Oil light on when braking!!!

[aog]

Hi All!!

Oil light comes on when I brake, is it terminal????!!!  
I am about to do a oil change with filter, maybe take off the sump and look at the strainer, if I can find anyone with a gasket in stock local to me....

Questions:

1. Can the sump be removed in situ?
2. What would cause this oil light to come on? I have oil in the engine, not full, but not low...
3. If the strainer is ok, would a new oil pump fix this problem??
4. Does it sound like the bottom end is going?? (Hope not!)

When you start the engine, it takes a moment for the light to go out, just maybe a second and a half or so, it doesn't come on at idle - though the idle is a a little high.

Thoughts?
TIA

[bezzabsa]

be interested in this as my 88 swb 2.25 diesel does the same...only when cold??

[aog]

be interested in this as my 88 swb 2.25 diesel does the same...only when cold??

Mine when hot. Seems ok when cold, makes me wonder if it's just worn oil pump or engine. I will try some 20/50 "classic" oil and see what happens

[hobbit]

One or two things here, on the old mil engines I used to drive, nine times out of ten this meant that the oil level was too low, not being a regular checker of level, this is always a good auto reminder to do so, normally the level is on the low mark by then though.

Oil light on when engine hot on the oil slopping roound when breaking, could be that the oil is warmed up from something like 20/50 thick oil.

If the levels are ok and you still get the light on slopping, it could well mean low oil pressure, 2 main reasons, oil pump worn not enough pressure there, or a worn engine, prob down to general wear and tear over the years, these engines are getting on a bit now

A good accessory in the vehicles is an oil pressure gauge, lot better than an oil light, you can check the pressure remember by the time the oil light is coming on it is fairly low, knocking big ends etc time.

To answer the questions
1. Can the sump be removed in situ?
Yes you can no probs with a standard setup

2. What would cause this oil light to come on? I have oil in the engine, not full, but not low...
Oil light will come on if the level is a bit low as the oil pickup in the sump is quite good at not picking up if the oil is slopping round, try heavier 20/50 type oil, one more thing is does it have the right dipstick, I believe there were two different lengths, but not too sure on that, it may actually be different lengths  of holder rather than the sticks
3. If the strainer is ok, would a new oil pump fix this problem??
The strainer may be partially blocked with muck depending on the use of the engine and frequency of oil changes in its life. You can remove the oil pump and check the clearances inside the pump, this as said above is one of the 3 main reasons
4. Does it sound like the bottom end is going?? (Hope not!)
That is the third one, but maybe not as bad as you think, worn crank shells may be the cause, to be honest if the bottom end is going you will definately hear it banging, I have an engine in one of the vehicles with weak oil pressure, when I start it, you can hear the thing rattle until the oil gets round the engine :lol:

It takes a lot to wreck one of these old engines, (sandy water in the engine is one exception :oops: )

[jimthelandyman]

In the original series 3 handbook it states that the oil light may come on when braking, this happened in mine but did it less when i topped it up.

[hobbit]

Light coming on when sloppin oil is not that bad, when on while engine on tickover is the next stage  :lol:

[aog]

<SNIP>
To answer the questions
1. Can the sump be removed in situ?
Yes you can no probs with a standard setup

2. What would cause this oil light to come on? I have oil in the engine, not full, but not low...
Oil light will come on if the level is a bit low as the oil pickup in the sump is quite good at not picking up if the oil is slopping round, try heavier 20/50 type oil, one more thing is does it have the right dipstick, I believe there were two different lengths, but not too sure on that, it may actually be different lengths  of holder rather than the sticks
3. If the strainer is ok, would a new oil pump fix this problem??
The strainer may be partially blocked with muck depending on the use of the engine and frequency of oil changes in its life. You can remove the oil pump and check the clearances inside the pump, this as said above is one of the 3 main reasons
4. Does it sound like the bottom end is going?? (Hope not!)
That is the third one, but maybe not as bad as you think, worn crank shells may be the cause, to be honest if the bottom end is going you will definately hear it banging, I have an engine in one of the vehicles with weak oil pressure, when I start it, you can hear the thing rattle until the oil gets round the engine :lol:

It takes a lot to wreck one of these old engines, (sandy water in the engine is one exception :oops: )

Well, I will certainly try the full oil level, see if that fix's it, failing that take me sump off and have a look. A new oil pump is about £45 so may well fit one if the fresh oil at max and filter don't work.

Any ideas of the dipstick/tube lenght??

As for wear in my engine, the previous owner had spent on rocker work at the top end, so maybe rocker shavings have been floating about and worn the shells??

I have slowed the engine speed right down, as it was ticking over way too high, no oil light when hot at the lower tickover......Does not knock at tickover, though does seem slightly more tappy??? :?
I have noticed when the light comes on, you can hear a little more rattle, as I guess it would if the pressure drops.

I have done 200 miles or so since I bought her, and I would have thought if the bottom end was shot it would have gone sooner????

RIGHT!! WHICH OIL (NICE AND THICK PLEASE) DO YOU ALL SUGGEST FOR MY OLD JALOPY????

Thanks for everyones help and suggestions

[hobbit]

Oil on these old engines, believe it or not the cheap 20/50 I find best and regular oil changes. Morrisons do it for £2.75 a gallon

If the crank is on the way out, believe me you will know the difference on the noise, tappet rattle and crank rumble, completely different

A good engine flushing agent, and oil/filter change first

If you can get one fit an oil pressure guage, cheaper than an oil pump and can be transferred to other engines

It will at least tell you what the oil pressure is like not just a low warning light.

 The dipstick one dont worry too much about, but I'm sure some people can measure their tubes and sticks, that was more an afterthought than anything else

[aog]

Oil on these old engines, believe it or not the cheap 20/50 I find best and regular oil changes. Morrisons do it for £2.75 a gallon

If the crank is on the way out, believe me you will know the difference on the noise, tappet rattle and crank rumble, completely different

A good engine flushing agent, and oil/filter change first

If you can get one fit an oil pressure guage, cheaper than an oil pump and can be transferred to other engines

It will at least tell you what the oil pressure is like not just a low warning light.

 The dipstick one dont worry too much about, but I'm sure some people can measure their tubes and sticks, that was more an afterthought than anything else

Hmmm, think my crank is ok then!
Got some eng flush, new filter, will look out for some oil, ready cheap 20/50 is ok????
Will look out for a oil pressure guage......

[Rich_P]

Just thought I'd mention that under a emergency braking (as in, locking the wheels up as the truck reaches 10mph) the oil pressure light flickers on and off for a moment or two on my 2A.  As has been said already, it is just how it is.

[Canada Al]

my recon from paddocks did this and I was not pleased . I had to take it out again for them to swap . Guess what ! the replacement did the same . In the end I blow it up after a couple of months and stick in a 2.5 . problem solved and 70 MpH on the M,way . ...Oh yeah it was a 109 SIII

[aog]

Just thought I'd mention that under a emergency braking (as in, locking the wheels up as the truck reaches 10mph) the oil pressure light flickers on and off for a moment or two on my 2A.  As has been said already, it is just how it is.

Hi All!!

Well, guess what?? New oil, 20/50, new filter, fill her up to max, and NO OIL LIGHT WHEN BRAKING, in fact the long forgotten oil pressure gauge which I forgot about - mainly cos it didin't work - well it works!! About 45- 50psi running at speed, and about 25psi hot, very slow tickover!!

So I am happy!! Especially so about the oil pressure gauage I thought was dead. I am sure it didn't work when I drove the car home from buying it!!

[hobbit]

Good job then, cant fault oil pressure gauges, all the oil light is a last warning that its not got much pressure left