Martin

Series 3 2,25 PETROL
Over the last few miles the oil pressure light has been coming on at idle,
something that only used to happen if the oil level had dropped towards the
min level, on a 15 mile run last week the pressure light came on once the
engine had warmed up and on the return journey the same happened. Yesterday
I started the engine up and the light came on and stayed on. So thought it
best to switch off.

I use Castrol Merit 20/50 changed less than 800 miles ago.

I have checked for previous posts and only found mention of failed oil
filter or failed pressure sensor.

There doesn't seem to be mention of oil pumps failing, I will check/change
the filter tomorrow, what else can I check.

If the pressure has been low for some time I'm probably faced with a
rebuild/recon anyway I suppose.

--
Martin
1980 S3 109 Petrol (Sandie)

JD

Martin wrote:

> Series 3 2,25 PETROL
> Over the last few miles the oil pressure light has been coming on at idle,
> something that only used to happen if the oil level had dropped towards
> the min level, on a 15 mile run last week the pressure light came on once
> the engine had warmed up and on the return journey the same happened.
> Yesterday I started the engine up and the light came on and stayed on. So
> thought it best to switch off.
>
> I use Castrol Merit 20/50 changed less than 800 miles ago.
>
> I have checked for previous posts and only found mention of failed oil
> filter or failed pressure sensor.
>
> There doesn't seem to be mention of oil pumps failing, I will check/change
> the filter tomorrow, what else can I check.
>
> If the pressure has been low for some time I'm probably faced with a
> rebuild/recon anyway I suppose.
>
There is no history of oil pump failure with this engine, although anything
is possible. The most likely cause of low oil pressure is wear to bearings,
but there is the possibility of a stuck pressure relief valve or other
obscure problems.
Particularly if the engine is not noisy, I would check, first, the circuit
of the oil pressure light. Simply disconnect the wire from the sender and
check that this does in fact switch the light off. If it does not you have
a wiring problem not an oil pressure problem. Secondly, I would check that
the pressure sender is working correctly by replacing it with a new one -
they are not that expensive.
Other possibilities are a problem with the dipstick tube resulting in low
oil level (did it take about the right amount to fill last change?), or
engine overheating for unrelated reasons such as low coolant or retarded
spark.
JD

beamendsltd

In message <d2hodt$1js$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk>
"Martin" <test@test.co.uk> wrote:

> Series 3 2,25 PETROL
> Over the last few miles the oil pressure light has been coming on at idle,
> something that only used to happen if the oil level had dropped towards the
> min level, on a 15 mile run last week the pressure light came on once the
> engine had warmed up and on the return journey the same happened. Yesterday
> I started the engine up and the light came on and stayed on. So thought it
> best to switch off.
>
> I use Castrol Merit 20/50 changed less than 800 miles ago.
>
> I have checked for previous posts and only found mention of failed oil
> filter or failed pressure sensor.
>
> There doesn't seem to be mention of oil pumps failing, I will check/change
> the filter tomorrow, what else can I check.
>
> If the pressure has been low for some time I'm probably faced with a
> rebuild/recon anyway I suppose.
>

The first step would be to change the oil filter, oil, and oil pressure
switch to rule out the cheapest options. By all means take the pump out
and check it over, but I suspect the problem may be that one or more
of the cam bearings has shifted. To check this, take off the rearmost of
the two covers on the right hand side of the block (from the sitting
in the drivers seat). Making sure the engine won't actually run (!)
crank it over on the starter. If lots of oil is pumped out of the
hole where the cover was then the cam bearing has shifted blocking
the oil way from the pump. Then things get time consuming and
expensive!

Richard

--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk sales@beamends-lrspares.co.uk
Running a business in a Microsoft free environment - it can be done
Powered by Risc-OS - you won't get a virus from us!!
Helping keep Land Rovers on and off the road to annoy the Lib Dems

Martin

Thanks for the tips, I will try them this afternoon and will get hold of the
pressure switch ASAP.

thanks again.

"beamendsltd" <beamendsltd@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:163ab1544d%beamendsltd@btconnect.com...
> In message <d2hodt$1js$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk>
> "Martin" <test@test.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Series 3 2,25 PETROL
>> Over the last few miles the oil pressure light has been coming on at
>> idle,
>> something that only used to happen if the oil level had dropped towards
>> the
>> min level, on a 15 mile run last week the pressure light came on once the
>> engine had warmed up and on the return journey the same happened.
>> Yesterday
>> I started the engine up and the light came on and stayed on. So thought
>> it
>> best to switch off.
>>
>> I use Castrol Merit 20/50 changed less than 800 miles ago.
>>
>> I have checked for previous posts and only found mention of failed oil
>> filter or failed pressure sensor.
>>
>> There doesn't seem to be mention of oil pumps failing, I will
>> check/change
>> the filter tomorrow, what else can I check.
>>
>> If the pressure has been low for some time I'm probably faced with a
>> rebuild/recon anyway I suppose.
>>
>
> The first step would be to change the oil filter, oil, and oil pressure
> switch to rule out the cheapest options. By all means take the pump out
> and check it over, but I suspect the problem may be that one or more
> of the cam bearings has shifted. To check this, take off the rearmost of
> the two covers on the right hand side of the block (from the sitting
> in the drivers seat). Making sure the engine won't actually run (!)
> crank it over on the starter. If lots of oil is pumped out of the
> hole where the cover was then the cam bearing has shifted blocking
> the oil way from the pump. Then things get time consuming and
> expensive!
>
> Richard
>
> --
> www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk sales@beamends-lrspares.co.uk
> Running a business in a Microsoft free environment - it can be done
> Powered by Risc-OS - you won't get a virus from us!!
> Helping keep Land Rovers on and off the road to annoy the Lib Dems