Oil pressure

[Mich1958]

Hi Guys

After my first little trip out I noticed that there was no oil pressure the reading just disapeared, after a little messing with the sender unit which is leaking oil i got a pressure reading but this keeps happening so im going to replace it.

But I also noticed no oil warning light so I replaced the pressure switch still no light   so ive tested the circuit from the unit to the firewall plug and thats ok is there anyway I can test from the firewall plug to the dash short of removing the dash to see if the bulb is dead .

could I send a feed down it or is it a ground that is required to see if i have a dash light.

any help would be appreciated.

Thanks 

Mich

[Rissy]

If you connect the firewall plug wire (white/orange) to ground directly, with ignition on, that should light the oil warning light on the binnacle. If the light doesn’t light, but your other lights below the oil warning light (so battery, fuel and handbrake) still work, then the bulb for oil warning has gone, or there’s a flexible tracking issue, meaning you’re gonna have to get into the binnacle anyway. If the other lights also don’t work, then it could be fuse #5 or a flexible tracking issue which affects all of the lights. Again, meaning you’d have to get into the binnacle (or replace that fuse). Could be other issues relating to wiring, but hey, I can’t account for every single scenario possible.

[Mich1958]

Hi Guys

And thank you Rissy for the heads up on the trace for the oil light sadly it's never as simple as that    

So i grounded the white / orange out at the firewall plug ignition on, no light.

Checked the fuse A ok.

I guess it's time to pull the binacle out and have a look see, it's a weird one because Chris at P J put me a full set of led's in and i don't remember it being on or off when I collected the car (To much excitment that day   ) .


Cheers Mich

[Chris Williams]

Quote:I guess it's time to pull the binacle out and have a look see, it's a weird one because Chris at P J put me a full set of led's in and i don't remember it being on or off when I collected the car (To much excitment that day   ) .

The tracks on the flexible circuit board can (as other Chris mentioned) fall apart, the connection from the plug can also be a bit flaky.

[Mich1958]

Hi Guy's

Thank you Chris & Chris, what a day it took me most of the afternoon to work this problem 5 or 6 hours of brain teasing can't wrap my head around why it was doing what it was doing in the end it was not electrical. 

So it started off me thinking oil pressure switch knackered so easy fix replace it   errm no still didn't work this led me down the biggest rabbit hole ever.

Next was continuity, I tested it the circuit every which way which led to removing the dash expecting to find non working bulb NO again checked all the track's with the meter once again all fine.

I had power to the white multiplug behind the clocks and I had continuity to the switch what I did not have was a ground eventually it led me to offering the dash back in conecting the multiplug and grounding out the oil pressure switch cable 
a light,    but why was I not getting circuit after ages testing the old switch and the new switch I figured out that something in the oilway was pushing the plunger back to break the circuit but what   .

Low mileage cars are good and bad low mileage is also a curse if the person that does own it thinks that the oil thats in the car is fine ive only done 500 miles in ten years the oil dosent need changing   but it does hence my problem the old backed oil the oilway had formed a ridge of baked oil (old oil and high temps I guess) anyway I cleaned the port out as best as I could ( I still want to do more) and Voala I have a oil pressure switch light   happy was not the word.

While I was at it I checked all the tracks behind the dash all good electrically but the ends of a couple need some TLC.

Also while the dash was out I managed to figure out my intermitent speedo everything from the wheel to the clock works but i'm getting an intermitent popping noise so I guess the dust sheild is toast.

Also my lambda has been unpluged is this an issue ???

Cheers for all your help.

Mich

[Rissy]

“The cars only done 500 miles in ten years, so the oil doesn’t need changing”.

I would disagree with this if what you’re saying is that the oil in the engine is 10yrs old.


If that oil is that old, then it’s no wonder there’s funny things starting to develop like the oddity you’ve discovered stopping your oil pressure switch from working.

Typical rule of thumb for me, and most people, is that your oil should be changed every number of X miles (I typically aim for about 7,500 for most of my cars) OR (and this is the important bit) every 2yrs. Whichever comes first. Typically, for most DeLorean owners servicing their DeLoreans, they’ll hit the two year mark well before X miles. I have broken that rule myself I’ll admit. Like recently (only a month ago or so) I finally change the oil on my DeLorean. It was 5.5yrs since the last oil change and the car had only done about 1500 miles on that oil. That was because I had my car in pieces. The car was off the road for about 3yrs or so. I got the car on the road and promised myself I’d get it up to about 2,000 miles (on that oil) this spring, and then change the oil finally. Looking at the oil condition after that time, it was DEFINITELY over due. So I’m glad I finally did it.

So if I were you, to stop you having any weird problems like that again, I’d to get your engine oil and filter changed now.

[Mich1958]

Hi Chris

I have no knowledge of how often the oil service intervals have been in the last forty one years since I have only had the car since march when it came from the states.

My assumption is that looking at the state of the oil pathway that the oil has not been changed at some point in it's life for a very long time.

And that as some car owners that I have known in the past assume incorrectly that just because they have only done 500 miles in the past ten years that the oil is ok, which it is not especially if it's gone through many heating and cooling cycles.

So yes this is one of the problems I have encountered when I get this sorted Ill change out the oil for a cheaper brand run the car for a few miles then change it out again for a better quality oil (I don't like flushing oil's I've had bad experience of that stuff).

And I agree every 5k or 2 year for a classic is what ive always stuck to and every 10k for my personal cars.

cheers
Mich

[theningiachicken]

(29 May 2022, 09:57)Mich1958 Wrote: Also while the dash was out I managed to figure out my intermitent speedo everything from the wheel to the clock works but i'm getting an intermitent popping noise so I guess the dust sheild is toast.

i just fitted a new dust shield today and its honestly my most hated thing, my new one didn't fit straight away and had to sand the rim down a very minimal amount. still a super tight fit so i have no worries of it slipping in the hub.

i still need to fix my lack of oil gauge reading but mine is just due to the gauge sender unit being busted but that's being done along side an oil+filter change and rocker cover gaskets (since right side one seems to be leaking  ) as it was sort-of working.