Technical Insufficient oil pressure
- Thread starter WillAmos
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Technical Insufficient oil pressure
Have you checked the oil level?
A quick turn may cause the oil to surge to one side, away form the oil pickup. A normal oil level should not allow this.
Unless,
a) you've recently had the sump off and damaged the pickup pipe so it is sucking some air,
b) You've missed oil changes and the oil is a bit thick, or oilways are blocked, or the pickup strainer is partially blocked.
c) Oil changes have been missed and the pump is well worn.
A quick turn may cause the oil to surge to one side, away form the oil pickup. A normal oil level should not allow this.
Unless,
a) you've recently had the sump off and damaged the pickup pipe so it is sucking some air,
b) You've missed oil changes and the oil is a bit thick, or oilways are blocked, or the pickup strainer is partially blocked.
c) Oil changes have been missed and the pump is well worn.
What is the oil level? Check the wire going to the sensor has not come off and is grounding? I once had the oil changed at the garage drove 500 miles then checked it and there was only a liter in they forgot to properly re fill it!
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WillAmos
YES - it's normally to do with low oil levels,
(as you corner - the oil is sloshed to one side of the engines oil tray, and away from where it is sucked-up into the engine)
IF the wiring was damaged it would show more randomly.. or be on almost contantly..,
CHECK THE OIL LEVEL
Most folks don't check their oil level anywhere near often enough.
When I first learnt to drive, it was part of your daily checks.
Aa an absolute minimum, you should check your oil level every time you fill the car with fuel - but I can't remember the last time I saw anyone else using their dipstick at a filling station.
We've had at least one report on this forum from a 500 owner who'd trashed their engine as a result of running it when dangerously short of oil.
When I first learnt to drive, it was part of your daily checks.
Aa an absolute minimum, you should check your oil level every time you fill the car with fuel - but I can't remember the last time I saw anyone else using their dipstick at a filling station.
We've had at least one report on this forum from a 500 owner who'd trashed their engine as a result of running it when dangerously short of oil.
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at fuel station, good idea in principle - as the forecourts are generally
mega-level..,
but I'd always want to do any under bonnet stuff with everything COLD,
as once you've got the bonnet open you'd want to also check the coolant level and that's potentially VERY DANGEROUS
when HOT, you've also a far higher chance of the cooling fan cutting in unexpectedly:nono:
Charlie
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I think most people only open the bonnet when the screen wash runs out if they even know how to open it?
AGH1965
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No filling station manager would appreciate it if all the customers would check the oil level at every refueling, since they would keep the place occupied way too long. Besides, in my country more and more filling stations don't have level ground in order to let the rain wash any spilled fluids in the direction of the collection points.
The owner handbook prescribes the following:
Unless you manage to drive 3,000 km on 35 liters, it seems rather useless to check the oil level at every refueling.
I only ever check the oil in both of our cars once a month and to be fair, I've never had any issues.
Yep me too I'm a bit more careful as our Mazda uses more oil than my previous Honda for no apparent reason.
ahmett
Prominent member
absolutely Jrkitching, it's almost like no one ever checks their oil.
Ok in the modern BMW's etc, it now electronically warns you when the level falls but many cars still don't to this. Fiat 500 doesn't.
Also the manufacturers are to blame, they simply say service car every x miles and don't worry about the rest.
To Fiat's credit, they recommend checking oil level and coolant every 3,000 km's and before long journeys.
I do what you do, I check my oil every time I fill the tank and always keep 1LT of oil in the boot. I usually fill it when it drops just below maximum to the amount of 250 or so ml.
Now coolant is more tricky, as if you check it at the petrol station, it will all come flying out so have to check it when cold first thing in the morning.
It's amazing how much coolant my car uses when i use AC to the max in 40c temperatures, i guess the heat evaporates it, because in the winter it hardly uses any coolant at all.
"Will" did you get a chance to check the level?
If its full then it could be a faulty pressure switch feeding false info but its a hard one to call that's when an actual pressure gauge would be useful, as the "insufficient oil level" is actually insufficient oil pressure caused usually, due to very low level, as I don't think there is an level meter as such.
Often once the oil light has come on its too late, another totally out there one could be the notorious hatch wiring? maybe?
If its full then it could be a faulty pressure switch feeding false info but its a hard one to call that's when an actual pressure gauge would be useful, as the "insufficient oil level" is actually insufficient oil pressure caused usually, due to very low level, as I don't think there is an level meter as such.
Often once the oil light has come on its too late, another totally out there one could be the notorious hatch wiring? maybe?
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AGH1965
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It's a bloody shame that a modern car like a FIAT 500 doesn't have an oil level indicator on the dashboard. My 2001 Peugeot 206 XS already had one. That was 15 years ago. How difficult can it be? My current 500 has xenon lights, parking sensors, climate control and Interscope sound system. If possible, I would exchange each of these options for an oil level indicator on the dashboard.
In the early 80's we had a new Vauxhaull Caviler it came with temp, fuel level, oil pressure(and oil light) and voltage gauges, it was the oil pressure falling off(not the light that did not come on) as we went up a hill that told us something was wrong, IE hardly any oil left due to the incompetence of the servicing garage, very nearly a wrecked engine.
1 reason - it's a FORD
My Mk3 Escort GHIA had an oil level sensor in the dipstick,
I HAD TO check the oil daily ..as it always said it was empty
needless to say it didn't use oil - that car was what turned me away from the blue Oval..
an onto something with racing laurels around it's "FIRT" badge
Yep I know even the dip stick says Ford on it but that's where most of it ends and it's a good car othetwise.1 reason - it's a FORD
My Mk3 Escort GHIA had an oil level sensor in the dipstick,
I HAD TO check the oil daily ..as it always said it was empty
needless to say it didn't use oil - that car was what turned me away from the blue Oval..
an onto something with racing laurels around it's "FIRT" badge
Funnily enough, guess what I did today?
![DSC_0379[1].JPG](https://cdn.fiatforum.com/data/attachments/157/157317-9e9bf9708cd5552062e8aa0330e3f83a.jpg "DSC_0379[1].JPG")
![DSC_0380[1].JPG](https://cdn.fiatforum.com/data/attachments/157/157352-347f4aae7c2a4d042d25159722d36bb4.jpg "DSC_0380[1].JPG")
Whilst electronic measurement might seem a good idea, there are quite a few BMW's and Mercs that don't have dipsticks to allow manual level checking. Great fun when you're topping up with oil - pour some in, start engine, run diagnostics, switch engine off, pour some more in, repeat as necessary......
Off topic but despite the fomoco branding Mazda don't use any Ford engines at all...Ford have nicked a few for their own though (including the 2.3 ecoboost from the RS and Mustang). If it's a Ford and has a timing chain it's a Mazda unit.
