Tinwan

Need some help please; in bad traffic jam recently for the first time ever the Oil Temperature light illuminated. It stayed on for about 15 minutes until I was able turn the engine OFF. The oil pressure was ok although quite low at idle when the engine is HOT. The Oil Pressure Sender was replaced 2 years ago and the car is not driven much. I took the car to my specialist and they changed the Mobil 1 to a higher heat range and slightly thicker grade that boosted the oil pressure at idle. I drove the car everyday for the last 2 weeks and on 2 occasions the Oil Temperature light flashed ON for a second when the car was at idle. When the oil was changed the workshop told me the o2 sensor needs replacement so that's on order, I don't think this is connected to the Oil Temperature light's now unpredictable behaviour. Any tips ?

Computamedic

Oil Temperature light????

DaveK

I think he means the oil pressure warning light.

Over the last couple of years, mine tends to flicker on when I'm stuck in traffic / at idle. I don't believe I really have problems with pressure - it's fine the rest of the time, so I ignore it.

Tinwan

Hi Dave & Computamedic,
It's the OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT, the first time it stayed on is when the engine was running a little to hot in traffic. The oil tank was full at the correct level although when the car moved from Hong Kong to Sydney, I found out the Mobil 1 oil grade was to thin so my oil pressure was a little low at idle when engine hot. With new Mobil 1 and the correct grade for Australian conditions, the oil pressure at idle is OK even when engine hot- although the OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT did flicker twice on separate occasions since the new oil change at idle like Dave’ car so I should not be concerned. Thanks Mark

bwoodry

Hi:

Mine can come on if I drop the revs too low when starting out in first... this does not happen very often,,,

It seems to happen in the summer when it is blistering hot in South Florida...

JJJMCD

Your car should not be getting that hot. Your oil cooler fan must not be working, most likely due to your ballast resistor or relay being inop . Do a search for "ballast" and you'll find the fixes for this issue. It is not good to allow your engine to get that hot.

bwoodry

JJJMCD
If you are referring to me.... actually temp never gets past 9 o-clock.

I think it may be just be my driving style but lately it has not activated the oil pressure light.

So I must be getting better at starting out in first

Tinwan

Hi all,
The front guard was always warm indicating the thermostat was working. When I changed the oil, my technician checked the ballast so the fan was working correctly at low & high speeds so no fault in the system
Cheers, Mark

Tinwan

After a long country run with new engine oil, hit the city evening traffic and the OIL PRESSURE LIGHT activated again although only at IDLE and the OIL TEMP GUAGE was at (nearly) the 9 o'clock mark. My technician had replaced my o2 sensor just 20 minutes before and cleared the fault code. I find it strange as the OIL PRESSURE LIGHT has never activated here in Sydney (last 3 years) or before in Hong Kong (past 10 years) in traffic there on the hottest & most humid summer days.