oil light on at idle

[perry]

the oil light comes on once the engine warms up but it is only on when the rpm is low or idle. added 1/2 litter of oil thinking it was a little low but that was not the case . runs the same sounds the same i am a little hi on the dip stick know. the temp is normal could this be a problem with the oil pump or oil pump chain this car is a 94 q with 300 thousand kms could the sending unit be a problem

perry

[Jesda]

Did you have timing chain guides replaced recently?

[maxnix]

Did you have timing chain guides replaced recently?

Shouldn't need them since it is a 1994.

Ever had the front seal replaced?

[Raxephon]

Shouldn't need them since it is a 1994.

Ever had the front seal replaced?

Think the cause could be the crankshaft bolt not torqued properly?

[Q45tech]

About 4 times per year we get a new customer with a sludged up engine. Usually these are the 94-96 for some resaon we have seen twice as many 96 as each of the other years. Too small a sample size to be accurate.

One look in the oil filler port tells the story, we then remove a valve cover.

Of course you always check the crank pulley for looseness.

We have a decent 1996 in the dead pile as we speak. I offered $1000 for it.

[Q45denver]

You really need to put a gauge on it. I think if it was low at idle the lifters would be noisy when starting the car especially from cold. If sludged, maybe an Enviroflush would help.

[elwesso]

You really need to put a gauge on it. I think if it was low at idle the lifters would be noisy when starting the car especially from cold. If sludged, maybe an Enviroflush would help.

If the oil light is on at idle, nothings gonna help...

To the original poster, start saving for an engine now, and have the money on hand, because the failure of the enigne is right around teh corner!

[rsiwicki]

off topic...but while i was waxing my new Titan on Saturday...a sweet elderly lady asked me to check her oil on here 2000 Taurus...so I did and I could not believe my eyes...there was no oil registering on the dip stick. So I asked her to shut off the engine and when I pulled the oil filler cap there I could see old burned oil caked brown & black on everything. She absolutely had no oil at all...only after the 2nd qrt did I get barely a reading at the end of the dip stick. It took 4 qrts for it to get almost to the min amount. The car appeared to run fine (no smoke), idle good, and did not have any apparent leaks, but who knows how long it will last. She said she paid her mechanic $700 for a tune-up 2,000 miles ago. I told her to find a different mechanic and sell the car asap while it still runs. It had 150,000 miles on it.

[Jesda]

FYI... Fram filters can restrict as much as half the oil pressure.

[Romeo5k]

**BUMP** Hate to bring back old news, but i think im having a problem similar to this.. did anyone find a fix to this or some clues.. Ok im in a 95. I can be driving.. and no light no nothing. Everything is cool. Now SOMETIMES when i slow down to come to a stop. and i stop, the oil light comes on. But it doesnt just come on.. it dims on... <-- MAKE SENSE? And while waiting for the light ill hear the car barely idling up and down, not majorly.. just a tad bit.. And the oil light is dimming like it wants to go off, then it will try to brighten up... Barely ever does this light just come brightly lit. Its almost always dim.. VERY dim. Now while my foot on brakes i give it a little gas, and the dim light disappears, and comes right back wen car is at like .4rpm. Or i can put car in neutral and car may go to .6 rpm and the light disappears. This all sounds scary and i was told by someone else, it shouldnt hurt anything as long as its only when im stopped.. As long as its not when i got my foot on the gas. Valve covers changed.. oil sensor switch changed <-- reason for changing, there was a lot of oil down thereITS NOT time for an oil change yet.. I use Valvoline syntec blend or whatever it is with vavoline filter

[qship96]

Worn out tired motor developing low oil pressure, especially at idle- light comes on only at super dangerous low level of oil pressure{ 2-5 PSI} Start looking for a new motor or car soon..........just ask Wes!!!

[Q45tech]

Oil pressure is entirely an owner abuse problem.90 day oil and filter replacements will allow the hot idle oil pressure to be almost as new [>14 psi] after 19 years and 322,000 miles.

180,000 miles and an oil light proves abuse

[Romeo5k]

i just spoke to mech.. he said the engine turning too slow.. What does that mean? and im at 208k miles not 180k miles..

[Infinitiguy19]

You can try to check the battery and alternator.

Then replace the oil pressure switch as its super cheap ($12?).

Then run some BG Quick clean for a couple of oil changes (20 or so according to Q45Tech).

if that fails then save up for a new motor or just start saving now.

[Q45tech]

The FSM SPECIFYS the exact rpm [650] where oil presuure is to be accurately measured.One quick emergency partial solution is to increase oil viscosity in warm weather to 40 or even 50 instead of 30.

[Skibane]

i just spoke to mech.. he said the engine turning too slow.. What does that mean? and im at 208k miles not 180k miles..

He means that the engine is idling too slow.

The amount of pressure produced by the oil pump is dependent on engine speed. If the engine speed drops too much below what is considered to be normal idle speed (650 RPM), then the oil pressure will also drop enough to turn on the low oil pressure warning light.

Fix your low-idle-speed problem, and you'll probably also see your low-oil-pressure-warning-light problem disappear.

[Q45tech]

Most non Nissan specialty shops don't have a Consult I or II so they cannot even accurately measure the idle rpm since the inside tach is very in accurate below 1,000 rpm.

What's scarey is the sensor make leak but rarely fails in its duty to show whether you you have at least 3 psi which is 11 below minimum spec.

Raising idle rpm until the light just goes out is worthless what you must do is raise the rpm until you achieve 14 psi.

[ddrumman]

This might be something worth looking into.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...l1116

$215 for shipping to TX!
Modified by ddrumman at 11:57 PM 5/16/2009

[Romeo5k]

Most non Nissan specialty shops don't have a Consult I or II so they cannot even accurately measure the idle rpm since the inside tach is very in accurate below 1,000 rpm.

What's scarey is the sensor make leak but rarely fails in its duty to show whether you you have at least 3 psi which is 11 below minimum spec.

Raising idle rpm until the light just goes out is worthless what you must do is raise the rpm until you achieve 14 psi.

I think i kinda understand what you are saying.. I think thats what the mech was telling me and i looked at him because it sounded as jibberish and reading it typed on here. They have the consolt there... He also said something about he needed to check the air control or something like that as well.. Ive looked into getting another engine.. Not that expensive, it is the labor thats expensive. To get the swap and fluids and all dat crap, i was told 2 grand. Only thing i liked was that he said he would swap all my part. But while engine is out, i wanna get all 8 injectors replaced.. So thats another umm... like 1500$ if im not mistaken right?.. Sounds like almost 5 grand there... I think thats like the only thing i havent replaced under the hood.

Im also gonna try to run some BG 44k.. cause i street mech said maybe the filter inside oil pan is clogged.. I told the mech at teh shop... he said that was jibbersih, and that person didnt know what they were talking about. ** the price i pay for a Q**

[Skibane]

Or i can put car in neutral and car may go to .6 rpm and the light disappears.

Once again: If your engine has adequate oil pressure when it runs at normal idle speed, it would appear that low idle speed is the problem - NOT a worn-out engine.

[maxnix]

BG44K is a fuel system cleaner, so will never see the inside of a crankcase, hopefully.

The IAC valve is a band aid fix for a filthy plenum, lower runners, TB, EGR and IAC valve. If you haven't performed the under plenum KS job, time to start budgeting and planning.

Search TexasOil's posts for a shop in Houston he uses for stuff he doesn't do himself.

[Romeo5k]

ok. i ran a can of 44k in the gas tank with 3/4 tank of gas. I threw some seafoam in the oil thing and drove the car for about three nmiles.. supposed to get dirt and residue and what not.. Doesnt hurt to try... just cost 9$ Oil change included the full synthetic of valvoline.. Oreilly had it 4.99 /quart..

Just in case i have f...ed up which i think ive actually been doing okay.. ramemeber, my 93 didnt last this long. But just in case Elwesso is correct, I have a 96 Q engine thats been sitting for about 2 years i think.. will it directly fit onto my car.. Brian, i know this should be ur exspertise right? And i know its gonna be about 2 grand to get old taken out and new put in.. So i dont have it quite yet.. But it would help if the 96 can directly fit in the 95... i know 94 fits in 95.. So inputs help ppl.. Thank u and love yall..!!! XCEPT BRIAN.... j/k.. u good with me..!

[maxnix]

Probably the last thing you want to do is put an OBD II 1996 engine without the intake cam timing advance into a 1995 chassis with OBD I.

Can't recall anyone who has done it.

[Infinitiguy19]

This guy did it: zer...00obo.

But you have to have the rest of the drivetrain AT LEAST.

I think its better to find a 1990 Q45 engine assuming you have no TCS, Active or HICAS.

[Romeo5k]

I am gonna try to find a 94 or a 95 engine.. iwant somethng that fits exactly.well today I was scared and thought of what elwesso said... I'm at the light chilling.. as soon as I give it gas to make a left... car wouldn't go.. it was actting as if it was outta gas.. and I kept hearing like a deep popping sound coming from the driver side under the hood.. at least that's what it sounded like while I was in car... I put it in neutral and gave it gas.. and it sounded alright.. back to drive and car wouldn't barely move.. and oil light came on.. turned car off for 5 mins and drove around block and it drove half a** normal.. I'm gonna try to get another engone of sell this car. at 209k miles sounds a lil too early for oil pump to be going out... I changed air filter today too.

[Romeo5k]

just thought about something that I forgot about a while back since I ignored the problem.. isthre a possibility a faulty or a going out fuel pump do these things... I mean.. car just studdered andawouldnt go. waited 30 mins.. and its still studderring bu at least its moving forward..

[maxnix]

Time to measure the fuel pressure.

[Romeo5k]

ok.. it was the fuel pump.. I had one grabbed from one of my mechs Q because, hell, they arent driven. Anyway, it works now. Brian, about that pressure, my old one was measuring a lil above 0. IDK if thats pounds or wat, but that sux. And as the car started, it would creep up a lil over 15-20.. but as u accelerate, it would drop. And im gueessing thats why car acted like it was stuck on stoopid.. NoT knowing i was for forgetting about the pump. Anyway.. the new one is working fine. its like 40 on the gage, and goes higer when acclerating.. Mech said its good.. Thats all i wanted to hear.. I guess i need a hit on the head forgetting about this.. Thanx

[jimbyjimb]

That's quite a scummy and indecent thing to do. Tell someone to sell their lemon off so it breaks on someone else. Is honesty so difficult? I suppose decency, morals and integrity are cheaper than the not-so-mighty-anymore American dollar.

Glad you fixed your Q. Keep in mind it is illegal to place an engine older than your model year vehicle into it. If you do have to replace the engine eventually legally you are supposed to swap in a '95 or later year engine. It doesn't matter to smog that a '90 engine runs just as well and clean, if not better. Not that anyone would bother pulling the serial and checking.

[Romeo5k]

ummm Brian, u could have at least warned me and told me not to forget about the O ring.. now I'm havin to drive a car with gas fumes in car.. arrrghhh.. oh we'll I'm getting that replaced tomorro.. that gas fumes is ridiculous.. anthing else I need to check while I'm gettibng O ring done?