M30 oil pressure light

[revitoff10]

I've had my e30m30 swap done since the begining of summer. When I start the car, the oil pressure light stay's on for a solid 1-2 sec once the car cranks over. How normal is this? Do you're lights go out imediately?

I'm on my 3rd oil filter housing. The first one, the oil pressure light would stay on for 6-8 seconds which seemed way to long. Did some research and fould out that the check valve in the oil filter housing is suppose to close once the engine is off and the oil filter housing should retain oil in it. Mine was not (oil filter housing whould be half empty after the car was off an couple of hours or so and empty if it sat more than 24). Light would stay on for the 6-8 seconds while the oil filter housing filled and the whole system was pressureized. Changed to a second used housing (a different style valve in it). It helped, but the light would stay on for 3-4 seconds, and it took a little longer for the oil to drain out of the housing. I'm now on my third housing. I've checked the o-ring on the long bolt - it's actually a new one. These have all been used housings, but I find it hard to believe that all three are bad.

Am I paraniod? Is 1-2 seconds normal? Part of me says as long as I wait for the light to go out before driving the engine should be fine. But I have non-BMW friends say that the bearings may wear a bit quicker.

Any thoughts? Also, how long do all your oil pressure lights stay on for?

Thanks,

Veronica

[Jean]

Maybe half a second.

[george graves]

The off oil light tell you that you have more then 7.5 psi. And on light tell you you have less. How many miles do you have on the pump?

[revitoff10]

130k on the engine (and pump).

I wasn't thinking it was the pump because when the car sits overnight I can unbolt the cap of the oil fiter housing and there is no oil in there (light stays on longer). If I even crack the bolt of the cap if the car was turned off 20 minutes ago, oil starts leaking out from under the cap imediately. The oil is not staying in the housing when the car is off. It's hard to believe I have three bad oil filter housings, but they are definately not retaining oil.

There is a somewhat common problem with some of the older oil filter housings, and BMW supposedly changed the design at some point. I have both old and new styles, and still the problem. I just don't want to buy a brand new one (it'll cost me almost as much as my engine) - but at this point with three used ones not working I don't want to try a 4th.

I was hoping that maybe a 1 or 2 on the light was normal. (My 3rd housing is ding better than the 1st two.)

[LowR3V'in]

If you want to run the b34 housing, there's a threaded drain hole
on the block you need to plug and it should work.

[george graves]

Oh - now that I think about it I think there was a recall/fix on b35(?) oil canisters. Something about a plastic part of something. It's on e34.net under the common problems section. I'll look for it later if someone doesn't beat me to it.

[LowR3V'in]

I've never seen a bad one though, even ones I check at the junkyard.
Still almost full after who knows how long they've been sitting.

[Jean]

Oh - now that I think about it I think there was a recall/fix on b35(?) oil canisters. Something about a plastic part of something. It's on e34.net under the common problems section. I'll look for it later if someone doesn't beat me to it.

I heard / read it about it somewhere as well, if you find a link post it up.

[LowR3V'in]

http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Trouble/OilCanister.htm

[lashtx]

I notice in the link above where he states, after the new housing the light stayed on 1-2 sec. So yours sounds normal. My 2¢.

[george graves]

http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Trouble/OilCanister.htm

This is what I was thinking of.