need help! solid oil light!!

[jay92889]

i had my 90 ex with 260k on jacks for about a month at a friend's house while i was working on the suspension, and i started it every week to ensure the fluids worked their way around and whatnot. anyway, i drove the car home, no issues. i jacked the car up at my house and after a few days and i noticed when it was jacked up that when i turned the ignition on, one before starting it, the oil light stayed on solid. i figured since it was angled for so long the oil wasn't reaching the sensor. no biggie.

i finished my work, and took the car off the jacks and let it sit straight for a few days, and still the got oil light again. the oil level is PERFECT, but just to keep the valves safe i added 1/4 qt oil and started it. as soon as it's started the light goes away, so i let it warm up and ran it around. i'm not sure if it's me or what but it sounded a little louder (valve noise, but it was pretty bad when i parked it too), maybe since i haven't driven it for a while or i was just paranoid?

anyway, after it was warmed up and i turned it off to ignition only again and the light was gone. problem solved?

not really. a few hours of sitting later and the oil light comes on with the ignition on again, but not whilst it's running and it disappears as soon as i start the car!

wtf?!

i run 20w-50 if it makes any difference and have for months with absolutely no issues whatsoever. ever since the car was towards the end of being on jacks the problem has been around and won't go away! what's wrong!? i can't afford the suspension damage and alignment i incurred from a nasty curb nevermind a new engine! please help!!

[AccordReborn]

the oil light is supposed to be on when the car isnt running. It means you have low oil pressure. you should have low oil pressure when the engine is not running. If u want to see what i mean, Pull the spark plug wires and turn it over. After a couple of seconds the light goes away. you have just built up pressure. cool huh?

[Shadow1]

another thing. why are you running such thick oil in your car? i can understand that your in a hot climate but 20w-50 is too thick i think

[tommi]

oil pressure sending unit is on its way out..

[AD5OS]

Don't listen to that yankee the 20-50 is perfect for your car for the summer.

But I would just replace that oil sensor... it costs $15 at Oreilly. That will at least eliminate that as a problem. Now if you still get your oil light on.. you need to do an oil pressure test.

http://media.honda.co.uk/car/owner/m...al/400/5-7.pdf

If you are still getting bad pressure then it is most likely your oil pump isnt working like it should.

Did you dent your oil pan?

[Shadow1]

Don't listen to that yankee the 20-50 is perfect for your car for the summer.

But I would just replace that oil sensor... it costs $15 at Oreilly. That will at least eliminate that as a problem. Now if you still get your oil light on.. you need to do an oil pressure test.

http://media.honda.co.uk/car/owner/m...al/400/5-7.pdf

If you are still getting bad pressure then it is most likely your oil pump isnt working like it should.

dont listen to that yankee telling you to buy a $15 oil pressure sensor. buy a OEM one from honda and nothing else. if you have any doubts in my logic call or go to the Honda Dealer at the parts desk and talk to them. the oil i knew i wasnt sure on being that he lives in CA, but the oil pressure sensor(switch) i know DERN well not to cheap out on. did it twice before and cost me dearly.

[jay92889]

the oil light is supposed to be on when the car isnt running. It means you have low oil pressure. you should have low oil pressure when the engine is not running. If u want to see what i mean, Pull the spark plug wires and turn it over. After a couple of seconds the light goes away. you have just built up pressure. cool huh?

that's really odd and cause for concern to me though, since i've NEVER seen the oil light on my car once under any condition, even when it wasn't run for a week a little while back.

on the ign key setting without the car running, does the oil pump run?

[jay92889]

dont listen to that yankee telling you to buy a $15 oil pressure sensor. buy a OEM one from honda and nothing else. if you have any doubts in my logic call or go to the Honda Dealer at the parts desk and talk to them. the oil i knew i wasnt sure on being that he lives in CA, but the oil pressure sensor(switch) i know DERN well not to cheap out on. did it twice before and cost me dearly.

now you guys have got me thinking! is 20w-50 too thick for the car and too thick to reach areas that it should??

i think i'm going to change my oil today with 10w-30 along with my oil filter.

my oil pan IS dented, not TOO bad though, but it has been for the last year with no issue!

you guys act like cali is some kind of hell heat hole.

it's about 70 right now.


thanks for all the input!

[Shadow1]

that's really odd and cause for concern to me though, since i've NEVER seen the oil light on my car once under any condition, even when it wasn't run for a week a little while back.

on the ign key setting without the car running, does the oil pump run?

no the light isnt supposed to be on when the car isnt running. if he's talking about when you have the ignition in the acc. position. then yes. the "check engine" light(only for a couple of seconds), "oil pressure light", and the "battery" light will be on til the car actually starts. if any of those stay on AFTER the car is started, thats when you need to worry.

but do not, i repeat, DO NOT get a oil pressure switch from anywhere but the Honda Dealer. nothing BUT OEM. turn the car on and if the oil light stays on after the car has started then that means your pump is going or your oil pressure switch is bad. but get the switch 1st. it'll only cost you like $20 i think from honda.

[Shadow1]

now you guys have got me thinking! is 20w-50 too thick for the car and too thick to reach areas that it should??

i think i'm going to change my oil today with 10w-30 along with my oil filter.

my oil pan IS dented, not TOO bad though, but it has been for the last year with no issue!

you guys act like cali is some kind of hell heat hole.

it's about 70 right now.


thanks for all the input!

20w-50 is kinda thick for a 4 cylinder man. myself? i dont even go over 5w-30. and during the summer here it stays between 70-90 degrees. the thicker the oil, the harder the motor has to work. you never want your engine to work harder than it has to. unless your running it

[jay92889]

20w-50 is kinda thick for a 4 cylinder man. myself? i dont even go over 5w-30. and during the summer here it stays between 70-90 degrees. the thicker the oil, the harder the motor has to work. you never want your engine to work harder than it has to. unless your running it

i figured, but i had it laying around the house anyway for our mazda 929 and millenia. i've always suspected it was killing my gas mileage.

but it's good to know i've been more protected in the golden range where it's been near daily.

[jay92889]

no the light isnt supposed to be on when the car isnt running. if he's talking about when you have the ignition in the acc. position. then yes. the "check engine" light(only for a couple of seconds), "oil pressure light", and the "battery" light will be on til the car actually starts. if any of those stay on AFTER the car is started, thats when you need to worry.

but do not, i repeat, DO NOT get a oil pressure switch from anywhere but the Honda Dealer. nothing BUT OEM. turn the car on and if the oil light stays on after the car has started then that means your pump is going or your oil pressure switch is bad. but get the switch 1st. it'll only cost you like $20 i think from honda.

wait a minute..

i've never had my light come on, EVER in the full year i've owned the car, regardless of ignition position etc.

i thought it was never supposed to come on?

so it's normal for it to be on along with the battery light until the car is started? then it should be gone? i've always ONLY had the battery light on after everything else faded out, with the oil light never making a single appearance during all of this. wtf?


and no worries about the oem, you get what you pay for!

[evil_demon_01]

wait a minute..

i've never had my light come on, EVER in the full year i've owned the car, regardless of ignition position etc.

i thought it was never supposed to come on?

so it's normal for it to be on along with the battery light until the car is started? then it should be gone? i've always ONLY had the battery light on after everything else faded out, with the oil light never making a single appearance during all of this. wtf?


and no worries about the oem, you get what you pay for!

Your oil pressure switch is faulty - Is it plugged in? Or maybe the oil light bulb is blown.

As Shadow has said the oil light comes on to indicate there is NO oil pressure - Thus why the light is on when the car is not running (The oil pump is driven off the crank)
Then when you start the car the oil pump builds up pressure and the light turns off.
Everyones looking into this a little to deep if you ask me.

[Shadow1]

Your oil pressure switch is faulty - Is it plugged in? Or maybe the oil light bulb is blown.

As Shadow has said the oil light comes on to indicate there is NO oil pressure - Thus why the light is on when the car is not running (The oil pump is driven off the crank)
Then when you start the car the oil pump builds up pressure and the light turns off.
Everyones looking into this a little to deep if you ask me.

lmao. yeah. i think everyone is going too deep about this. lol. but the oil light is supposed to come on when you turn the key to accessory position tho. if it doesnt get it fixed. having a faulty light like that can cause problems down the road. matter of fact, in the manual, it says that it if doesnt come on when you turn the key to the accessory position to go have it checked out.

[jay92889]

lmao. yeah. i think everyone is going too deep about this. lol. but the oil light is supposed to come on when you turn the key to accessory position tho. if it doesnt get it fixed. having a faulty light like that can cause problems down the road. matter of fact, in the manual, it says that it if doesnt come on when you turn the key to the accessory position to go have it checked out.

thanks guys, this is a lot of good info!

i'm going to change my oil/filter check a few wires and do a little research..

i messed with it a little more and warmed if up. after i turned the engine off and held the acc. position for a few minutes, for the first 20 seconds the light was off and then it came on, so maybe it's holding pressure when it actually shouldn't be? possible side effects from using too thick of oil along with a possibly clogged filter? lots of variables. what do you guys think of this??

i'm going to do the oil and report back!