Car Troubles

[schwalby]

Got and issue with our 2007 Mailibu Maxx. The oil light keeps coming on and off. It did this before about 3 months ago and the oil was low, I put in a quart and all was good. I was home so I was able to do it right away.

Today however I was on the highway and it came on stayed on for about 45 seconds or so and went off again. After about another minute it came on again, then went on and off a few times over the next two minutes. Pulled over at the liquor store and the oil was a little low and the light was off. So good or bad I decided to drive to a gas station to get oil, about a 5 min or so drive. While going the light kept coming on and off again. Put a quart in which brought it up to a good level and we left. Before getting out of the gas station the light came on again. I was on my way to a mortgage appointment and was annoyed with this non-Toyota so I said screw it and kept going. In the remaining 10 minutes of the drive the light kept going on and off but would only be on for about 30 seconds or less and there would be 1-2 minutes of it being off before coming on again.

When we left the meeting the car had cooled down to the point that the temp gauge was at about a quarter. Normal temp it is at half. I tell you what the temp is but the damn gauge doesn't have temps on it. Oh and there is no oil pressure gauge either before you ask. On the drive home the light stayed off for about 20 mins, came back on after going through the tolls. I pulled over at a gas station about 2 mins later and the gauge stayed on all the way to the end of the exit ramp, went off when we stopped at the lights. Stayed off for the next min or so while we went the rest of the way to the gas station. Checked and the oil level was still fine. After cursing the non-Toyota out for a few seconds I said F it again and decided to drive home. Light cam on again when we got out of the gas station and kept doing the whole on for 20 seconds off for a min thing, some times it would just flash once. One time it was enough to trigger the warning sound but the light never came on.

So any ideas? I am guessing maybe something with oil pressure? Or maybe bad sensor? Any ideas on how to test this and since I have no where to work on this non-Toyota POS how much is a repair shop going to charge.

[ZAEDOCK]

Replace the oil pressure sending unit. It's located on the bottom right where the bellhousing meets the engine. If you remove the intake tube, it shouldn't be hard to get to. We own a '04 Maxx.

[schwalby]

Any way to confirm that is the cause? I am guessing if it is just a sensor I can keep driving it till the shop is able to look at it and fix it. I doubt I will be able to do it. No place to work on it and no tools on hand to get the car up high enough to get under there. No on all of my vehicles will have at least 18" of ground clearance so I can get under with out jacks.

[ZAEDOCK]

The only way to confirm would be to install a gauge and monitor while driving. Unless the oil pickup tube fell off a bit, which I highly doubt, the sensor would be the most logical problem (I also doubt the oil pump is bad).

You can access the sensor from the top with the intake tube removed. No need to crawl under - which I know sucks as I can barely get my torso under enough to reach the oil filter.

[nostaw]

If you want to bring it here Josh I can loan you a garage and tools.

JW