an auto 94 LX.

It doesn't do it consistently though. Just randomly. My ground terminal on my batter is fraying, and I haven't had a chance to put the new one on yet. I'm hoping that may be the problem, or at least part of it.

I've also been told to check the sensor, sending unit, and to change to 100k+ mile oil. When I find the main cause I'll post back

 

I had the exact same problem with my 92 Accord. The oil light would only come on at low rpm (stopped at a stop sign/light). It turned out being the screen on the oil pump being slightly clogged up. When the engine is revved up higher, the pump is able to pull the oil through the clogging screen, and it is only when the engine is at low rpm that the pump will not pick up enough oil. The oil pan would have to be removed, and the screen cleaned, and the problem should be solved. Good luck.

PS: In some instances, a dent in the oil pan can cause the same thing.

 

AFAIK, I don't have any dents in my oil pan, I will double check tomorrow though. Half days at school all this weeks pWns

If I were to remove the pan, is the screen right there or does the windage tray and all that mamma jamma have to come out too?

 

If I remember correctly the hardest part is removing the corroded bolts on the exhaust, because it has to be partially removed to get the pan all the way off. After that, it's pretty simple. Don't remember if a cross member was in the way too, but the exhaust was the hardest part for me.

 

My exhaust is brand new, so hopefully that won't cause me any problems

 

I have a 1992 Accord LX with the same oil light problem. It would occationally flicker at low RPM's. It turned out to be the oil pressure sender unit - a cheap $15 part on the back of the block. Very easy to change, and a very common problem.

 

^ Hoping that is my problem.

 

My 92 Accord LX just did this too. Turned out to be the oil pressure sending unit sensor. Other possibilities were bad oil pump or clogged screen as mentioned before. Thankfully in my case it was the $15 sensor. You can get it hooked up to a computer to find out for sure.

 

What do you mean hooked up to a computer? Are you talking about in the case that I was throwing a CEL, or is there something that analyzes sensors and what not?

 

Diagnostic computer. It'll pick up most electrical problems (sensors, relays etc) Auto Zone, Advanced Auto and the like do them for free BUT not on cars older than 94 anymore Since yours is a 94 there shouldn't be a problem, just take it to them while the light's blinking. Anyhow, you may end up paying $45-$65 for a diagnostic at a garage if they can't pick it up or the light isn't blinking when they run their test, but it'd be worth it to know what is wrong. If you know of a good reputable mechanic, they should include an oil pressure check when they run the diagnostic. This will either confirm or eliminate the oil pump as a problem. If it IS the oil pump, driving it is not a good idea until it's fixed. If you do get the oil pump replaced may as well do the water pump and timing belt too. Can get pretty pricey, so you want to be sure that's what it is. There are ways to check oil pressure yourself, but I'm not the one who could tell you how.

 

Cool, I never knew they had diagnostics other than CEL's there. Thanks for the info

 

Sorry about bringing this thread back to life. But, can anybody try directing me as to where the sending unit is? I'm having a hard time finding an exploded diagram and there are too many wires between the IM and oil filter.