my oil light is on, and stays on.

[rx7master]

i have a 98 gts, the oil light came on today. and it stays on even after shutting it down. i checked the oil level. it was fine. there was a very small bit of smoke coming out from the bottom near the header but, it quit. and there were some small oil spots around that area near the dip stick.

i just want to be pointed in the right direction as to what to look for as far as the light staying on and the oil under the hood.

thanks in advance.

 

[hemibeep]

what pressure does the gauge say? ?

also, do you notice a clattering noise such as the lifters?

the wire for the oil pressure is low by the oil filter. make sure it is plugged in.

the oil pump is part of the front timing cover and slips onto the crank.

How recent was the filter change?

 

[rx7master]

the oil pressure guage reads at 50 at idle, and goes to about 60 on the throttle. the oil only has about 1k miles on it but i have not changed it in a while about 3 months. no clattering noises and it doesnt seem to run any differently.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Is the red light coming on? It's not just an "oil" light, it comes on if either the low oil pressure switch (not same as the oil gauge) closes or if the coolant switch (not same as the gauge) closes. The wires are "T-ed" together, so you don't know which one it is.

The oil switch is next the the oil pressure sending unit on the front cover, between the pulley and oil pump. The service manual says the temperature switch is at the front of a cylinder head, above the first exhaust port (but I can't remember seeing it.)

FYI, there are three temperature sensors; the engine temperature switch is for the message center, there is a temperature sending unit for the PCM and there is another temperature sending unit for the gauge. They are not the same circuit.

Doesn't make sense that the red light would be on with the key off (unless you meant engine off, key on?)

 

[rx7master]

Doesn't make sense that the red light would be on with the key off (unless you meant engine off, key on?)

[/QUOTE]

i meant, it comes back on every time i start it.

thanks for the help so far.

is it possible to damage the car if i drive it in this condition?

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

If the pressure gauge and temperature gauge are reading normally, something in the "red dash light" electrical wiring has failed. You can drive it without damage, but you've lost one "driver attention signal" in case you really do have an oil or temperature problem later. Watch the oil AND temperature gauges.

 

[Johann]

I had the exact same thing happen a few months ago and ignored it for a while since the gauge read good pressure. Also, there was a slight oil leak at the connector on the sender.

I waited a week or so before ordering a switch from the dealer and on the return trip from the dealer I noticed a trail of oil behind the car leading to the garage, a sizeable puddle beneath the car and the underside covered with a film of oil. The guts of the switch blew out and dumped over a quart of oil on a 15 mile round trip; glad it didn't happen on a multi-hundred mile trip.

A word to the wise, don't drive it until the switch is replaced.

 

[rx7master]

does the viper have 2 sensors for oil pressure? i was ordering the part from autozone and they asked me if i need the sensor with the guage or the one with the light. i assume this means either the car has two sensors, one sensor runs the light and one runs the guage, or some cars only have a light and some have a light and a guage that runs from one sensor.
any help to clarify this would be greatly appreciated

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

There are two sensors, one for the red light in the message center, the other for the gauge. They are both on the front chain case cover, next to the crank pulley towards the oil filter.

 

[rx7master]

i replaced the sending unit, it fixed the problem. no more leak, and no more light. $22.00 at autozone, thanks for the help everone,

mike

 

[JayT33]

When you remove the sending unit will there be a major loss of oil from there? I'm having the same issue with my 96 GTS.

 

[Old School]

When you remove the sending unit will there be a major loss of oil from there? I'm having the same issue with my 96 GTS.

Not much, maybe a cup.