oil pressure woes...

[Ter'M'Up]

Hey, has anyone come across oil pressure problems with 3.8L?? I recently had some bad luck with an alternator replacement with $0.00 to spend, it sat for 2-3 days, now when I start engine, the "idiot light" for oil/choke comes on?? and stays on, but sometimes will go away after starting, 1 out of 3-5 times? There is plenty of oil. (I switched to synthetic 10W30 a while back, but have not had this problem before). I don't have an oil pressure guage yet, is there anyway to see if oil is flowing, or if this light is for choke not operating properly ( as the light is for both)?
Any suggestions would be much appreciated, as this is a daily driver, and can't afford to have off the road for too long...I do drive it when light goes off, but next time I start (if left overnight), will have light staying on again??
Thanks.

 

[zerex]

When the light comes on does the engine start knocking? Only time I every had light come one was running one to death and had run almost out of oil, when I would go around corners the light would come on and it would knock a bit First store stopped grabbed some 30# , put it in. Drove it another 3-4 months before I pulled engine. hehe


I would get another guage or you could try sending unit. If it is not making any noise, ie knocking, etc, then I would drive it personally. If your trully not having any oil pressure it is dead anyways. I used to drive a 305 that had no oil pressure at idle and only about 15 psi going down freeway. I drove it for 6 months that way.

Bottom line, if it's not a guage issue, then the engine is going to die. If you can't afford to have it down I would start looking for something else, either engine to put in you can get cheap or another car.

On the aspect of seeing oil flow, I would think you can pull a valve cover and run the engine and watch and see if you get oil to the top of the rocker arms.(be warned if you have good oil pressure this will make a mess) This is the furthest point from oil pump so if your having pressure issues you might not see any oil there.

 

[mrapii]

Get an oil pressure guage and check it!

 

[Ter'M'Up]

thanks for the replies...it was a short in the wiring to the sending unit, I replaced now working fine...sorry to voice my worries so soon, but you know...