Flickering Dash Oil Pressure Light

[smooth]

Yeah, it stays on for a while until I rev the engine.

[Joey Link]

When I rev the engine mine goes away as well. I can't seem to find anywhere local that has an oil pressure gauge for rent or purchase.

[jlevie]

There s nothing magic about a temporary oil pressure gauge. You need an adapter for the metric thread where the oil pressure switch mounts to allow the use of 1/4" NPT fittings. But with that in hand a bit of copper tubing and any 0-80psi gauge will get the job done.

[87Blue325iC]

Both E30s i have owned have done this - seems to happen after the car has been running over an hour or so. Changing the oil also seems to help - even though there isn't a really good reason why it should. I ignore that light and look at the VDO oil pressure gage I added instead.

[Joey Link]

Just scored a like new Snap-On oil pressure gauge kit for $65 shipped on eBay. Cheapest no-name at Napa was $62 :)

[bimmer630]

Just scored a like new Snap-On oil pressure gauge kit for $65 shipped on eBay. Cheapest no-name at Napa was $62 :)

I found an oil press. gauge at harbor freight for like 20 bucks.. snap on one will be alot nicer though..
anyway my car does this when i use 5w30 oil. after the 5w30 i ran 10w60 castrol TWS motorsport oil (made for BMW M cars) and the light never came on, unless the motor was about to stall or something.. anyway i am now running syntec 10W30 and the light does come on after a long highway drive, pulling off the highway and idling. 10w30 is the recommended oil but maybe the synthetic stuff is slightly thinner, im gonna go back to the 10w60, since i can get quarts for free at work

[nando]

5w30 is waaaaay too thin. but you know that now!

10w30 would be okay maybe during the winter. 10w40 always did fine in my stock motor, and 15w50 or 20w50 is also good.

synthetic oil is not thinner! that is a myth. it's just easier to get synthetic to flow in a wider temperature range, what this means is synthetic oils have more base stock (lubrication) and conventional oils have more friction modifiers.

[Jean]

I finally got the sensor replaced, it was a 24mm or a 15/16". I thought the problem was the thick walls of the 22mm's I was buying so I bought three, with each one being a little thinner. Good thing they're returnable.

Anyways, the original problem is still there, even with the new sensor. I drive for about 10 minutes, 3-5 miles, and the light begins to flicker. When I first start the car it doesn't do it, it only does it after the car is warmed up it seems. What's next? Should I change my oil? What oil is recommended for the M20? Copperwheat thinks it might be due to bad SI board batteries, what do you guys think? Sounds plausible to me.

Run away from Copperwheat and never go back there again.

[KenC]

Run away from Copperwheat and never go back there again.

Total stab in the dark as I know a lot of the instrument cluster problems can arrise from dead batteries and the car has sat for about three years.

[Joey Link]

HAHAHA I wonder if he knows you're a guy and not a business Kenny?

[Joey Link]

Wow, 55psi thereabouts. Also changed the oil to 20w50, going for a test drive now.

[Joey Link]

Looks like that solved it! :)

[cosmowilly]

Have the same issue.

Started after I drove my car after I bought it from Seattle on the way back to LA. About 2/3 home when I pulled over for gas and some grub at idle it would appear.

Went away and just recently it started again after about month and a half.

When you rev or start going it'll go away.

Hoping its not the Oil Pump but will eventually have to replace... When it dies I'll do it.

Gonna check the oil pressure see if its good.

Also gonna try an oil change since it came from Seattle the temp is very different here in LA. The previous owner put 15W-50 and I've already put 3500 miles in it. Lost about 2/5 Qt over that period. Topped it off a week ago and will check again see where its at.

Very weird that Oil Change solved it.

Still trying to figure out what the best Oil Type for SoCal.

Has anyone used Castrol? Always been a big fan of theirs but seems like allot of E30 owners go with Mobil Synthetic which is whats in there right now.