robot808

So, I just finished A LOT of jobs on the car preparing for SITM. I thought I was all set and taking it for a ride when the Central Warning light comes on. There was no other lights on. I turned off the car and noticed that Oil Warning Light did light up at start. So, I surmise it is an oil problem.

I have what I think is decent pressure, around 3 at idle, and 5 on the gas. I checked the oil (I just changed it) and it is at the full line. I use 5W40 because of the extremes in temps around Chicago. It is the same weight I have been using for years without issue.

My Central Warniing Cancellation button has never worked, so although I did try cancelling I was notr surprised that it didn't happen.
In case anyone would like to the other jobs I finished to help in diagnosis here is a list (although I am sure most are totally unrelated):

Oil change
Tightened Oil pan bolts (they were extremely loose, seems to have stopped my small leak)
Upper BJ rebuild
Changed Lower BJ
New rubber fuel lines (including tank)
Steering Rack boots
New CV boots
New E-brake Cable (and ebrake install on right rear)
lots of other things I can't think of right now.
Please help me, I really need to make it to SITM!!!!!

M. Requin

OK I know this is dumb but I get really paranoid after doing some jobs, and when something like your warning light pops up I always expect the worst. When really it could turn out to be the auto taillight warning, low gas, whatever. You probably thought of all this, and apologies if so! Good luck on your trip to NC!

robot808

Martin,
Thanks and I do not think it dumb. I have had one of those tail light warnings for a long time now. I plan on using Porkens method of defeating it. It only comes on when I turn the lights. This new one is happening a few minutes after I start the car, day or night.

robot808

I guess the bigger question here, is if pressure looks good and level is good, am I good to go?

chrly924s

It may be the oil level light. The wire on my 81 was very brittle and cracked so that when I took the alternater out to be checked, it caused a break in the circuit. Un plug the terminal from the sender on top of the oil pan-right under the crank pulley. Mine wasn't on all the time, it flashed off & on intermittantly. Not fun coming home from work @1 AM!!

Dave Sz.

Two things I would suggest: Check the connections at the sending unit on top the oil pan (they can get pretty nasty or easily broken). If you cannot reset the light disconnect your negative strap by the tool tray and reconnect.

Sailmed

X 2 on checking the oil level sender connection at the upper front of the oil pan!

robot808

OK, here's a question. If I pull the plug on the sender, should the light not come on? Would that be a way to confirm that it is the oil light that has this thing lighting up?
I was really hoping not to pull the pod before the trip.

chrly924s

pulling the terminal off the oil level sender will keep the light from coming on. This means you may have to check your own oil, instead of waiting for the light to tell you to add oil(a buddy of mine used to do this on his 951-the sender quit and , well it wasn't a pretty sight later on). I don't tink many people on this board rely on the light anyway-They are girly devices.

robot808

Thanks Charly,
Well, I think I might fix it in the not distant future, if it is the problem. What I like is, that if I pull it and the light doesn't come on during my drive home, at least that confirms that the Central warning was for the Oil Light. I am not even 100% sure if that since the bulb is out.
So, how do you guys feel about it. If it is an oil level light, but the oil level is fine, drive away?
Thanks,

SharkSkin

There are three connections total for monitoring the oil system:

1) Oil pressure sensor for gauge
2) Oil pressure warning
3) Oil level warning.

1 and 2 are on the sender that sticks down next to the oil filter. You may have bumped one of these while working on the pan gasket. 3 is the sensor on top of the oil pan which detects low oil level. If either 2 or 3 are grounded the central warning light (!) should flash, not just illuminate steady. If it is illuminating steady you may have some other problem.

When you say the oil warning light came on at start, do you mean it came on when you first turned the key then went out when you started, or came on and stayed on after the car was started? The former is normal, the latter is some fault.

Are you referring to the light that is at the low end of the gauge (2 above) or the one that is separate with an oil can icon(3)? If the former, this does not agree with the gauge showing good oil pressure, so you may have a bad sender or wire shorted to ground. Disconnect the wire labeled "WK" on the sender body to determine which it is. If the latter, disconnect the level sender on top of the oil pan to see if it goes away.

If the oil gauge appears to be operating normally(e.g. not pegged) and showing pressure, and oil shows on the dipstick, I think you are OK to run the engine while diagnosing.

SharkSkin

Yes, but pull the wire off f the sender and tie it up so it's safe until you fix it. This way you won't be annoyed by the warning.

robot808

OK, Let me try to be more clear. My central warning (!) light comes on about three to five minutes after running the car. There are no other lights on. I noticed that the "Engine Oil" lightbulb on the bottom of the gauge face is burned out. My assumption is that the Central Warning is coming on due to a reported oil problem, although I cannot yet confirm that.
Oil pressure gauge and dipstick look normal.

robot808

Thanks, I am going to try this ASAP.

SharkSkin

That's odd that it would take so long for the warning to come on. Do all other lights come on when you first turn the key? What about the low fuel light? Again, if the warning is not blinking it's probably not the oil warning. To verify that the central warnig computer blinks when a severe fault is detected, disconnect one of your brake pressure switches from the MC and step on the brakes with the engine running. Does the "!" flash or light steady? You may have to briefly disconnect the battery to reset this warning but the test will confirm that the CW system flashes on severe warnings.