Slant 6 oil idiot light ON

[shadango]

Hope no one minds me asking this here.....its Mopar, just not a E body....

Over the last couple weeks my son said that the oil light flickered on when going down a hill in his 80 Volare, slant 6...he checked and topped off the level.....wasn't very low but just a half quart/quart maybe.

He went ahead and did an oil change the other day and all was well for several days.

Then today on his way home the oil light comes on.  He rechecked the oil level and its fine.

Engine (slant 6, 90k miles) isnt making any more noise than usual.....we wiggled the connector at the pressure switch and the light stayed lit and didnt flicker, so probably not a wiring issue.....the sender doesnt seem to be leaking any oil.....

Pulled the oil filler cap and looked in there with a flashlight while running... doesnt seem to be much splashing or flow as far as I can see at the rocker arm visible thru the hole....

We are gonna get a new switch and hope that is all it is...but that lack of oil splashing around......seems like there would be more?   The top of the valve seemed to be wettish but not much else....how much oil should be splashing around up there?

I guess it could be the oil pump if not the switch, or a clogged pickup.....

We were just about getting ready to try and figure out where to mount a real oil pressure gauge too.....LOL

Any advice or thoughts on next steps?   Coincidentally ....We JUST had a switch go bad on the barracuda (318) on the way to Carlisle...... and when THAT one went, it started leaking...so it was obvious.....and I have a real guage in that car and we had plenty of pressure.....$8 later at the Carlisle Advanced Auto it was fine.....hoping that is the issue here.....

[73440]

 When the air temperature is hot like in upper 90s here and I'm idling at a traffic light, pressure goes down a little bit and the idiot light will come on and flickers try hitting the gas a little and see if it goes off
This is in my van that has 378,000 miles , with 25 psi at normal driving.

[Chryco Psycho]

Slants are virtually indestructable , they actually had to seriously rethink the oiling when they went to hyd cams around 82 ,, there is not a lot of oil up at the rockers &  believe they down oil from the rocker back to the lifters so most of the oil is pumped back down , both the switch & pump are outside of the block so both can be swapped easily , the switch is my first bet

[shadango]

Thanks CP....

Looks like the engine has to be lifted out of the mounts to pull the pump.......but at least it's external.....

Crosing our fingers that it's the light......and yiur explanation of the light oiling up top makes sense.....but even my kid said "it looks dry"......

It wasn't , but darn near or so it seemed.

[AussieMark]

We had a very accurate hand held oil pressure gauge and used to remove the sender unit screw the hose for the gauge into the sender hole and check the oil pressure at idle, fast idle and it would also indicate the pressure at which the relief valve would open you could see the pressure rise and fall when the relief valve opened.

[dodj]

  with CP. First the  switch, if no change, check the wiring from gauge to switch. Any grounding between those two points would illuminate the low oil light. Get a gauge and verify actual pressure so you feel safe driving with the light on.

[shadango]

When the air temperature is hot like in upper 90s here and I'm idling at a traffic light, pressure goes down a little bit and the idiot light will come on and flickers try hitting the gas a little and see if it goes off
This is in my van that has 378,000 miles , with 25 psi at normal driving.

Yeah we tried that..actually,. after deciding that it wasnt making any crazy noises, I advised him to drive it home from where the light came on.....a mile or so......by the time he got home, no new sounds that I could hear. The light stayed on the entire time and also when we were testing stuff. Wiggled wires, etc.  I know the barracuda sometimes throws a light and its the connection at the switch....which as I said just blew on the way to the Carlisle show.....it was actually leaking...

The switch on the slant 6 is not leaking at all......but hoping it is bad internally.

I keep seeing the rockers in my head (I popped the oil cap and peaked in there) with very little oil ....if any......and am starting to worry.  LOL

But will try the switch first......

[shadango]

with CP. First the  switch, if no change, check the wiring from gauge to switch. Any grounding between those two points would illuminate the low oil light. Get a gauge and verify actual pressure so you feel safe driving with the light on.

I guess that makes sense.    I did note that there are THREE wires on this switch......the barracuda's switch is a single wire.....

Gonna try and see if I can pick up a diagnostic oil pressure guage I guess, too....

[dodj]

I did note that there are THREE wires on this switch.....

I'd have to see a schematic to know the purpose of all three wires. Obviously not a grounding switch like the barracuda's.

[shadango]

I have a chiltons manual at home and will have to look for a schematic....here is a picture of the switch though for whatever that is worth...

I found a reference to this switch on a Corvair forum and someone said 

 ".....mid prong goes to idiot light, any other to ignition and the last to relay coil."

"The middle contact is at ground with no oil pressure. This lights the idiot light. The two outer prongs have continuity between them when you have oil pressure. Commonly used to operate an electric fuel pump."

"I" input terminal should get power from the ignition switch when the key is in the "RUN" position.

"P" output terminal goes to the fuel pump.

"S" input terminal only gets power when the starter is engaged.

"The "S" terminal allows the fuel pump to get power when the engine is cranking but does not yet have oil pressure. Once oil pressure is okay the I terminal supplies power after the starter is disengaged."

Odd that a slant six would come with this type of switch since it has a mechanical pump.    Unless it is used to allow power to something else??   It is correct according to autozone and advance auto.....

[shadango]

Well, I love Google....on Moparchat courtesy of google:

"Red wire is 12 volts when the key is in the on position, the other gives 12 volt to the electric choke when the engine is running and the tan wire is for the oil light."

I guess that answers that.  LOL

http://moparchat.com/forums/showthread.php?p=419390

[barnett468]

dont worry about not seeing oil splash.

a gauge is your best tool.

exactly what oil are you using?

if the engine is worn and you are using 40 weight oil or lighter, try 20w-50 . that will increase the oil pressure.

[shadango]

dont worry about not seeing oil splash.

a gauge is your best tool.

exactly what oil are you using?

if the engine is worn and you are using 40 weight oil or lighter, try 20w-50 . that will increase the oil pressure.

Its just odd that the light was out for a few days since the oil change and now its on 24/7.

We are running 10w30...engine has 90k miles on it and runs fine, no burning or anything.

No idea what oil was in it before.....or if something like STP was used etc.....but it did not have the light on for a few days since changing it.

[barnett468]

Its just odd that the light was out for a few days since the oil change and now its on 24/7.

We are running 10w30...engine has 90k miles on it and runs fine, no burning or anything.

No idea what oil was in it before.....or if something like STP was used etc.....but it did not have the light on for a few days since changing it.

yes it does seem a bit odd but since it sounds like you recently got the car and dont know its history, i would stop driving it this second and put 20w-50 oil in it like valvoline VR-1 then get the gauge asap.

[burdar]

Check oil pressure with a mechanical gauge.  You have to pull the sending unit out anyway to replace it.  Put a mechanical gauge(borrow one if you have to) on that port and see what you have.  Don't just put the sending unit on and see if the light goes out.