Hi all
Long time no post - must be down the reliabilty of my selection of Citroens.....
My parents took over our old ZX 1.8 Furio last year when we bought the Xsara VTS - turned out to be an excellent time to get rid of it as it subsequently broke down 3 times in 2 weeks after we sold it to them!!
For some reason they still love it but it's now developed an odd fault that we can't trace so any experience welcome!
Every now and again the oil pressure warning light will come on - it will usually stay on for anything up to 20 seconds and it doesn't seem to be linked to any particular manoeuvre.
My Dad fitted a new sender unit and this made no difference so in desperation took it to the local garage who plugged a gauge in to check the oil pressure and it was a reliable 5.5 bar which sounds pretty good on one of these engines given its now done about 75k.
There's no obvious sign of problems with the wiring so I wandered if anyone else had come across this and could suggest a cause - my suspicions lay with the dash itself or possibly the oil pump drive. Given that the engine hasn't siezed yet I don't believe there's actually a problem with oil pressure but I can't rule out the possibility that something is going on when the car is in motion.
HELP!!
Adrian
ZX oil pressure warning light problem
Moderator: RichardW
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adrianeaton
- Posts: 152
- Joined: 06 Mar 2001, 17:57
- Location: United Kingdom
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The dash oil pressure lamp works by the sensor switch connecting one side of lamp to ground - when pressure is low.
Pressure is low when engine is stopped - oil pump not running.
The oil pump is driven by a mechanical link (chain) from engine crank.
Since both the oil pressure has been tested - and the switch has been replaced - you're left with the switch cabling or dash problem.
It may be tested by unplugging the cable at the sensor switch - then the oil pressure lamp should never be lit. If it does during a test drive - you have a cable/dash problem.
Opposite : if you have an intermittent low oil pressure problem - you may leave the sensor switch cable disconnected - and then instead connect an external testlamp. +12V for this testlamp may be borrowed from the cigar-lighter socket - but must be un-plugged from socket when ignition key removed - as the cigar lighter would have a constant +12V supply (but protective fused).
If this testlamp is lit intermittently during a testdrive - as the dash warning lamp former did - you clearly have an intermittent oil pressure problem (or still a defective oil pressure switch !).
Pressure is low when engine is stopped - oil pump not running.
The oil pump is driven by a mechanical link (chain) from engine crank.
Since both the oil pressure has been tested - and the switch has been replaced - you're left with the switch cabling or dash problem.
It may be tested by unplugging the cable at the sensor switch - then the oil pressure lamp should never be lit. If it does during a test drive - you have a cable/dash problem.
Opposite : if you have an intermittent low oil pressure problem - you may leave the sensor switch cable disconnected - and then instead connect an external testlamp. +12V for this testlamp may be borrowed from the cigar-lighter socket - but must be un-plugged from socket when ignition key removed - as the cigar lighter would have a constant +12V supply (but protective fused).
If this testlamp is lit intermittently during a testdrive - as the dash warning lamp former did - you clearly have an intermittent oil pressure problem (or still a defective oil pressure switch !).
-
adrianeaton
- Posts: 152
- Joined: 06 Mar 2001, 17:57
- Location: United Kingdom
- My Cars:
- Contact: