85944na

Hey,
My oil light has started to come on briefly when the car returns to idle and then goes off again. My oil pressure is between the 2 and the 3 at warm idle, pegs to 5 under load, and acts totally nornal. The pil pressure drips a tiny bit when it returns to idle and shudders just a tiny bit, but it has always done this and it is never under the 2 bar. My pressure seems good so is it a faulty sender? Just changed the oil in case, I'm running 5w30 synthetic. Pressure is great, power is too, engine sounds perfect. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Ryan

Luis de Prat

What's the history on this car? Miles? Front engine seals replaced? Timing belt job, etc.?

Chris_924s

Ryan, my oil warning light started flashing at a regular interval a few weeks ago. My oil level is fine (recent oil change, Mobil 1 as always, I check it at every fillup) and oil pressure is normal.

FWIW- I suspect a bad sending unit or a ground that is bad under the dash. I do have a slow oil leak from the oil cooler- maybe a drip or 2 a day during my 70 mile daily commute.

Any thoughts?

Zero10

Hmm, you mean the oil pressure light comes on?
If your oil pressure is normal, and the light comes on sometimes, then don't worry about your engine, that's the good news, the problem is electrical.
Start by checking the connections on the oil pressure sending unit. There are 2 wires there, 1 for the pressure reading, one for the warning light. My warning light wire had fallen off, and was just dangling, so I guess sometimes they do fail.
If that wire gets grounded along the way, it will cause the light to come on. I don't know where to check next though.

For what it's worth, 5W30 is a little light for these cars, might want to switch to 10W30 on the next oil change, it's cheaper too.

85944na

My car has 127k, engine seals at around 90k, timing belt and water pump are updated and have about 20k on them. I have new oil cooler seals, well new 2 years ago, new radiator, no leaks oil or otherwise, oil pressure guage reads normal, I've had the car for 5 years and the pressure has always been right on and still is. the oil light just flashes once in a while, not often. This just started last week, pressure hasn't changed so that means I'm ok to drive it right? Thanks so much guys!! Chris, it sounds like we have the same problem.

triscadek

When the RPMs return to idle, do they drop below the normal idle RPM and the engine shudders a little?

85944na

yep, thats the shudder i have

triscadek

Mine did that too, it's the AFM. This may fix it. http://frwilk.com/944dme/afm.htm

85944na

what will fix it? moving the wiper so it is on new material?

jd944

For years, I had the "shudder" on my 84. I came across this: http://frwilk.com/early944/misc/shudder.htm
Follwed the procedure and lost the shudder. Also as has been mentioned, you also might want to go with a higher viscosity oil.

triscadek

Depends on how big the "hole" is. I bought a used AFM.

Now my car is an 87.