Drove car hard and low oil light came on?

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Mark72

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95 Chev Lumina with 192K on it. I've kept this car in perfect mechanical operating condtion. Today which literally is the first time in 8 years I've done this I took it up to 100mph. Engine doesnt handle that really well as rpm's were up to 4500, but it was running smooth. got back in town, stopped for gas and started it back up and low oil light came on. Drove it home and shut it down and checked the oil after 20 min and its full. does not appear to have burned a drop. Any idea why that light would have come on? And is this of any concern?
 
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Low oil light or low pressure?
After a good hot hard run, oil will thin out and may trigger low pressure for a time, till things cool a bit.
 
It's a "low oil" light. I just took it around the block again and it was still remaining on. And oil is completely topped off right where I had it before this trip this evening. So it needs to cool down you think? Not so sure this car has a "low oil pressure" light. Perhaps they are one in the same and like you said, the oil thinned out?
 
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2.8/3.1 engines are dainty things.When they were in Camaros and S10s they were nothing but trouble.Always had a flawed oiling system.I owned an 83 Camaro once,and it made so much top end clattering,plus the oil light would always flicker on/off.Had a very low idle speed (carbed).
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
What color is the light? Is it yellow or red?


+1

Does the light look like the proverbial genie lamp, and does it come on when you turn the key to run? (Generally Red),

Or does it literally say "Low oil" (Generally Yellow)?

If it's the latter, it's probably just a bad sensor (located in your oil pan). If it's the former, it could still be a bad sensor.. a pressure gauge or sensor replacement would confirm.

4,500RPM should be no problem for your engine.
 
A lot of people seem to confuse oil pressure with low oil ...

If it really is a low oil light, I didn't know that GM used them at the time.
 
Originally Posted By: Doog
Check oil level. Add 1/2 quart.

Read the o/p again... He did. In fact, he re-stated that he did in a subsequent post. Also, adding an additional 1/2 quart will do nothing to remedy the issue if the oil level is correct.



Originally Posted By: Miller88
A lot of people seem to confuse oil pressure with low oil ...

If it really is a low oil light, I didn't know that GM used them at the time.


They did. The 3.1 in my wife's 1995 Grand Am has one. In fact, when I replaced the engine, the low oil sensor in the pan of the replacement engine was bad. It took a few miles to show up though. That created some concern and confusion as I'd just rebuilt the engine...
 
I should have stated it differently. If the oil level is full add 1/2 quart. I have owned over 20 GM cars and had 3 that had the false reading on the oil sensor. All were fine by adding 1/2 to 1 quart extra oil. I am sure it was the sensor but might have just been a poor oil system design as well. Adding the extra volume did the trick either way. BTW, I was told to do this by my dealer mechanic.
 
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the way the low oil level logic works is kinda flawed when you go through that type of condition(extended periods of high RPM), when you shut the car down, the PCM measures the amount of time it takes for the oil level switch to go from "low" to "normal" and bases the low oil light operation off of that.

when at higher RPMs, using oil thicker than necessary or with just cold oil, those will all trip up the control scheme, along with anything else that may delay/slow down the return of oil into the pan. the PCM attempts to account for all of these, but it obviously can't measure viscosity or narrowed return routes in the block/heads.

the oil pressure warning light is red, low oil level is orange, last time i looked at my cluster.

if it is showing the oil level light, overfill by UP TO a quart. i've done it before on the same engine for years without issue. in fact, i'd say that if you plan on doing this regularly, or autocross or anything else that might starve the oil pump, do it every oil change.
 
Originally Posted By: RobertISaar

if it is showing the oil level light, overfill by UP TO a quart. i've done it before on the same engine for years without issue. in fact, i'd say that if you plan on doing this regularly, or autocross or anything else that might starve the oil pump, do it every oil change.


This is exactly what my GM mechanic told me.
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
That is why it is good to stretch the engines RPM band every once in a while instead of putting around for eight years. All sorts of carbon deposits could've been loosened all at once and cause trouble.


Yeah that works, loosen the carbon and loose oil pressure, sorry but that's a crock...

If it's a low level indicator(NOT pressure), possibly the sensor in the oil pan has a issue, could have been damaged from the high RPM splashing of the oil... If it's a low oil pressure, then you better be finding out what the issue is ASAP...
 
is the senor INSIDE the oil pan? or does it plug in somwhere on the exterior where I can get to it?
 
Originally Posted By: Doog
This is exactly what my GM mechanic told me.


i may not be a GM certified mechanic, but i've been dealing with 3100s since 1997 and this is one of the quirks that i've found to work in my favor.

Originally Posted By: TFB1
If it's a low level indicator(NOT pressure), possibly the sensor in the oil pan has a issue, could have been damaged from the high RPM splashing of the oil... If it's a low oil pressure, then you better be finding out what the issue is ASAP...


a dead switch is entirely possible, they're not that durable... lot of cars around here drive around with the light on, rather than replace the switch.
 
Originally Posted By: Doog
I should have stated it differently. If the oil level is full add 1/2 quart. I have owned over 20 GM cars and had 3 that had the false reading on the oil sensor. All were fine by adding 1/2 to 1 quart extra oil. I am sure it was the sensor but might have just been a poor oil system design as well. Adding the extra volume did the trick either way. BTW, I was told to do this by my dealer mechanic.


I see. However, I'm getting that this is a recent issue? Assuming he has kept the same or similar service routine means that this is likely a faulty sensor and adding oil will do nothing to fix it.
 
Originally Posted By: Mark72
is the senor INSIDE the oil pan? or does it plug in somwhere on the exterior where I can get to it?


it's external to the pan. i think 1, possibly 2 bolts bolding it in, when you pull it, expect plenty of oil to come with it.
 
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