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oil pressure idiot light[ALL/1998] posted by matt on
Tuesday, 27 May 1997, at 12:04 a.m.
For reasons I have yet to understand, the low oil pressure indicator light has decided to flicker intermittently. I am running a B21F 1982 edition. This engine was supposedly rebuilt by the previous owner approx. 45,000 miles ago. The light goes on very erratically--sometimes at idle, sometimes under load (just as I am starting into 1st or second, sometimes third) sometimes not at all or sometimes on constantly. This is very unnerving. The car seems to run fin, has plenty of oil in it, does not consume much oil, and the oil seems to remain fairly clean for reasonable periods of time. Is the sending unit bad? Would I be better off just putting a real guage in this rig? It has been doing this for about two weeks, and othe thaqtn the initial heart failure, seems to have suffered no ill effects from it. Any ideas?
Re: oil pressure idiot light[ALL/1998] posted by Stoney on
Tuesday, 27 May 1997, at 8:56 a.m.
Matt, Welcome to the world of toasted wiring! Check the wire bundle where it leaves the oil pressure sender and alternator and goes i=under the front of the engine. Drop the belly pan and check the area directly behind the pulley assembly and I'll bet you find worn, or toasted wiring. If it is the sender, I have one that I pulled when I put the Volvo oil pressure guage in my 90 240dl.(The entire procedure is written out in a piece I posted on this board earlier this year-check archives or email jarrod about it).If you need it just holler!
The Volvo VDO guage kit is #125 or so, the nice thing is the kit has all the toys to fit the B21/23/230. I don't know it VDO's non Volvo guage is as nice or has the adapters included. Autometer also makes a nice 2" guage but the adapters needed to put the sender in the block are atill the crunch point. They are always a subcontracted part and I have seen several snap off or strip out during installation.
Autometer Guages
Re: oil pressure idiot light[ALL/1998] posted by Mark Klein on
Tuesday, 27 May 1997, at 9:04 p.m.
You need to verify if it is indeed a false light or whether the oil pressure is really dropping off. What can happen is small crystallized particles plug the oil pick up screen little by little. When the engine is shut off, the particles fall back to the bottom of the pan. It may take a few miles driving to suck these back into the screen and turn the light on. If this is happening, you may be suffering "pre-death syndrome".
Hopefully Stoney is right and its just a wiring problem.
Re: oil pressure idiot light[ALL/1998] posted by Stoney on
Tuesday, 27 May 1997, at 9:22 p.m.
Mark, Well the cost of a cheap oil pressure guage, $20, and a Tee fitting should give an indication of a wide variation in oil pressure and therefore add to the diagnosis.
In this case if the use of a guage for a proper reading supported the scenario you present, what would be the next step?
Drop the pan and check/clean/etc? Is this a major engine pull or a "play with the crossmember" thing?
I'd love it to be a simple electric gremlin, but either way the use of a guage is called for here.
Would this crystalization affect/cause an incorrect reading using a non electric guage-the old plastic tubing type?
Re: oil pressure idiot light[ALL/1998] posted by Mark Klein on
Wednesday, 28 May 1997, at 8:28 p.m.
This would be classified under the "pull the crossmember/pan" category. All this can be done (this means possible.....not easy, but possible) by lowering the crossmember and removing the oil pan. Cleaning the pick up screen may be difficult without a chemical dip of some kind. I normally ended up replacing the oil pump on most. If it is "sludged", you might want to pull the head bolt which is in the oil passage to the camshaft. I believe it is the second one back on the passenger side of the head. This passage can get partially clogged resulting in a restriction of oil to the cam. I've seen a few towed in with seized cams. Not a pretty sight.
Good luck. May the Volvo Gods be shining on you.
Re: oil pressure idiot light[ALL/1998] posted by matt on
Wednesday, 28 May 1997, at 11:07 p.m.
The Volvo Gods shine upon me indeed! It seems that the previous owner had installed a gt instrument cluster, then put an ordinary dash back in when the speedo failed. He ran new wires from the sending unit and they are not inside the wiring bundle cover. As a result, a small spot has worn through the insulation. Thankfully, a simple 20 minute fix. Thanks for your input.