Hey guys, I have a 94 civic coupe with its d16z6 motor. I have an issue with my oil light coming on when idleing... As soon as i get going the oil light goes out. I checked my oil; the level is good, the oil was replaced almost a month ago so still clean. I'm thinking it could be a fuel pump sensor... is this a common issue after so many miles?

 

Maybe the oil pump is already on the finish.

Buy an used oil pump and if You know how to replace do it and than You see, but first take from Your friend sensor oil and have replaced them.If still light is on Your`s oil pump is zjebana (the garbage)

 

wtf would you bother with a used oil pump for? step1: remove oil pan. step2: clean oil pickup. step3: profit? (if the light issue goes away, you are money, if not you may need a new pump/motor.)

 

Ok i agree with You but...

it`a normal install used oil pump only if seller gives 100% warranty

 

never reuse any kind of pump for any reason. would you reuse a gasket, too? replacing the pump is labor intensive, why would you bother with a used part?

 

damn i would understand that the oil pump will be bad... but you say I might have to replace the actual motor too?

 

Go with what EGHATCH said.

Buying a used part thats as important as a oil pump isn't a good idea.

In the mean time, do not drive the car. Having a faulty pump can induce engine wear if the pump is not functioning properly.

Edit: Also, what is the weight of the oil you use in your engine? Sometimes, when the oil is too light it may make the light come on--or if the oil is old.

 

This happened on my old EK. I thought it was "just a sensor". Nope about 4-500 miles later I spun a rod bearing on I70 in BFE Colorado. Luckily I was like 88 miles from my apartment at the time and AAA tows me for free within 100 miles of my destination.

The damage might already have been done. Usually when the oil light pops on you should IMMEDIATELY shut the car off and do not start it back up until you know what is going on.

 

jesus... well thanks for the heads up guys... that just ruinned my day guess it gives me an excuse to by a gsr!

 

drop pan and check the pickup screen, they do clog.

 

Rent or buy a mechanical oil pressure gauge, connect it and check pressure to verify if its in spec or not.
Change the oil pump sender and verify clean/correct filter.
Check the oil pan and pickup tube/screen for debris.
Check the oil bypass valve on the pump, it may be sticking open slightly, or have contamination/debris.
If it were me and the simple stuff didn't check out I'd clean the pan and pickup and put a new OEM pump in. Its a big job that involves the crank pully, timing belt, oil pan and proper tools.
Always use a NEW oil pump.
How many miles are on the engine?
The reason you might need a new engine (or a rebuild) is if one or more of your oil clearances have become too large to contain proper oil pressure. You may want to consider that replacing the pump may not correct the issue.

 

No.

 

well i bought the car a year ago and on the body it has 187,723 miles on it and the guy i bought i from said it had 125,000... so idk if I believe that. I'm in the process to getting all the parts to rebuild it all at once while adding aftermarket parts to the motor. I will be pulling the oil pan out this weekend and I'll do what you said strategy. So now when is it the best time to rebuild my z6 motor for future reference?

 

You have to assume it has 187k on it because that is the only reliable info you have. You are likely in need of a timing belt/water pump job too, might as well do that while its apart. Also, if a headgasket let loose with 187k plus on it that would be grounds for a rebuild because the block should be decked. In other words if the headgasket is good and you can repair your current problem, see how long it will last...
If all goes good after that I'd recommend a thermostat change and maybe the hoses (OEM from the dealer). These low dollar parts can mean the quick death of your engine if they fail. A quality engine rebuild is ~$1400.
I know, I could build a slammed H22 dual turbo JDM with powder coated shot peened high compression tungsten carbide tipped cold rolled chistled steel DOHC VTEC roller rocker johson rods for that much bro...

 

okay good to know. I did currently replaced all my hoses. I'll have to look into changing my thermostat and I know I have to change my timing belt and water pump. Im waiting to do it when I'm actually doing the rebuild though. Now with the oil light issue; it seems like it does it like once every 2-4 months and once i turn the car off and turn it back on later on to drive it; it will stop flashing or coming on... So I'm hoping thats not too bad or anything? Has this happened to anyone else on here?

 

I think you might need to do some simple checks before doing an engine overhaul. First is the engine making any knocking noises? If not you might just have a bad oil pressure sender or associated wiring:


If that passes check the oil pressure and go from there

 

^^^

IMO you might as well install an aftermarket oil pressure gauge while you're checking. It is a good thing to have in the future. As soon as you notice pressure dropping on the gauge you can shut it off before the oil light warns you, possibly being too late.

 

Had an oil seal pop out on an Accord (Honda developed a special retainer for this problem) and oil was gushing out like you removed the drain plug. Light came on etc. Pulled over and towed it. New seal and it runs fine.

I wouldn't continue driving with an oil light coming on though...

 

@hondapartshero

Thanks for that information that will be a great help for me. I'm gonna see if I have the time tomorrow to get that looked at.

 

Nice reply with oil pressure testing information. I was going to ask what the sender was, but I found this; http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_...ender_units_do

So maybe in this case it is simply a switch? Not that it matters for the test..

Hopefully it is anything but a bad oil pump.

subscribed to see how the OP makes out... (good luck!)

 

Have replaced the Oil Pump, and the oil pressure sender - cleaned out the sump and ran the engine - and light is still coming on . 2004 1,.7L LX - 152k miles. Seems early for engine bearing issues. How can I find the oil bypass valve - or was that in the pump assembly? obviously, new oil and filter. I'm kinda stumped unless this is an electrical issue - I guess I can check continuity at the sensor and I'm getting an actual pressure gauge - to attach and manually check oil pressure. Are there passageways inside the crank that could get obstructed preventing pressure from getting to the sensor?

 

Unplug the oil pressure sensor while the engine is running and look to see if the oil light goes out. If it does, you have oil pressure issues inside the engine... likely bearing issues that you are "hoping" are not your issue. However, if the oil light stays on, then you have a short to ground in the wire between the oil pressure switch and the instrument cluster... and it is likely that your engine's oil pressure is fine.

Good luck.