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Old 11-06-2008, 11:51 PM   #1
CoopsCustomz
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Default Oil light... when does it come on?

When is the oil light supposed to come on, when the oil is low? Seems obvious but I had my motor blow a couple of years back, and the dealership said it was because it didn't have any oil, but the oil light never came on. I had to shell out 5k to get it fixed.

The worst part is, I got it back from the dealership and it blew less than a month later
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Old 11-06-2008, 11:55 PM   #2
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The oil light is basically there to tell you something has gone horribly wrong, that horribly wrong thing is usually that you only have 1 quart of oil left in your engine. Sounds like you may want to invest in a oil pressure gauge?
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Old 11-06-2008, 11:59 PM   #3
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Yea i'm going to get a series of gauges so I can futher prevent anything like that happening again. If my car had no oil, and the light didn't go on, it either all fell out all at once... or the light didn't work. It's too late now, but is that something that should be covered by SOA or the dealership because of the malfunction?
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Old 11-06-2008, 11:59 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by CoopsCustomz View Post
When is the oil light supposed to come on, when the oil is low? Seems obvious but I had my motor blow a couple of years back, and the dealership said it was because it didn't have any oil, but the oil light never came on. I had to shell out 5k to get it fixed.

The worst part is, I got it back from the dealership and it blew less than a month later
very few cars on the road have oil level lights. It is an oil pressure light. By the time it comes from low oil your engine is already dead. The light didn't malfunction at all, it just doesn't tell you what you think it does. (reliably checking the level of oil on a running engine is actually fairly difficult to do well)

moral of the story, CHECK OIL OFTEN! No reason not to check it at every gas fill.
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Old 11-07-2008, 12:07 AM   #5
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very true, I do it religiously now, and change it every 3k. Quite a ****ty lesson to learn, and I still feel there was something else at hand, considering I got the car back from being in the shop twice consecutively (5 months total) and they didn't check the oil once.

I'm still perplexed as to how it happened! but none the less, you live and you learn
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Old 11-07-2008, 12:14 AM   #6
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It comes on ~2.5psi. Like they said above, by this time it's most likely too late. Just get an oil pressure gauge and you'll be fine.
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Old 11-07-2008, 12:20 AM   #7
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The light comes on at a very low pressure. Generally, if it does turn on, the engine has already been damaged.

I don't know of a car that doesn't have an oil light. They just aren't useful though.

If you have concerns, a gauge is the best route because it shows a range of pressure rather then a warning that is so low that damage has already been done.

However, a gauge really has little use in a daily driver. It's better for built engines where these things can be more critical. It shouldn't be used as a tool for negligence.

You don't have to change your oil every 3k miles, although, it is a good practice. The oils these days simply last a good deal longer. However, oil is lost, and changing every 3k is around when you see enough loss where you would probably be adding more oil anyways.

A good, preventative habit you need to get into is checking your oil level on every fill up of gas. This way you'll know how much is in there and how much you have lost. There will be no surprise. There will be no blown engine. Do this and you will be ahead of the issue. Ignoring regular checks pretty much guarantees a blown motor. You'll blindly drive the thing for 6 months without touching the oil and one day it will end up siezed...to your amazement...

Car's require regular maintainance. Ignorance and neglect leads to failure.
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Old 11-07-2008, 12:32 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Back Road Runner View Post
The light comes on at a very low pressure. Generally, if it does turn on, the engine has already been damaged.

I don't know of a car that doesn't have an oil light. They just aren't useful though.

If you have concerns, a gauge is the best route because it shows a range of pressure rather then a warning that is so low that damage has already been done.

However, a gauge really has little use in a daily driver. It's better for built engines where these things can be more critical. It shouldn't be used as a tool for negligence.

You don't have to change your oil every 3k miles, although, it is a good practice. The oils these days simply last a good deal longer. However, oil is lost, and changing every 3k is around when you see enough loss where you would probably be adding more oil anyways.

A good, preventative habit you need to get into is checking your oil level on every fill up of gas. This way you'll know how much is in there and how much you have lost. There will be no surprise. There will be no blown engine. Do this and you will be ahead of the issue. Ignoring regular checks pretty much guarantees a blown motor. You'll blindly drive the thing for 6 months without touching the oil and one day it will end up siezed...to your amazement...

Car's require regular maintainance. Ignorance and neglect leads to failure.
Very good advice, always keep an extra quart under your passenger seat just in case for when you fill up. I'll usually have mine wrapped in a grocery bag so if I have to use some of it I can put it back in there without having to worry about any leaking on the carpet.
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Old 11-07-2008, 12:42 AM   #9
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No need. Oil doesn't disappear that fast. Leave the oil in the garage. There's no need to have the chance for it to leak all over your car.
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Old 11-07-2008, 01:21 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Back Road Runner View Post
The light comes on at a very low pressure. Generally, if it does turn on, the engine has already been damaged.
+1...
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Old 11-07-2008, 01:24 AM   #11
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No need. Oil doesn't disappear that fast. Leave the oil in the garage. There's no need to have the chance for it to leak all over your car.
It does when you have a 120 mile commute .
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Old 11-07-2008, 02:48 AM   #12
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The oil light is tell you that your engine is ****ed. I spun a bearing on mine thanks to no oil at all and the light didn't come on at all.
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Old 11-07-2008, 04:50 PM   #13
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Yes, that red idiot oil light is there to say "You now have 5 minutes remaining before the engine dies a horrible death. Please make immediate arrangements to a) have the car towed to a repair shop to have the engine replaced or b) have the car towed to a wrecking yard to dispose of it."
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Old 11-07-2008, 07:09 PM   #14
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when you need oil.
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Old 11-07-2008, 11:50 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coast_rider View Post
It does when you have a 120 mile commute .
then you are using the wrong oil
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Old 11-07-2008, 11:51 PM   #16
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when you need oil.


quit trying to pad your post count with drivel
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Old 11-08-2008, 06:30 PM   #17
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I tested a couple stock Subaru oil pressure switches and they all were around 5 psi. I used a random assortment of pipe fitting to attach the switch to an air compressor line with a ball valve and a boost guage attached.

In other words -
They can be used as a ghetto fabulous boost switch (with a relay)
If it illuminates even for a moment you have damaged your engine to some extent. (starting is the exception)
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Old 12-16-2008, 11:14 PM   #18
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My oil light came on today. My car has always been garaged except for the past week this winter--I bought a new vehicle and it took its spot while I clean out the third bay. Anyhow, when I first started the car this morning when it was cold, the oil light came on; it was very dim. I let it warm up as I was scrapping snow and ice and gently drove away. As the car warmed up, it went off.
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Old 12-16-2008, 11:49 PM   #19
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My oil light came on today. My car has always been garaged except for the past week this winter--I bought a new vehicle and it took its spot while I clean out the third bay. Anyhow, when I first started the car this morning when it was cold, the oil light came on; it was very dim. I let it warm up as I was scrapping snow and ice and gently drove away. As the car warmed up, it went off.
Wrong oil? Not enough oil? Engine soon to die?... The oil light NEVER comes on once engine is running unless something terribly wrong. It's just the way it is.
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Old 12-17-2008, 08:00 AM   #20
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My oil light came on today. My car has always been garaged except for the past week this winter--I bought a new vehicle and it took its spot while I clean out the third bay. Anyhow, when I first started the car this morning when it was cold, the oil light came on; it was very dim. I let it warm up as I was scrapping snow and ice and gently drove away. As the car warmed up, it went off.
Hmm. You gave us the scenario, but no other info. Did you look at the oil level after this? If it's good, I'm going with wrong oil. It sounds like it took a while for it to reach a temp that it could move.

Also, your car and relative location would help.
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Old 12-17-2008, 09:00 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by daveyboy View Post
My oil light came on today. My car has always been garaged except for the past week this winter--I bought a new vehicle and it took its spot while I clean out the third bay. Anyhow, when I first started the car this morning when it was cold, the oil light came on; it was very dim. I let it warm up as I was scrapping snow and ice and gently drove away. As the car warmed up, it went off.
A dim oil light can indicate all kinds of other things, most of them have nothing to do with oil pressure. (faulty wiring and the sensor going bad are probably the most likely) Look at your oil light with the engine off, is it bright then? That is what it looks like at 0 psi of oil pressure. It isn't an analog guage, it can only be on or off so a dim light means a gauge/sensor problem.
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Old 12-17-2008, 11:14 AM   #22
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cold weather can do strange things to cars.....and a 'dim' oil light may just mean that it isnt happy with the cold
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Old 12-17-2008, 01:34 PM   #23
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Very good advice, always keep an extra quart under your passenger seat just in case for when you fill up. I'll usually have mine wrapped in a grocery bag so if I have to use some of it I can put it back in there without having to worry about any leaking on the carpet.
What kind of grocery bag? the thin plastic ones? oil will dissolve them and you'll have a nice spot on your carpet. Try a ziplock bag.
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Old 12-17-2008, 05:08 PM   #24
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I keep an extra quart in a freezer ziplock bag---YES it WILL hold motor oil without leaking for an extended period of time......I wedge the bag in the slot where the jack is, against the inside of the quarter panel.
That way, if it leaks...it wont leak IN the car.

you can store lots of things in there like that
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Old 12-17-2008, 05:48 PM   #25
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My oil light came on today. My car has always been garaged except for the past week this winter--I bought a new vehicle and it took its spot while I clean out the third bay. Anyhow, when I first started the car this morning when it was cold, the oil light came on; it was very dim. I let it warm up as I was scrapping snow and ice and gently drove away. As the car warmed up, it went off.
Dim light, I'd guess some kind of short as was mentioned above. Could even be moisture in the connector.

I had my oil light come on once after I drove through a large puddle. I started to get worried until I remembered I had replaced the stock sender with an oil pressure gauge.


I've actually found my oil temp gauge to be an indicator of low oil. It runs slightly warmer when the oil level is low.
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