Oil pressure light flickering sometimes

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bigtom

bigtom

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1971 Dart 318 Automatic Trans

If I drive on the freeway, Then get off and stop at a light the oil pressure light flickers on and off? Anyone ever seen this situation?

THANKS!
 
Usually caused by low oil pressure when warmed up.
(unusually low idle can do this also)
A heavier oil viscosity is a temporary solution to make the light quit doing that, but most of the time it's an indication that bearing clearances are getting loose.
Still could run another 100 thousand miles though, you just never really know.
 
I have a 67 slant 6 that does that with the AC on at idle. I use a bottle or STP oil treatment to thicken up the oil.
 
At what pressure does the factory sending unit turn on the light?

Hook up a mechanical gauge and see what the pressure is really at.
 
i dont know but my old teenerhad a mech gauge and it would be only 5 psi at idle and the light would be on...
 
A gunked up oil pickup tube screen or a bent up oil pan that rests against the pick up can cause low oil pressure. Seen both on previous cars I have had.
 
Does the light flicker just after sustained speed or is happening with city stop and go also?
 
I tried everything, oil pump, 15w-50, straight 50w. Turns out I broke loose a lot of gunk in engine and clogged 4 different oil filters. Finally wound up with a WIX, don't know if its the best but its oiling well now. :) 15w-40 Rotella Diesel oil and getting 50 PSI cold and 25 Idle. Drops to normal 10 PSI per 1K RPM after hot.
 
We use to run kerosine in gunked up engines and just let it idle for 10 minutes, drain, refill , change the filter and do it two or three times. That worked great for us. I have also filled a crank case with the original formula Hydra-Seal carb cleaner through the dip stick tube and let it sit over night. That worked wonders. of course we had to flush the pan several times afterwards before we put oil and filter on it.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
We use to run kerosine in gunked up engines and just let it idle for 10 minutes, drain, refill , change the filter and do it two or three times.
Click to expand...

50/50 blend of kerosene and ATF. Let idle till up to operating temp, then slowly bring revs up to around 1500 to 2000 for just a few seconds to "sling" the cocktail around inside valve covers, lifter valley, etc. Drain, refill, repeat. Two or three times and even the cruddiest engines get respectably clean inside. ATF cleans well, and will add enough viscosity to the kerosene to protect wear surfaces.
 
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