Oil Light

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FLGordie
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2016 1:06 pm
Your car is a: 1980 Fiat 124

Oil Light

Postby FLGordie » Sat Apr 08, 2017 12:42 pm

Just changed the oil pump. Primed the pump before I put it back on, but it has been 3 weeks since I have now it all buttoned up. I took the coil wire off and used the starter to let it prime. Maybe 10 10 sec bumps. Oil light stayed on. Started the engine and ran it for about 30 secs. Oil light remained on.

How long should I expect it to remain on? Anything else I should check.

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RRoller123
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Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 2:04 pm
Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
Location: SAGAMORE BEACH, MA USA

Re: Oil Light

Postby RRoller123 » Sat Apr 08, 2017 2:32 pm

It should have gone out by then. Maybe look under a valve cover and make sure that it has been pumping oil up there. Assume you have no oil pressure gauge.
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ebrown0104
Posts: 92
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 10:24 pm
Your car is a: 1977 Spider
Location: Jeannette, PA

Re: Oil Light

Postby ebrown0104 » Sat Apr 08, 2017 3:08 pm

The oil light should go out within a few seconds of starting. Oil pressure switches are usually set for a very low pressure (5-10 psi), so if it's not turning off almost immediately you've either got a bad switch (cheap and easy) or something internal (not cheap or easy).

First thing's first, check to make sure the oil pressure switch is plugged in.

Next would be to make sure the switch is working.

Next would be to take off a valve cover before starting and check to make sure there's little to no oil in the cam box. Put the cover back on, start the engine and run for 30 seconds, turn off, and remove that same valve cover. If the oil pump is working, the cam box should now be full of oil. If it's not, there's something wrong with the oil pump/internal engine parts.

Alternatively, if you have access to an oil pressure gauge, hook up the gauge and see what kind of reading you're getting (cold should be 60ish psi). If you're not getting 60 psi cold, there's something wrong with the oil pump/internal engine parts.

vandor
Posts: 3996
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 1:23 pm
Your car is a: 1971 124 Spider
Location: Texas, USA

Re: Oil Light

Postby vandor » Sun Apr 09, 2017 1:24 am

Take the oil filter off and put a pan under there. Crank the engine with plugs out and coil wire disconnected until oil comes out from the filter connection. Replace filter (you filled it with oil, I assume). Oil light should go out soon after.

When I build an engine I do the above before I put the timing belt on, so I can turn the auxilialy shaft independent of the engine. After the oil filter is replaced I spin the aux shaft for a while, until I head oil starting to spray inside the camtowers. That indicated that the oil passages inside the engie have been filled with oil.
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carl
Posts: 244
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 9:56 am
Your car is a: 1971 128

Re: Oil Light

Postby carl » Mon Apr 10, 2017 5:41 pm

I had the same issue with a motor I rebuilt. Added oil, filled the filter and could not get oil pressure (using a mechanical gauge). It was recommended I remove the filter and keep hitting the starter till oil came out of the filter support into a pan. Made no sense to me but it worked after a few more hits of the starter. As noted, remove the spark plugs to make it easier to spin the motor.

FLGordie
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2016 1:06 pm
Your car is a: 1980 Fiat 124

Re: Oil Light

Postby FLGordie » Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:43 pm

Thanks for all the help. I am little embarrassed after realizing my error. I checked the connections and finding nothing amiss, I gave some thought to the elevation of the front of the car on the ramp. I dropped the car down level, allowing new pump to prime and the light went off in a moment after the car started. Didn't occur to me that it would not prime, since I have run the car previously on the ramps.


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