Ive got a problem with my oil pressure indication in the car. I have a 97 sti type R and last night the oil light came on and the oil pressure gauge (centre pod) dropped to zero. I have checked the oil and there is plenty, the car is running ok. I checked the connections at the sender which seem ok. This morning the pressure gauge / light were working ok until it warmed up , then it dropped suddenly to zero again. Could the sender be on its way out ?

Any help would be very much appreciated as i have no manual for this car and subaru wont entertain it as it is an import.

Cheers in advance , Kev.

 

Which oil light came on, are you referring to the oil warning light in the gauge (assuming it's an electronic one) or the one on the dash?

If your setup retained the low oil pressure swith as well as the gauge sender then it must be more than just a coincidence that they are both registering zero pressure, I also very much doubt that your car could be making zero pressure and still be driving fine! If the light that comes on is in the gauge and the gauge reads zero then it's more than likely the oil press sender up the swanny. What gauge is it?

rgds
Nito

 

It is the oil light on the dash.
The gauge (centr pod) dropped to zero at the same time the light came on.


The car is running fine , which to me indicates a fault on the electrical side.

Is the gauge tied into the light on the dash ?

Regards, Kevin.

 

I would doubt that an after market oil pressure guage doesnt have its own sender and with this in mind I would be very careful about driving the car.

Could it be a fault with the pump. Where is the sender for you guage, which one did you check?

 

Maybe your console oil p sensor directly replaced the original warning light sensor?
Don't understand how the wiring for the OE warning light is tied into the sensor for the guage though.
just a thought.
Nick

 

Hi there,

Like the other guys have said... I dont know of any cases where the stock warning light is linked into an aftermarket gauge...

It is possible.. just never seen it done.

It does sound like you have problems...

I know of a car that registered virtually 0 at idle when warm.. and about 2 bar when driven...

This car survived... sort of.

If it is low pressure, it could be a variety of things... faulty oil pump.. faulty oil pressure relief valve... a seal between the block halves has gone.

Get a seperate oil gauge pump on it before driving it anywhere.... get it checked.

J.

 

Done a few tests last night.
The sender does feed both , the gauge and the oil light on the dash, I know this because when i unplug the sender , both the gauge drops to zero and the light comes on.

The fault occurs even if i leave the car idling on my drive, as soon as the oil temperature reaches approx 80 deg.

I dont think there is a fault on the relief valve as this would have no reason to be opening up at this pressure (idle - 2 bar).

The car is still running fine, no engine noises and 8 bar pressure when cold.

I have ordered a new sender from subaru, so hopefully this will cure the fault.

regards, kev

 

I agree with Firefox.

I'd be very careful about driving it too - if it's not the sender is it worth risking a huge bill untill it's checked thoroughly?

Sounds exactly like the car J mentioned - 7-8 bar cold, as soon as it was warm, went to zero on idle.