Hi,
I've recently purchased a 1998 Punto GT with 87k on the clock. I bought it from a guy in York last Sunday, drove it all the way back with no problems at all, stopped at my parents later on that night and when I was driving home I saw that I had the Oil pressure warning light displayed on the dash and the gauge was on zero, I got it back home safely which is good!

Since then, I've checked Oil level, fine, changed Oil pressure switch, to no avail at all. I was thinking it was maybe the Oil pump, but theres plenty of all Oil moving around the cam when the engines on and theres no obvious noises in the engine bay

The gauge can't be faulty in my eyes, because if I increase revs the needle moves ever so slightly.

Has anyone experienced the same kind of thing or know what it could be thats causing the car to have such low Oil pressure?

I'm doing a Oil and filter change tomorrow to see if its that, I hope it is!! I miss driving!!

Thanks,
Simon

Checked the wiring to the switch ?

An oil filter and some oil wouldnt harm, make sure you use the right grade oil, you could also try some flush before you drop the oil.

Also check the oil when its comming out see what its like and if theres anything in there, maybe something is cloging up the pump.

Did you see the gauge drop ? if so did it drop off really fast (as if you turned the car off) ?

Done Oil and filter change and still the same
Checked cam from cold and there was loads of oil splashing around so its almost certain not the pump...gauge is still on zero, it moves (as before) slightly when revs are increased.

Anyone have any other ideas? or help?

Si

I haven't driven it at all since last week when problem started and did a oil/filter change on Sat, I ended up driving to work this morn in it (only half a mile down the road) and was going to take it to a garage near work this dinner to see if they could do a oil press test, started car and oil pressure went all the way upto the top!!!! couldn't believe it, so turned off and needle slowly went back down to zero and I started it again and it went back up!!

I'm presuming it could have been crap oil and filter, with he car being driven that half a mile may have sorted it out flowing the new oil through the engine.

It's odd whatever it is, glad its back to normal, I'll keep an eye on it though!

I shouldn't have spoken too soon!!! It's odd, started her up on the way home from work gauge was on 3 bar and I thought superb, but as I drove home the gauge was all over the place! It started 'flickering' up and down and then went lower and lower till it ended up on zero again! Just tried her now and the gauge goes up about half way and flickers up and down...

Would you recommend I get the Oil pressure tested just to make sure? How much do you think it will be? Also, are there any other sensors for the Oil pressure that could be at fault here?

Si

Always worth getting it checked over.

If the gauge spikes up and down really quickly and does what it wants even when your at a constant speed with your foot down this happened to my gt before, but it sorted itself out, i put it down the the wiring/connections getting wet/dirty as i the front bumper had been off.

If its dropping down really quickly (like the power supply has been cut to it) then i wouldnt worry about it to much as if you were loosing oil pressure the gauge wouldnt drop down that quickly and if something did cause it to drop that quickly lets just say you would know about it.

Do you get the injector light comming on at all ? (except at high speed up in the revs with a seb overboosting)

Goldie Punto said:

Always worth getting it checked over.

If the gauge spikes up and down really quickly and does what it wants even when your at a constant speed with your foot down this happened to my gt before, but it sorted itself out, i put it down the the wiring/connections getting wet/dirty as i the front bumper had been off.

If its dropping down really quickly (like the power supply has been cut to it) then i wouldnt worry about it to much as if you were loosing oil pressure the gauge wouldnt drop down that quickly and if something did cause it to drop that quickly lets just say you would know about it.

Do you get the injector light comming on at all ? (except at high speed up in the revs with a seb overboosting)

Click to expand...

Hi,
I had the Oil pressure checked today and the garage said its fine
The gauge was on zero this morning when driving to and from the garage, moved slightly up when accellerating, but nowhere near the top. Yesterday the gauge worked O.K. went right upto 3 bar when engine started and slowly yo-yo'd its way down to zero, so I'm thinking its either a fault gauge or dodgy wiring somewhere. I'm going with the latter, the needle moves freely so its looking like wiring.

One thing thats baffeling me though is why did the Oil pressure warning light come on last week? This also flickered before coming on, could this just come on with the gauge being so low and the sender telling it to come on? Is there a seperate sensor/switch for both the gauge and the warning light? I replaced the switch on the front of the cam, but people have said the gauges sensor is near the drivers wheel....

Si

Cant think of the one on the front of the cam that your on about.
Unless you mean the one that the single wire goes to on the front of the head.

Its in the foglight and RPM & TDC sensor area.
(behind foglight, bend the arch lining out the way and you should see it)

Goldie Punto said:

Cant think of the one on the front of the cam that your on about.
Unless you mean the one that the single wire goes to on the front of the head.

Its in the foglight and RPM & TDC sensor area.
(behind foglight, bend the arch lining out the way and you should see it)

Click to expand...

Yep, the single yellow wire on the front of the head near HT leads. It's been alright since yesterday, so I'll see how it goes, if it does it again I'll take a look at the one you have said.

Thanks!!
Si