Oil light comes on.

[R.L.]

I just changed my motor oil (5W40) and installed a new thermostat (195 degree). I know the oil levels good but at times not always after the truck warms up the oil light will come on, mostly in traffic. If I drive on thr freeway at about 50-65 mph it will go out. The old tstat was missing the valve element so it might as well not had one in there. The heater wouldn't even work, the heaters hot now. I wonder if i should try a cooler tstat say 180 degree.

[pennyman1]

oil light on is not good - you need to put a gauge in place of the oil light switch to see if it is really low pressure or a bad switch before you lock the motor up.

[R.L.]

Thanks Pennyman, I'll get a oil gauge. What psi am I looking for?

[jprime84]

I am in this same boat. How do I install a gauge on my 2.6l?

[jprime84]

Nevermind - the thing is right there in plain sight in front of the oil filter.

[Mischif]

Sounds like your oil pump may be on its way out. I can't rememeber the exact numbers off the top of my head, but i believe at idle you should see ~10psi oil pressure, and 40-80psi while driving. Also I wouldn't run any oil lower than a 10w though these engines.

[R.L.]

Thanks Mischif that's helpful.

[R.L.]

Just thought I'd follow up on this, maybe it'll help someone.
I had just changed the oil filter so a little oil on the skid plate and cross member was a given, I cranked the engine and looked at the splash of oil generated by my rocker arms. I just took the oil cap off and saw the oil splashing out. I felt it was oiling fine so it must have good pressure. Well my drive way has some leaves in it so I never noticed any new puddles but they were there. I parked in a different place to work on the old girl and found the new leak at the oil pressure sincer. That's where the leak is at, I installed a pressure gauge I have 60 pounds at idle. Hope this helps.

[camoit]

Thanks for the fallow up. That is a common problem. Things just get old and die.

[R.L.]

You welcome, apparently the oil once hot was thin enough that a leak at the sensor would cause a localized pressure drop and trigger the idiot light.

[pennyman1]

I had that happen once - I have an oil pressure safety switch on Geronimo and one night on the way home from a cruise it let go and sprayed all over the header and inner fender - got towed home. It was quite obvious what failed.

[geezer101]

I had that happen once - I have an oil pressure safety switch on Geronimo and one night on the way home from a cruise it let go and sprayed all over the header and inner fender - got towed home. It was quite obvious what failed.

I had a similar thing happen on an engine swap I did. Must've hit the idiot sender and cracked it when dropping it in - dumped oil all over the place before I realised it :shakehead:

[camoit]

Depending on the guts of the thing. Most work the same way. Just they add in a wiper and contact strip.

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