Engine Oil Pressure Light On

tayravage23 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-09-09, 05:47 PM

Earlier this week I was getting the "Low Oil Level" message so today I went ahead and added oil to it. I added a quart but wasn't really getting a good reading with the dipstick and was in a rush so I had to go.

I drive a couple miles and all of a sudden a new message pops up that says to "Low Oil Pressure" fallowed by a "Stop Engine" message. The red oil light is on and there's also a chime.

What do I do about this? The drivers manual isn't much help, it just don't operate the vehicle until the issue is corrected. I'm scared to drive my baby but I gotta get places today/this weekend before I'd be able to get the car to a mechanic.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advanced.

**Ranger** · #2 (**permalink**) 10-09-09, 05:52 PM

The low oil level message appears at 2 qts low, just about the time that the oil level drops off the dip stick. Oil pumps are pretty reliable. Usually it is a faulty pressure switch. I'd replace it, but be sure to use an A/C Delco part.

submariner409 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-09-09, 06:20 PM

The correct dipstick oil level is halfway up the hashmark, on level ground, engine OFF for about 5 minutes.

Was there any sign of oil on the dipstick when you dumped in the first quart ?? Why did the oil get that low in the first place ????

Hope that, if there was no oil on the stick after adding a quart, you haven't toasted the engine. No strange clanks or rattles ?

tayravage23 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-09-09, 07:59 PM

Ranger are you saying I should add atleast two more quarts?

submariner there was oil on the "add" part and a little bit throughout up stick all the way up to the "max" part.

I didn't notice any strange engine noises, I'm going to go check things out again right now.

**Ranger** · #5 (**permalink**) 10-09-09, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Ranger are you saying I should add at least two more quarts?

No, it sounds like you are over filled now. As Sub said the correct level is about half way up the crosshatch area. MAX is overfull.

tayravage23 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-09-09, 08:08 PM

I just checked it out and the same messages are being displayed and the engine does seem to be making a little more noise than usual, possibly could be constituted as a rattling.

**Ranger** · #7 (**permalink**) 10-09-09, 08:17 PM

Hmm. Might be more than a pressure switch. You might want to plumb a a pressure gauge in and see what you really have. The other possibility is that the check valve has some debris in it and is stuck open. The oil pump is above the oil level and could have drained and lost it's prime. The fix for that is to overfill by 8 qts. Put a total of 16 qts of oil in the crankcase and run the engine to 3K or so. That will put the oil level over the pump and prime it if that is the case and flush the check valve.

tayravage23 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-09-09, 09:52 PM

I'm really scared about messing up my engine. If all else fails, would driving 5 miles to a mechanic be OK even with the "STOP ENGINE" message being displayed?

I appreciate all the help guys.

**Ranger** · #9 (**permalink**) 10-09-09, 10:01 PM

I would not drive it anywhere until I determined if it is a pressure problem or an indication problem. IF it is the pressure switch you could drive it, but IF it really has no oil pressure, you'll trash the engine driving it 5 miles.

tayravage23 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-09-09, 11:03 PM

OK Good to know. hopefully this will be my last question. How do I determine if it's a pressure switch problem or not since I can't take it to a mechanic.

Oh yea and I just put in 5 quarts, and there's absolutely nothing on the dipstick except on the little 5mm rounded tip below the "add" marker. However, the "Oil Pressure" "Stop Engine" message is gone now, no red oil indicator light, no chime. How much oil can I add before having to worry about putting in to much?

**Ranger** · #11 (**permalink**) 10-09-09, 11:30 PM

Holly dry sump Batman! You may have been empty. It holds 7.5 qts. Add till you get to the middle of the dipstick. Halfway between ADD and MAX. Did the noise go away?

tayravage23 · #12 (**permalink**) 10-09-09, 11:59 PM

Yea the noise did go away. Engine was sounding much better.

**Ranger** · #13 (**permalink**) 10-10-09, 12:02 AM

OK, then get the level where it needs to be and keep an eye on it. I can't imagine how it could have gotten so low without tripping a CHECK OIL LEVEL message. That should have come on at about 5 qts. Perhaps you have a bad level sensor.

submariner409 · #14 (**permalink**) 10-10-09, 10:23 AM

I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but

tayravage, When you check for proper oil level, the car must be on a level surface, engine off for 5 minutes. You open the hood and remove the dipstick, wipe it off with a clean rag and insert it fully into the dipstick tube for 5 seconds, then pull it out and read the oil level.

If your dipstick were lying on its side the oil level would look line this: Oil halfway up the hashmark..........

<=====ADD XXXXXXXX MAX ==========================O

It sounds as if you need to check oil levels more often, like once a week.

Go to the top of this page, up in the black bar, and read the entire Cadillac Technical Archive.

N*Caddy · #15 (**permalink**) 10-10-09, 10:55 AM

Wow...no oil in the engine!
You have to check your oil level EVERY time you stop for a fill up (or at least every other time). Always have with you in a car one of those paper napkin boxes and use one napkin to clean the dipstick. Obviously you check the oil level after you filled up (give it some time to flow back into the sump). And make sure the ground is leveled, if the car is tipped forward your level will be higher than in reality, if is tipped back the level will show lower.
By the way when you read your oil level on the dipstick look for a clear line delimiting the area with oil, you have to have oil all around the dipstick, if is only on a side your dipstick just touched the side wall (witch is oil dirty), that's not the real level.
By the way you might want to look down there for a oil leak, no engine uses 5 quarts of oil in under 3K (assuming you did changed your oil in the last 3K Milles).