I am trying to understand the low oil level sensor on a 1997 truck. With the dipstick showing plenty of oil, the low oil light comes on 30 - 50 seconds after startup. Thinking the float on the sensor was gummed up I took it out and cleaned it. Put it back in and started up. After 40 seconds the light goes on again. To troubleshoot I remove the connector from the sensor (picture below), thinking I will either make or break the connection so the light will either be on full time or not at all. The light comes on 40 seconds after startup. Is there another sensor that feeds this light? From reading the forum I see only this one. Any ideas?
Low Oil Level Light
- Thread starter crossgar
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SmokingRocks
hopelessly addicted to Cruisers
does the light go away if you rev the engine. Could be more related to oil pressure than level.
If your pressure is fine then consider replacing the oil sending unit (what you have pictured there)
If your pressure is fine then consider replacing the oil sending unit (what you have pictured there)
Man, I had that same problem. The light would just pop on for about 15 seconds and then go away. Drove me CRAZY! Plenty of oil. Cleaning up the sensor did nothing. Got quoted something like $500 for a new sensor- 
- I finally got sick of seeing the light and pulled the bulb from the dash - Instantly lowered my blood pressure!!! I know how to check my own oil level.
- I finally got sick of seeing the light and pulled the bulb from the dash - Instantly lowered my blood pressure!!! I know how to check my own oil level.
SmokingRocks
hopelessly addicted to Cruisers
After looking at my FSM a bit that is actually an oil pressure sending unit(passenger front side of engine block) not oil level. You should get a tester gauge and remove the sender and plug the gauge in then run a test. Could be a problem with your oil pump.
The sending unit is 60 bucks on ebays. I would not recommend removing the light as this is a critical warning device.
The sending unit is 60 bucks on ebays. I would not recommend removing the light as this is a critical warning device.
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My '94 does it at less than a half quart low. I have an idea that when cold possibly the cold oil takes a short while to drain back into the pan and lowers the level a bit. Especially with the 1400 rpm high idle . Oil press cold is full gauge.
084runnerltd
SILVER Star
I ignored the oil pressure light on my first vehicle, got it just before getting my driver's license many moons ago.
Seized engine and junked my first ride before I could even legally drive it.
That is not a light I would ignore, first, at a minimum, find out what is causing it....then choose how long you want to ignore it.
As you see in my tale, I ignored the light and then chose what junk yard it would be buried at.
Seized engine and junked my first ride before I could even legally drive it.
That is not a light I would ignore, first, at a minimum, find out what is causing it....then choose how long you want to ignore it.
As you see in my tale, I ignored the light and then chose what junk yard it would be buried at.
There seems to be some confusion here,,, the oil pressure guage, measures oil pressure.. You could easily be 2 or 3 qts low and still have good pressure.. The oil level idiot light comes on to remind us that the quantity of oil is low.. My pressure is always good, even at idle, it does go up a bit at higher RPMs... The light comes on when It is exactly 1.5 qts low... However, it is intermittent at that oil level.. It remains on permanently at 2 qts low... Do I need the light? No, not really, as with 223,000 miles, I check my oil every Saturday and stay ahead of the light ..
my light comes on i s*** you not, right around the time i need to change my oil. ~3500 miles. every damn time. it's awesome. i also probably just burn enough to hit that 1.5q low mark.
SmokingRocks
hopelessly addicted to Cruisers
so if your oil is low, figure out where your losing it and give it oil. If the light stays on then figure it out. Nothing good ever came from ignoring a problem (electrical or mechanical).
If you are losing 1.5+ quarts in between changes then you need to do gaskets or a rebuild. I would classify 1.5 quarts to be in the average to high consumption range for an engine with no or minimum leaks at 250,000 mi and anything more than that as excessive.
If you are losing 1.5+ quarts in between changes then you need to do gaskets or a rebuild. I would classify 1.5 quarts to be in the average to high consumption range for an engine with no or minimum leaks at 250,000 mi and anything more than that as excessive.
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084runnerltd
SILVER Star
I am an idiot....I didn't even know that I had a "low oil level" light.
I retract my statement.
I retract my statement.
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That is the only thing on the circuit. It's a ground circuit, when the level switch is on, ground is supplied lighting the bulb. So, if the sensor is unplugged and the bulb is still lit, there is a ground short or other issue between the sensor and bulb. There is a delay in the cluster, explains the 40 seconds thing.
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It's an idiot light level indicator, hardly anything to panic about, most vehicles don't have them and there is a manual dip stick that is perfectly capable of reading the level.
There are lots of motors on the road/trail that use much more oil than that. You can classify it how ever you want, but some manufactures don't call a quart in 500mi an issue. Could spend a ton of $$$$ and time rebuilding the motor, or just buy a quart of oil and go wheeling.
SmokingRocks
hopelessly addicted to Cruisers
True, excessive oil consumption is relative to the owners perspective.
About the light though if your light is coming on because of low oil then the user obviously isn't checking the dipstick, hence the name idiot light. Removing or ignoring a properly functioning light just makes the user a bigger idiot.
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Mine is using about a qt and a half every 3,000 miles.. As we are planning a 3 month trip to Alaska in a couple of years, ( 47 weeks till I retire ) and I've thought about a new engine and transmission refresh as a PM before we venture from the lower 48.. Some have said this to be overkill.... The rig does have one tiny leak, either the rear mains, or the pan arch. If the pan arch, I'll fix that, but at what point does one just stop chasing leaks and go for the ultimate PM? Your thoughts ?
Mine goes through a little less than rubicondon. But, we're also roughly in the same boat, as the wife and I are thinking about a trip cross country from TN to MT, UT, then back home this coming summer for a few weeks. Being as a diesel swap is off the table for a little while, the princess has asked if I could pull the motor and do a refresh before we left. So... that is what I'm doing this spring I guess. Otherwise, I normally just travel with a quart of oil, ATF for the power steering, and brake fluid in front of the battery. 
Mine burns a lot of oil, about 1qt / 800 miles. The valve stem seals are shot. No leaks other than a small drip from the distributor. My truck has 256k miles on it, and is 20 years old. I do not find that kind of oil consumption all that surprising considering these two facts. If the head gaskets pops, I'll fix up the stem seals. Otherwise I just run the cheap oil in it and change it every 10k miles, more for the filter than anything.
I do have a PS leak which I need to attend to. It is making a mess under the hood.
I do have a PS leak which I need to attend to. It is making a mess under the hood.
You don't really need to change it as about every 5k you already have flushed it
SmokingRocks
hopelessly addicted to Cruisers
Yeesh 1 qt every 800 mi is excessive.
@rubicondon53 do a leak down test on the engine to figure out where you stand. Then make decisions on what PM you need.
@rubicondon53 do a leak down test on the engine to figure out where you stand. Then make decisions on what PM you need.
I thought the oil light coming on was a known issue with the 95-97 80's. Thought I read it in the tech sticky.
Yup,,, at my mechanics now for inspection, he's gonna diagnose the leak, and we'll go from there... Many on these forums have argued the point, but I still think it best to do new engine as a PM before leaving the lower 48... It would be a disaster to spin a bearing 500 miles from nowhere. On the other hand, I know lots of cruzers that have over 300k on the ticker and still going strong,,, I'm just looking at the next 15 to 20 years.... Call me anal if you want !!
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