03 neon-oil pressure light comes on

[Run]

So earlier this week I gave my neon the italian tune up. This city car likely never seen a mountain drive. 8 hours of intense driving and it didn't skip a beat. The very next day I start it to go to work and the oil pressure light comes on. I shut it off and make sure oil level is proper. It wasn't even close to add but I top it up just to bring it to full. The light stays on but engine sounds good. Once its warmed up a but if I shut the engine off and start again the light won't come on.

Fast forward 2 days later and now the light hasn't come back on. I picked up a new sensor to install over the weekend. I just want some input on this. Did I wreck the oil pump by going close to the redline? I drove it hard but not too crazy. I got QSGB 5w-30 in it. Maybe time for early change...

 

[tomcat27]

do you have access to a real oil pressure gauge? there is no substitute for validating the pressure with a mechanical gauge of known function.

theoretically you should not have caused a problem with your Ital tune up. what is the maintenance history? any chance of sludge on the pickup screen?

certainly a bad sensor is likely, but I would validate the pressure - even if you have to go buy a $20 oil pressure gauge from any local auto store

 

[Inspecktor]

Maybe a piece of carbon or gunk was dislodged and blocked the oil pressure sensor, or the sensor was starting to go bad, just coincidence it was around the same time you tuned it up. Install new sensor, then run it.

 

[IndyIan]

I think it will be your sensor. I had a 95 Neon and that motor endured a good amount of serious thrashing in autocross and a few track days when it had over 240k km on it... If you've been driving it for more than a minute or two with no actual oil pressure you'd be hearing bad noises getting worse.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Sounds like it would be the oil pressure sensor.

The oil pressure sensor is tripped at like 2 or 3 PSI if I remember right. It wouldn't run too long with that low of oil pressure.

Friend of mine has a 2002 and after a bit of hard driving the sensor died.

 

[BrocLuno]

I'd change the sensor first. Then I'd add another ground lead from the Bat(-) to the engine block/head, and on to the firewall. When I do this I crimp and solder the terminals and use good fine stranded #8 wire.

It's getting to be 13 years old and the factory crimp-only connections are getting a bit of surface corrosion/oxidation on/in them. It sometimes leads a slight voltage drop and that will do unexpected things ...

On the Bat(+) side there is always some voltage to overcome resistance. But on the return path (ground) there is little voltage to do anything, yet the same current must flow back to source ... Help it do that and it will run better - guaranteed

 

[HerrStig]

Find a friend with professional training in electronics and he'll tell you circuit diagrams for electronic devices all show current flow from negative to positive. Yes it sounds backwards but take a look at a vacuum tube, for example, and you'll find the hot cathode, which is at ground (-) or very near it gives off electrons which are attracted to the plats, which is connected to the + voltage supply. Your idea of reducing voltage drops around a circuit is a good one regardless of which way you believe current flows, but if you need to insert a diode in a circuit you'll find out the cathode end goes to negative. Just as an aside, the electronic symbol for a solid state diode is based on how the first ones were made, not which way the current flows through it. They were made by having a pointed piece of metal touch a small bit of crystal. Such devices were called "point contact" diodes. The circuit symbol, has confused many over the years.

 

[tgrudzin]

Owned a 97 Neon and ended up putting 3 sensors in. OEM leaked with about 117K onit. Replacement #2 & #3 were aftermarket, China, and both leaked. #4 and last sensor was a dealer part. More money, but was cheaper than the cost of purchasing sensors #2 & 3. Canada prices can be much higher ( but hey, you get free healthcare) so not sure of the spread. I'd return what you brought if it wasn't an OEM part.

"Once its warmed up a but if I shut the engine off and start again the light won't come on." If this happens again, check and see if the turn signals and radio work. The 97 develop this occasional problem and it needed to have ignition parts/key changed out. All this was JY available so little cost. If this is the problem, check out Neons.com for the solution to any Neon problem.

 

[racer12306]

It's very likely the sensor.

It's a Neon thing, kind of like how 03+ Neons kill cam position sensors.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: racer12306
It's very likely the sensor.

It's a Neon thing, kind of like how 03+ Neons kill cam position sensors.


Happened on my friends 02 as well. Along with 41TEfailure. The good news is, with recent transmission and head gasket replacement, I bet it has another 10,000 in it before another major engine or transmission failure.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: racer12306
It's very likely the sensor.

It's a Neon thing, kind of like how 03+ Neons kill cam position sensors.


Happened on my friends 02 as well. Along with 41TEfailure. The good news is, with recent transmission and head gasket replacement, I bet it has another 10,000 in it before another major engine or transmission failure.


Is that the $300 car your friend bought to beat on?

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: racer12306
It's very likely the sensor.

It's a Neon thing, kind of like how 03+ Neons kill cam position sensors.


Happened on my friends 02 as well. Along with 41TEfailure. The good news is, with recent transmission and head gasket replacement, I bet it has another 10,000 in it before another major engine or transmission failure.
Sounds like the car was a great deal! LOL!

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: racer12306
It's very likely the sensor.

It's a Neon thing, kind of like how 03+ Neons kill cam position sensors.


Happened on my friends 02 as well. Along with 41TEfailure. The good news is, with recent transmission and head gasket replacement, I bet it has another 10,000 in it before another major engine or transmission failure.


Is that the $300 car your friend bought to beat on?


Its actually not in bad shape for a neon with 100kmiles. The transmission failure and replacement happened shortly before he got it. He got it cheap because the head gasket blew and it didn't run.

Head gasket (common on these engines even though people claim it's not true ... they are all over cl with bad head gaskets), engine mounts, wheeL bearings , cam sensor , oil,pressure switch, tie rod ends ... all had to be replaced.

The DNJ water pump started leaking so it's been sitting since april

 

[Doublehaul]

Sensor is a very common issue on that motor...do your self a favor and buy a OEM replacement as the aftermarkets are a joke

 

[Run]

I got the new sensor installed without any issue. I run the engine for a few minutes to check for leaks. No oil light. Went for a good drive today and no more oil light. I stuck a toothpick in the old sensor. Something went wrong with it. The spring didn't have consistent pressure. Also felt like it was dragging along the chamber. I think the sensor did the trick.

 

[racer12306]

Congrats. It's scary when that oil light first comes on, but if it's full of oil and unmodified, it's highly unlikely there is an actual engine problem. (modified 2.0's can eat oil pumps if they aren't tuned properly due to detonation)



Be ready for a P0340 and P0344

P0340 = Camshaft position sensor
P0344 = Camshaft position magnet

The magnet is a dealer item and is 03+ specific. The sensor is available many places, but the Mopar is better than the non-Mopar but is also 03+ specific iirc.

I've put 2 or 3 cam sensors on my 04 and 1 magnet. The magnet just failed at 110000.

Both are tedious jobs. On my car, the hard coolant lines run right in front of the sensor, so a universal jointed socket is your friend. Not a universal and a socket, but a universal socket. When it's time to do a cam magnet make sure you do not over torque it, you will crack it. It's either a torx or allen head bolt that holds the magnet. I used my 1/4" drive torque wrench as it's only a 30 in-lb torque spec if I remember correctly and just make sure it's dead quiet in the garage as the click on 30 in-lbs is very soft.