1st & 2nd Generation (1983–1986 & 1987-1991)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1983-1986 & 1987-1991.
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
Hello all, yesterday whenever my dropped below 2000-ish RPM my oil light would start flickering on and off.. My stepfather thought it may be a broken pressure sender, but I was talking to someone else later, and I pointed out that for the past month or so, at idle it had a squeak (Almost like a pulley with one bad bearing) that would increase in speed with RPM until it went quiet.. But it was getting louder
Apparently this is the sound of an oil pump beginning it's death..
Suggest you have a shop check the oil pressure or do it yourself using a cheap pressure gauge-ASAP! If the oil pump is going bad, driving with low or no oil pressure will damage the engine resulting in very expensive repairs or engine replacement.
If the sender is OK, the light being on means the oil pressure is under 5 lbs.
Follow toyomoho's advice. Have someone (or yourself) replace the oil sending unit temporarily with an actual pressure gage. A shop should not charge too much for this diagnosis. If it's a bad sending unit, it's a cheap fix. If it does have low oil pressur, it is from a bad oil pump or bad engine bearings. Bad oil pump means the pump needs to be replaced. Bad engine bearings means a new or rebuilt engine, or rebuild your existing engine. If it is bad bearings, then it's time to take a long look at how much you want to invest in this car. In the meantime, don't drive the car until you determine what the actual problem is. You could have a bad oil pump and destroy the engine by continuing to drive it; changing a few hundred dollar repair in to a very expensive engine replacement.
For quite some time, when you start it cold, the oil light stays on for a good 6 second, accompanied by a loud banging knock from the engine, and if it's revved cold (i.e driven) it revs up just fine, but when you let go of the accelerator, and the engine starts to wind down, you can hear a faint but distinct bearing knock sound around 2400-2200 RPM
Unfortunately it sounds like your bottom end is wearing out Low oil pressure can be caused not only by worn oil pump but also by main bearings and rod wearings worn too much...- might be time for a new engine at this point.
Disconnect the inverter and remove the sub>You may have the AC current leakage.
Get mechanical gage and measure the oil pressure
With oil system problem, the low pressure light will be on more often when the engine is on normal temperature.
The inverter thing was wrong.. It hadn't been doing it so i went for a drive today, had to go somewhere.. only got half way
Turns out it comes on after extended idling and/or low speed driving (60-70 kp/h or less)
Today it didn't flicker.. Whenever the revs dropped below 1000 it came on and stayed on.. Ended up getting it home by just keeping my foot lightly on the acelerator 9Revs about 1400) where it would go off, but occasionally flicker on
Also, it only happens once everything is at operating temp
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