Main warning and oil lights both flickering

[wolfie308]

Half way through a 20 mile trip home this afternoon, the main warnuing light started to glow faintly and then started to flicker at the same time the red light in the oil pressure guage started flickering as well and now they're doing it in unison. I checked the oil level which was at max and the pressure guage is reading as normal when hot i.e 4.5 running and 2.5 on tickover.

Anybody else had this or any ideas of where to start?

 

[Copperman05]

Yes, had exactly this in France last year, turned out it was the oil pressure sender. Its located under the oil filter, a bit fiddly to get to but accessible from underneath. I called Andy at Promax with the issue and he suggested a tightening/check by hand may solve the issue as it often ges knocked after an oil change, etc. I did just that and both lights went out and havent come back on since. If not a replacement is about £30-40 + labour apparently.

Edd

 

[chrisg]

Wolfie

As per post, this sounds very similar to an issue I had with my Turbo whilst at the Ring last year - the oil pressure starting swinging around erractically and at tickover the oil pressure warning light would come on.

If you read the FAQ/ troubleshooting section of Clarks Garage, it does suggest that when this happens it's most likely the oil pressure sender unit that's failing.

On your post you mentioned that the oil pressure gauge is still functioning OK. The pressure sender has two separate feeds from it, 1 = varying pressure signal 2 = the low pressure warning light. Before you rush out and buy another sender unit, it's worth checking that both wires are firmly attached and not chaffing on anything - both the wires go close to the block and the front of the engine where it can get very hot, the pressure sender often gets coated in dripping oil from either the PAS system and/or filter changes.

If you do have to change the sender it's not a big job, just very fiddly you just need the correct size open spanner to remove the sender = 24mm

 

[edh]

If you need it, I have a good s/h sender somewhere on a shelf in the garage ( I swapped mine out & found it was a dash /gauge problem)

£5 + postage

btw I think a cut down spanner works quite well to do this job as it doesn't foul the arb

Ed

 

[wolfie308]

Many thanks for the replies chaps, if I had sound level surface outside my house, I'd jack it up and have a poke round underneath. As I don't, looks like I'll be getting RPM to sort it while under there fitting the refurbed torque tube.

 

[Hilux]

It is very simple to test for POTENTIAL sender failure. No guarantee oil pressure ISNT low.

With the key on and engine off the oil pressure light should be on.

Disconnect the wire from the terminal on the sender and the oil light should go out. Start the car with this wire disconnected, light should remain out. Earth this wire and light should come on and remain on as long as this wire is earthed.

 

[ronald smith]

Hi Richard - if you like you are welcome to use my drive /garage I have a low clarks racing
jack as well if you need to get underneath.
You should still have number just let me know.
Cheers
Ron