Intermittent oil light coming on (1 Viewer)

[Lomoski]

Hello everyone,

So this has happened twice, weirdly enough on the same stretch of highway about the same place. I am driving along at 120 kmh (KZJ78 prado with 1kz-te motor running 5-40 delvac 1 synthetic motor oil, lucas heavy duty synthetic oil stabiliser 1 qt and Toyota oem oil filter, levels are all good at high mark on dipstick) and my oil light will come on briefly, maybe 1 or 2 seconds. If I roll off it goes away right away and if I stay on it goes off after about 2 seconds. The first time it happened I immediately panicked thinking i'd just blown the motor pulled over to the side of the road and checked levels and they are at the high mark. The second time it happened I just kept going and it didn't come on again. Levels are still at the high mark. Any thoughts? Suggestions? I have generally low oil pressure on the gauge but from research that seems exceptionally normal for the land cruisers. It hovers just below the low mark on the gauge when driving at highway speeds when warm, like a hair below if not on the line and quite low when idling and if I stomp on it the gauge will read middle of the marks.

I have 265000km on the truck and i have done an oil change about 2000km ago. PO did not have the right oil filter on it, it was about half the size of the oem.

Not sure what to think. Worried about nuking my motor.


Thanks,

Lomo

 

[kbushnz]

Its probably the oil level sensor.... Mine used to come on every morning at a certain part of the road like clock work... Next oil change it stopped doing it.... Yours might need a clean.....
Also change the oil filter to the correct one.... Might be slowing up the flow....

 

[Lomoski]

Its probably the oil level sensor.... Mine used to come on every morning at a certain part of the road like clock work... Next oil change it stopped doing it.... Yours might need a clean.....
Also change the oil filter to the correct one.... Might be slowing up the flow....

Thanks,
I have replaced the oil filter to a correct Genuine Toyota OEM, it was the PO who had the wrong filter on. You can clean the oil level sensors? How would I go about doing that?

Cheers!!

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

H I have generally low oil pressure on the gauge but from research that seems exceptionally normal for the land cruisers. It hovers just below the low mark on the gauge when driving at highway speeds when warm, like a hair below if not on the line and quite low when idling and if I stomp on it the gauge will read middle of the marks.

Just to clarify, this is not normal because they all have low oil pressure. It's normal because around this age, the oil pressure senders are worn out. Replace it and the pressure will come up to normal. Your light will stay off too.

 

[Lomoski]

Just to clarify, this is not normal because they all have low oil pressure. It's normal because around this age, the oil pressure senders are worn out. Replace it and the pressure will come up to normal. Your light will stay off too.

Interesting! Thanks, I'll see if I can get my hands on one. So just to confirm it's likely a sender issue, not a pressure issue?

 

[kbushnz]

Thats the 6 million dollar question. Always an issue when trouble shooting a system. The light can come on for two issues.
One low pressure or low oil level....
So naturally you need to rule out each... As for pressure.... you will need to make sure your gauge is accurate.
Either put in a mechanical gauge and check pressures. Or check sender unit is working correctly.
If the pressures are within spec then you can move onto the level sensor.
Its in the sump on the left side. Naturally you will need to lower the oil level and remove the sensor....Give it a clean and reinstall.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Interesting! Thanks, I'll see if I can get my hands on one. So just to confirm it's likely a sender issue, not a pressure issue?

Sorry, I forgot the 1KZ had a low level sensor as well.