Think I have a dicky oil pressure sender?

Discussion in 'Mech Tech' started by Zebedee, Dec 6, 2018.

  1. Oil light comes on every so often (like once a journey).
    Drop a gear and it goes out again and will stay out for the rest of the journey.
    Checked oil and its not low. Doesn't come on at 850rpm idle.
    Oil pressure was always good on vdo gauge but I swapped out the gauge for a stock sender. Maybe the one I bought is a poo quality Chinese one.
     
  2. The VDO ones come on at about 10 psi whereas stock ones illuminates at 3-4 psi . You've got the same pressure but the stock sender will illuminate the light long before a VDO sender ...
    If that make any sense ????

    Sent from my SM-A320FL using Tapatalk
     
    snotty likes this.
  3. Yep.
    Worked out it only seems to come on when the van is chucked round a right hand corner (like turning right into traffic on a main road from a side street and giving it some beans). Wondering if its possibly oil surge and its just not getting back into the sump quick enough?
    Engine was still a bit warm when i checked the level but it was just over 1/2 way on dipstick. Will check tomorrow when its stone cold.
     
  4. 77 Westy

    77 Westy Supporter

    I think you meant the VDO sender will illuminate the low oil pressure light long before a stock sender. :thumbsup:
     
    Gingerbus likes this.
  5. ^this. @Lasty 's correct, but other way round.
     
    Gingerbus likes this.
  6. Always check the oil level frequently and keep it at the max mark on the dipstick. The oil not only lubricates but is an important part of engine cooling and change the oil frequently, its cheap. Any reason why you changed the sender?
     
  7. Bhubesi

    Bhubesi Supporter

    In the days of my youth, driving Austin 8's and 10's, when the oil P/X dropped going round a corner, it was time to pour in a pint or so of oil.
    Tony
     
    Gingerbus and Surfari like this.
  8. I stand corrected - Its bin a long day .... :rolleyes:

    :hattip:
     
    Valveandy, 77 Westy and snotty like this.
  9. Just down to low oil level it appears. Put 1/2L in and its just above the min mark now.
    Its not really been used since Tatton so level hasn't been checked since beginning of August. :oops:

    Gauge failed so i pulled it all out. Couldn't afford another so just went back to stock.
    Turns out it was just a wire the heater levers chopped up but i can't be bothered putting it back.
     
  10. I know I tend to go on about changing oil and keeping the level at max, but a neighbour lost his Mitsubishi GTO a few weeks back. He said it suddenly went pop while driving in town and had it recovered to his driveway. The engine turned over but wouldn't start. He was convinced it was cambelt. Me being me I pulled out the dipstick and no oil on it.

    He said he hadn't ever checked it, I did compression test on all cylinders and no pressure at all. The rings must have melted away with the friction.

    For the lack of £30 of oil, he had lost the car worth about 5k.
     
    Gingerbus likes this.
  11. 77 Westy

    77 Westy Supporter

    Rings don’t melt due to lack of oil - bearing melt first. Isn’t your neighbour going to find out what went wrong with the engine? But yes, oil should always be kept at max level.
     
    snotty likes this.
  12. ^this. The oil pressure light isn’t a “low oil” warning. It means you’ve got no oil pressure...
     
    Valveandy likes this.
  13. On the GTO there is good news and bad news, the owner sold it for pence and the buyer has a bargain, apart from the engine the rest of it was mint.
     
  14. I looked at a T25 a few years back, idled fine, oil light went off. But when I took it for a test drive as soon as the revs went up the 'buzzer of doom' sounded behind the dash. It seems on the water cooled engines there are 2 oil pressure senders and the buzzer one looks for 10psi or more when the revs reach 2000rpm. At least we don't have that going on.
     
  15. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    This should not happen. Either your oil level is extremely low or you have an air leak in the oil pump pickup tube which goes off to the right hand side rear of the engine case or oil pump inlet to case has a leak.
    In either case it means really low pressure at higher RPM , more serious than the usual hot idle low pressure.
    Keep checking the oil level every journey you dont want a blown up engine which will happen if it runs with no oil pressure..

    Or the sender wire has melted insulation and it is shorting on a right hand turn...
     

Share This Page