Oil light flickering?

[ghanda]

I'm having one of thos months when all the problems will hit me in the face and then get cleared up sooner rather than later.

So, after a spirited run to test my ATF blow-back theory, came off the motorway and the car started doing its normal almost-stalling thing (in fact it did once) (No I haven't fitted the EIDS yet Kieren!). But for the next 30 seconds or so, rather than the TCS light flickering when the revs got low, the oil light did instead. Checked the oil pressure guage and it did seem very low. Did this a few times and 30 seconds later cleared itself, OP was back to normal...odd. Any ideas?

[Kieran]

When my alternator packed in, various sensors started complaining and throwing up errors and warning lights for problems that didn't actually exist when the volts got too low to run the car correctly (below 11v).

My best guess is that when your car is fluffing out and almost stalling, the electrics are dropping back to battery voltage and then back to what they should. I presume your oil pressure gauge is an electric one?

Other than that.... No idea?!

[mpau009]

I think i might have mentioned this before, but have you made double sure you don't have any air leaks? my car had a leak by the BOV recirc pipe, and it messed up a bunch of things, my idle wouldn't hold all the time, it would go from being fine, to stalling all the time for seemingly no reason, it stalled at 70km/h once, the warning lights could be a byproduct of the uncooperative engine.

To be safe, i would consider taking it to mitsi for MUT-II diagnostic, then you can be sure.

[ghanda]

I was going to say 'How do you check' as I have a near-stalling problem after a a hard rso does the MUT have to search for soemthing specific, or will it pick it up on a general diagnostic?

[mpau009]

I was going to say 'How do you check' as I have a near-stalling problem after a a hard rso does the MUT have to search for soemthing specific, or will it pick it up on a general diagnostic?

Im not too sure how it all works, but it was reading 5 different sensor type errors, TPS, Baro press. and a few others, all becuase of the air leak. I had it checked again on friday and it still had three errors to be cleared. The computer does all sorts of strange things to try and protect its self from faults, and that might be whats causing your errors?

I just thought that if you took to to someone with a proper diagnostic they might be able to point you in the right direction for a fault.

Also, my STR had a flickering oil light, and all it turned out to be was a loose wire - but i don't think youl be that lucky.

[ghanda]

Mmm...thanks for that. Having experienced the problem again last night - it definitely appears to be an oil pressure issue - my Oil pressure guage is showing a reduction in pressure once the car gets hot: Sitting in traffic it dropped to just under 30psi. When it hit 24psi, the light started flickering, and when it finally settled at 21, the light was on almost continuously. A quick blip cured it and Once I was moving, oil pressure shot up to 95psi in bursts!

Any ideas gents?

[Kieran]

Well, I would say oil pump, but that it goes right bach to high pressure suggests otherwise?! Anyone know what the specified pressure of the pump is? Wonder if it's in one of the service manuals we've got on here....

Doubt it's an oil weight issue either.... I'm running 0w/30 without issue.

Only other thing I can think of is maybe the oil pressure relief valve is stuck open (ergo it's too low at idle, but okay elsewhere) or something's happened to the oil filter?

Anyone with more knowledge of engine lubrication systems care to comment?