Oil pressure

[nash]

HI peeps

I\'m need of some advise, I have recently purchased a 1992 RX7 Twin turbo Automatic
the car has been fine for the last couple of days until today when something rather scary happened, as I was driving along the oil pressure dropped and the oil light flashed a couple of times
following that I immediately stopped at a service station 200yds away from when the light flashed, checked the oil level and it was really low.
I bought some oil and filled it up checked the level on the stick and it reads full.

Now when I started the car up again I noticed two things

1.: the oil pressure was still reading rather low, I revved a bit up to 2000 RPM
and the pressure gradually built up.
Still when the car is on idle the pressure drops right down again .

2.: The other thing I noticed when checking and topping up the oil, was a very strong fuel (petrol) smell coming from both the dipstick and the Oil filler cap . Is this normal ??

Any advise highly appreciated.

[robedwards99]

dodgy oil guage is a common problem.

Mine usually sits almost on 0 when idling and rises as the engine accellerates.

Probably nothing to worry about. Not sure about the fuel smell though.

[imebgo]

If you suspect the oil gauge is dodgy maybe you could get a sandwhich plate and an aftermarket gauge?

Maybe you were just low on oil?  Do you regularly check it?  Has it got any leaks you can see?

Keep an eye on the level, they do seem to use a tiny bit of oil in my experience, but I\'ve never had to top up with more than 1 litre between changes (I do mine around 2000-3000 miles)

Good luck with everything!

James

[trotter]

im the same re: oil level...

When driving, it sits up around the 4-5 kg/cm2 mark, but when in traffic or idling can drop back down to 0. Had noticed that when boosting it rises and when off-boost it falls. Dodgy sensor methinks. Best way to reassure yourself is to check the dipstick once a week or so - don\'t think that can ever give a false reading (assuming you check when cold of course lol).

[nash]

If you suspect the oil gauge is dodgy maybe you could get a sandwhich plate and an aftermarket gauge?

Maybe you were just low on oil?  Do you regularly check it?  Has it got any leaks you can see?

Keep an eye on the level, they do seem to use a tiny bit of oil in my experience, but I\'ve never had to top up with more than 1 litre between changes (I do mine around 2000-3000 miles)

Good luck with everything!

James

HI mate I cant see any Oil leak stains on my parking space nor round the engine bay (appart from the bit I\'ve spill yesterday during my panic attack at the service station :eek)

im the same re: oil level...

When driving, it sits up around the 4-5 kg/cm2 mark, but when in traffic or idling can drop back down to 0. Had noticed that when boosting it rises and when off-boost it falls. Dodgy sensor methinks. Best way to reassure yourself is to check the dipstick once a week or so - don\'t think that can ever give a false reading (assuming you check when cold of course lol).

Thanks guys I am a bit relieved now, ill continue to monitor the oil level daily for the next few days and also invest on an oil pressure gauge as the sandwich plate is already there housing an oil temp sensor.

Cheers
Nash

[trotter]

hehe, don\'t worry mate, I first noticed 0 oil pressure at some rate of knots on the motorway! Pulled over in panic to check dipstick - which was thankfully ok.

[leon]

If i remember right the oil gauge is ground referanced, so if the ground to it or any in the path is dodgy you will bounce all over the place! ive had a steady gauge for a some time now and take a low reading on idle as normal, as raises gradualy when i move. :wave

But general consensus is those gauges are poxy at best! i used to get it bouncing up and down as well when i had dodgy grounds. the red light par to of things is a diffrent sensor.