Flashing Oil Engine Light- The Motachanic Speaks
Your car is equipped with an oil level sensor that lets you know when your oil level is very low. The sensor is either a hydrostatic or float type sensor depending on make/model/year of your vehicle. The hydrostatic sensor detects oil pressure and is usually mounted in the engine block oil gallery or plumbing after the oil pump. A float type sensor detects the level of oil in the crank case itself.
Hydrostatic: When there isn't sufficient oil in the engine to produce oil pressure then the light goes on (most common)
Float: When the oil level in the crank case drops below a certain level, the light goes on. (older cars)
The oil in your crankcase is sucked up through the oil pickup tube by the vacuum created by the oil pump. Once past the oil pump it is distributed throughout the engine to lubricate every moving part before returning to the crankcase.
Just like trying to get that last bit of soda out from the bottom of a glass with a straw, once the oil level drops below a certain level the oil pump cannot create enough vacuum to suck the rest of the oil up.
Basically your car is low on oil. The oil level is just barely higher than the oil pickup tube in the crankcase. When the car is in being driven in a straight line or is idling and stopped there is enough oil to still have circulation. Cornering forces are typically stronger than acceleration forces for non-competition driving so when you turn a corner the oil sloshes over to one side of the crankcase and for a brief moment the oil pickup tube has no oil to suck, causing the oil light to illuminate.
Every time the engine is starved for oil the loss of lubrication causes damage to the engine so this should be fixed as soon as you can.
With your engine off check the oil level on the dip-stick. Consult your owners manual for what viscosity oil you should add. Add that oil to the engine through the oil fill port on the top of the engine in 1/2 quart quantities until the level on the dipstick reads full.
Your Wrenchmeister
The Motachanic
Stumble It!
Hydrostatic: When there isn't sufficient oil in the engine to produce oil pressure then the light goes on (most common)
Float: When the oil level in the crank case drops below a certain level, the light goes on. (older cars)
The oil in your crankcase is sucked up through the oil pickup tube by the vacuum created by the oil pump. Once past the oil pump it is distributed throughout the engine to lubricate every moving part before returning to the crankcase.
Just like trying to get that last bit of soda out from the bottom of a glass with a straw, once the oil level drops below a certain level the oil pump cannot create enough vacuum to suck the rest of the oil up.
Basically your car is low on oil. The oil level is just barely higher than the oil pickup tube in the crankcase. When the car is in being driven in a straight line or is idling and stopped there is enough oil to still have circulation. Cornering forces are typically stronger than acceleration forces for non-competition driving so when you turn a corner the oil sloshes over to one side of the crankcase and for a brief moment the oil pickup tube has no oil to suck, causing the oil light to illuminate.
Every time the engine is starved for oil the loss of lubrication causes damage to the engine so this should be fixed as soon as you can.
With your engine off check the oil level on the dip-stick. Consult your owners manual for what viscosity oil you should add. Add that oil to the engine through the oil fill port on the top of the engine in 1/2 quart quantities until the level on the dipstick reads full.
Your Wrenchmeister
The Motachanic
Labels: Cars, Maintenance
Stumble It!
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