Anyone else having this issue?? (1 Viewer)

[CruiserCliff]

I start my 96 FZJ80 and off to work I go. About 2 miles into my trip and my oil light will come on. Oil pressure is fine according to the gauge. After about 1/4 to 1/2 mile later, the light will go off.
I have checked my oil, and oil level is fine.
Hmmm.... any ideas???




Cliff

 

[maybe_a_80...]

same thing just started happening with mine. I am waiting to go through an oil change cycle later this month before I start to fret. I did switch to high mileage oil at the last oil change, but that really shouldn't be making a difference.

 

[dogcatch'n]

mine does the same thing, only when it isn't completely full or on the 'full' mark.

if my oil is in btwn the 'F' and 'L' mark, then it comes on and off randomly...

I like this. because it gives me a warning before it actually is really low of oil..

 

[Skillet]

happens sometimes to me, but I stopped worrying about it about 20K miles ago...

all is good.

 

[smokethedog]

yeah, but only when my oil is low. When I see the light on I know I am about a quart low. Are you checking your oil after the truck sits for a while?

 

[CruiserCliff]

Yep. cold motor. I will re-check. Thanks guys. I appreciate your thoughts.


Cliff

 

[retrofive]

A friends does the same thing. Seems there is wide variance in the sensor from truck to truck from what I have read here on mud.

 

[Kent]

Mine seems to be very sensitive to oil level too. Anything close to the "L" on the dipstick and the light will start coming on.

 

[Elijah]

The oil level should be checked after the engine has been running and soon after shutting off. If the level is checked 'cold' you will get a false reading and it will read quite a bit higher than it should. This information is all in the owner's manual. I believe it was designed this way so that while traveling you can get an accurate reading of oil level without having to wait for the engine to be cold.

 

[80t0ylc]

The oil level should be checked after the engine has been running and soon after shutting off. If the level is checked 'cold' you will get a false reading and it will read quite a bit higher than it should. This information is all in the owner's manual. I believe it was designed this way so that while traveling you can get an accurate reading of oil level without having to wait for the engine to be cold.

Good call, Elijah! I never noticed that. "With the engine at operating temperature and turned off, check the oil on the dipstick." is a quote right out of the manual. For clarification the first step says: "To get a true reading, the vehicle should be on a level spot. After turning off the engine, wait a few minutes for the oil to drain back into the bottom of the engine." I've always figured the best time was a cold engine, before you start it up, with all the vehicles I've owned. With clean oil and right after oil change (full), it's always been tough to read the level on that square dipstick. I now think that's because it was reading high, as Elijah mentioned. Live and learn!

 

[firetruck41]

The light is just for the oil level, nothing else. So either the oil level is low, or the sensor thinks it is low. Thats it.

 

[80t0ylc]

.....I've always figured the best time was a cold engine, before you start it up, with all the vehicles I've owned. With clean oil and right after oil change (full), it's always been tough to read the level on that square dipstick. I now think that's because it was reading high, as Elijah mentioned. Live and learn!

After some research, I've come to the conclusion that for most situations, the most accurate reading for your oil level is spelled out in your owners manual. I was negligent with my 80, but what is disturbing is that after checking 2 other owners manuals for rigs that I have, both Fords, they recommend the same procedure as the 80 - oil at engine operating temp. and wait a few minutes for oil to drain down.

In other words, the manufacturer is putting the marks on the dipstick where they determine the oil level should be at a certain time in the engine operation cycle. If you don't check the oil at that time, your reading won't be accurate. Is this for convenience or profit?

So you can check your oil at a fuel stop, where it's usually level, you have the engine off, and it takes a few minutes to fill the tank. Your last step before getting back on the road could be to check your oil level. Clever! What is also available (and at premium prices) at most major oil company "filling stations"? Right - motor oil. Is it possible that oil companies have enough influence as to affect how and when to check your oil?

That's not where I wanted to go with this post, but it is curious. Letting the engine cool off and checking the oil will give you a different level, obviously, because more oil has drained down. Slightly higher, but that's not the level that Toyota and Ford want checked. They want the operating temp level (engine off, of course). What's the difference? To me, a cold engine would give a more consistent reading of the oil level. The warm engine, wait a few minutes method is an open variable since it relies on an unspecified (few minutes) time period. Anyway, it's easier to understand now, why there's such a variety of oil level and oil light experiences.

 

[Ebag333]

They want the operating temp level (engine off, of course). What's the difference? To me, a cold engine would give a more consistent reading of the oil level. The warm engine, wait a few minutes method is an open variable since it relies on an unspecified (few minutes) time period. Anyway, it's easier to understand now, why there's such a variety of oil level and oil light experiences. [/FONT][/SIZE]

Probably not a major difference, except that the oil while warm will have expanded.


There's a big enough buffer in the 1FZ to check it either way I think, and be just fine. I haven't noticed much of a difference either way, maybe a couple tenths of an inch if that.

 

[firetruck41]

Im sorry 80toylc, but your conspiracy theory is off the wall. The oil companies make money whether you buy oil at the gas station or at the hardware store. I doubt the auto manufacturers are in cahoots with thousands of independent gas station owners. The vehicle manufacturer just wants you to check your oil in a similar (temp) state as when it is in use.

 

[80t0ylc]

Im sorry 80toylc, but your conspiracy theory is off the wall. The oil companies make money whether you buy oil at the gas station or at the hardware store. I doubt the auto manufacturers are in cahoots with thousands of independent gas station owners......

Oh, really? I didn't say gas station owners. These corporate level tycoons make decisions behind closed doors where you or I couldn't even afford their chauffeur's lunch. You're right that they make money, it's just that all the profits stay in their chain when it's sold at their gas station. Back to tech.

.....The vehicle manufacturer just wants you to check your oil in a similar (temp) state as when it is in use.

Probably not a major difference, except that the oil while warm will have expanded.....

You might have something, there. In a place where the temperature differential between cold and operating, is extreme, say Alaska or Montana in the winter - this might be significant.

 

[REELhybrid]

bad sensor

The light is just for the oil level, nothing else. So either the oil level is low, or the sensor thinks it is low. Thats it.

Have the same issues with intermittent oil light. dealer says the oil level sensor is bad. Who needs it anyway when you have the oil pressure gauge...

 

[little_joe]

Im sorry 80toylc, but your conspiracy theory is off the wall. The oil companies make money whether you buy oil at the gas station or at the hardware store. I doubt the auto manufacturers are in cahoots with thousands of independent gas station owners. The vehicle manufacturer just wants you to check your oil in a similar (temp) state as when it is in use.

+1. He's at a filling station putting in 20 gallons of gas @ $2.50/gal in a vehicle that gets 13-15mpg and worried that the filling station has a crazy markup on a $3 quart of oil?

My 80 has done this since I got it. There are 2 roads - a long dip then ascent right out of our colony, something similar right outside of work - where I expect this after I have ~3500mi on the oil. Add half a quart, then in another few hundred miles add the other half and all is well............

 

[Brian894X4]

It's weird that Toyota would put an oil level sensor in there. I don't know of many makes that have it, but it is kind of cool. I've found that the light will come on when even less than a quart low. At that level, the light will come on and off intermittently depending on how you're driving, probably as the oil level changes in the pan with the sloshing around.

I've also found that when checking with the dipstick, sometimes the dipstick will appear to indicate full, but it's not. I dont' know if it's picking up oil in the tube as you pull it up or what, but it's kind of frustrating trying to get an accurate reading.

 

[maybe_a_80...]

hm. good to know it's either the sensor being super finicky or that I might be a little low on oil. I did push my truck very hard simply by climbing a very steep trail between Keystone and I-70, and after this endeavor, the light started coming on. Perhaps I burned through a little oil climbing the trail...I'll report back after the oil change on whether the light stops coming on. This will be after the 24th of this month.

Thanks for all the info guys!

Brian

 

[Ebag333]

It's weird that Toyota would put an oil level sensor in there. I don't know of many makes that have it, but it is kind of cool.

Eh? Every vehicle I've seen has the idiot light. Most do not have the oil pressure gauge, however.