Oil light staying on
Forum rules
By using this site, you agree to our rules. Please see: Terms of Use
By using this site, you agree to our rules. Please see: Terms of Use
Oil light staying on
Hi all.
Had my Morris running today for the first time in almost 2 years, and it started first time!
The not so good news though was that the oil pressure light stayed on & wouldn't go out, obviously I checked the oil level before I started it & it was fine, the light wasn't on the last time it was run so any suggestions why it might be on now?
Thanks.
Neil.
Had my Morris running today for the first time in almost 2 years, and it started first time!
The not so good news though was that the oil pressure light stayed on & wouldn't go out, obviously I checked the oil level before I started it & it was fine, the light wasn't on the last time it was run so any suggestions why it might be on now?
Thanks.
Neil.
-
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 2530
- Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:32 pm
- Location: Kernow
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Oil light staying on
Hi Neil,
If the oil level is fine, this suggests the lubrication system has a fault.
Yet if it was working OK last time you used the car, it is worth starting by looking at the oil warning light switch and circuit. The switch is on the dizzy side of the crankcase, towards the rear. If you detach the wire from the switch and the light stays on, then there is a short in that wire somewhere. If, however, it goes out, it is possibly a faulty switch and the best test for that is substitution of another good one.
Possibly the oil filter has become clogged, but I would start by checking the switch/wiring.
Hope this helps,
Pete
If the oil level is fine, this suggests the lubrication system has a fault.
Yet if it was working OK last time you used the car, it is worth starting by looking at the oil warning light switch and circuit. The switch is on the dizzy side of the crankcase, towards the rear. If you detach the wire from the switch and the light stays on, then there is a short in that wire somewhere. If, however, it goes out, it is possibly a faulty switch and the best test for that is substitution of another good one.
Possibly the oil filter has become clogged, but I would start by checking the switch/wiring.
Hope this helps,
Pete
Re: Oil light staying on
Could it be that the oil has completely drained out of the pump and it needs priming after being stood for so long?
Re: Oil light staying on
You should really have spun the engine over (sans plugs) to make sure the light goes out before starting it... It's always possible that the lamps have been swapped over - and in fact what you have there is the 'Ignition' (actually 'Dynamo') warning light staying on - that's much more likely after standing for 2 years. To test that- take the small lead off the dynamo- does the orange light go out? It should of course be the red light - but it doesn't matter - as long as you know which is which. And yes - it is possible the oil has drained away as suggested above - in which case running it will have done the engine no good at all.... This is why the engine should be spun up on the starter before starting - even the 'Car SOS' boys know to do that! Let's hope it's a light/switch problem...
Re: Oil light staying on
I'm hoping it's not done any damage, I did run it for a few minutes but it didn't get any louder or make funny noises.
The light goes off when you remove the wire from the switch so it's not a wiring fault. I've taken the pressure relief valve out today, checked it moves freely & cleaned it, put it back together & spinning it over without the plugs in the light still wont go out.
The light goes off when you remove the wire from the switch so it's not a wiring fault. I've taken the pressure relief valve out today, checked it moves freely & cleaned it, put it back together & spinning it over without the plugs in the light still wont go out.
-
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 2530
- Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:32 pm
- Location: Kernow
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Oil light staying on
So is the oil filter blocked? Could do with an oil and filter change anyway if left standing for two years.......
Re: Oil light staying on
It would just bypass.... You will need to try priming the pump - is there a horizontal hex plug on the block at the nearside rear - tucked in behind the exhaust manifold? If so - remove and run some oil in. Then refit plug and try again.
-
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 2530
- Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:32 pm
- Location: Kernow
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Oil light staying on
If that doesn't work (let's hope it does) then maybe the intake filter in the sump is clogged up? Or the filter suction pipe unions are loose and causing an air leak?
-
- Minor Addict
- Posts: 630
- Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2014 5:16 pm
- Location: Gt Holland, Essex
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Oil light staying on
Is there any signs of oil coming from around the rockers where they are on the shaft, thats the only place you can really see if oil is being pumped round.
As prior though if it really was not building oil pressure a few mins running with no oil really has not done much for the bottom end.
Fingers crossed its the pressure switch, quite likely. An oil pressure gauge is so much more useful.
As prior though if it really was not building oil pressure a few mins running with no oil really has not done much for the bottom end.
Fingers crossed its the pressure switch, quite likely. An oil pressure gauge is so much more useful.
-
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 2530
- Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:32 pm
- Location: Kernow
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Oil light staying on
You say you have checked the pressure relief valve, but have you tried a different oil pressure switch? As above, that could be the problem.......
Re: Oil light staying on
Should have a new pressure switch today, so I'll try it later if it's not raining. While it's out I'll turn the engine over by hand to see if it pumps oil out.
Re: Oil light staying on
It's more likely to respond to a high speed spin on the starter - with the plugs out of course. I wouldn;t expect to see much with hand cranking.
Re: Oil light staying on
Further investigations today found that there was no oil from the pressure switch hole when spinning the engine .
So I removed the pipe from the oil filter housing where it bolts onto the engine & poured some oil into the engine there while turning the engine & that has done the trick presumably priming the pump as next whizz on the starter the oil light went out .
I started it up after that & the oil light went out immediately & stayed out, the engine sounds absolutely fine so hopefully no damage has been done.
Thanks for all the tips.
So I removed the pipe from the oil filter housing where it bolts onto the engine & poured some oil into the engine there while turning the engine & that has done the trick presumably priming the pump as next whizz on the starter the oil light went out .
I started it up after that & the oil light went out immediately & stayed out, the engine sounds absolutely fine so hopefully no damage has been done.
Thanks for all the tips.
-
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 2530
- Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:32 pm
- Location: Kernow
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Oil light staying on
Epic result!
Re: Oil light staying on
That's the way to do it - although on early engines there is a priming plug on the other side of the block - towards the back.
Re: Oil light staying on
Presumably they thought the later pumps were better at priming... When building an engine -the pump benefits from having a vaseline/oil mix worked in to the rotor.