Oil light on dashboard stays on for 3 seconds then goes off....

[CMF_offie]

Hi there,

Since my throttle body has been playing up, (THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE GUIDE!!! IT HAS FIXED IT!), when starting up the micra, the oil light stays on for about 2-3 seconds, then switches off. The oil is fresh (about 2 months) and the level is high. The car seems to be driving fine, and I don't understand what it is complaining about...

Another question is, how do I know when the NCVT level needs topping up and where should I get this done?

Any thoughts guys?

Offie.

 

[CMF_deNs]

Well the light is meant to come on when the oil pressure is below 5psi I think, so if it's just starting up then the oil hasn't quite got the pressure up yet. Stays on for a second or so on mine I think, so I wouldn't exactly think of it as being much of a problem.

Would wait for a second opinion though

---dens

 

[CMF_frank2]

offie

i would think, if the oil light does,nt flicker on a low tickover when hot don,t worry

oops try this

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f47/TomEA/pict0019.jpg

 

[CMF_kevin]

I get concerned if the oil light stays on in any of my vehicles. Could mean oil pump, faulty oil pressure switch or the first signs of wear in the bottom end of the engine (low oil pressure in the sump). I would use slick 50 oil if i was you and this will ensure the bottom end is fully protected.

I had an oil light come on and after a while it was getting worse and staying on longer each time. I fitted a new oil pump and a new oil pressure switch. This did not change this so i took it to a specialist and he found the fault to be a semi clogged oil pick up. he flushed it through and now it is going out straight away. I was later told that engine flush would have also cleaned out the pick up pipe.

Hope this helps

 

[CMF_frank2]

kevin

good point there!
perhaps an engine flush would be a good idea.

 

[CMF_offie]

frank2 - thanks.. it's a bit confusing how to read off the NCVT fluid level... i'll see!

my light doesn't appear to be getting longer... and when the car is warm (i.e. i'm turning it on and off doing deliveries) the light doesn't even come on any more. it's only when it is cold. the temperature is about 10 degrees C here at the moment... not very nice. Could that have something to do with it?

Offie.

 

[CMF_offie]

UPDATE: Well, I thought it was 3 seconds... it's about 0.5seconds. It felt like much longer.... anyway, after it is warmed up, it doesn't do it at all. Strange...

 

[CMF_deNs]

Mine does exactly the same - much less than a second on a cold morning and not at all when starting it up warm.

---dens

 

[CMF_Yom]

And thats all completely normal behaviour.

Building up oil pressure doesn't happen instantly. PLus the oil pressure sensor isn't the most accurate or reliable device in the world. THey can be known to give false readings as they get older.

If the light turns off within 2 seconds of starting the engine cold you're fine. If it takes longer you could be running oil which is too thick for the temperatures you're using the motor in. If it takes more than half a second to build oil pressure when the engine is hot you're probably using a crap oil filter or again, wrong grade of oil.

For australia a 10w40 is a good all round grade of oil to use. 10w50 on high KM engines is OK. 20w50 is the thickest I would use. Any thicker than the 50 weight and I'd suggest the pump will have a hard time pushing that oil around the CG's tight oil galleries.