If your car's oil light comes on when you're driving, it means your engine oil pressure has dropped drastically. A car engine requires a steady supply of oil to lubricate all its parts. Therefore, the car should not be allowed to run for long without adequate oil pressure. Driving without sufficient oil pressure can significantly damage your engine. When the oil light comes on, take immediate action to prevent millions of rupiah in repair costs.
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Method 1 of 3: Preventing Mechanical Damage
Step 1. Pull over to the side of the road and turn off the engine
When your engine oil light comes on, look for a safe opportunity to pull over as quickly as possible. If the car continues to run, the moving parts of the engine are not lubricated properly and result in severe damage to the internal components. However, at this time the safety of you and your passengers should be the top priority. Turn off your car after pulling over on the road.
- Pull over to the side of the road safely and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
- The longer the engine runs with low oil pressure, the greater the chance of damage to the engine.
Step 2. Check engine oil with a dipstick
Once the car is safely on the side of the road, open the hood and check the oil level using the dipstick. Locate the dipstick in the engine case and remove it. Wipe the oil that is on the indicator with a tissue or rag. After that, put the dipstick back into the tube. Now, take the oil dipstick back and look at the amount of oil in the indicator section.
- See how much oil soaks the dipstick indicator.
- Each line under the words " full " (full) indicates one liter of oil is empty.
- If the oil line reaches two lines below the “full” line, it means that the engine lacks 2 liters of oil.
Step 3. Look for leaks
If previously there was still a lot of oil filled in the engine but now it's low, it's possible that the car's engine oil is seeping or burning because there is an internal leak. Look under the car for any indication of a leak. If there is oil dripping from under the engine, the gasket may have been torn or the oil filter is not properly attached to the car.
- Be careful because the oil leaking from the engine is very hot.
- If you don't see any leaks or if there's still a lot of oil in the engine, the problem may not be a lack of oil, but a low oil pressure.
Step 4. Add oil if the amount is less, then check the oil lamp again
Your oil light may be on because there is not enough oil in the system to maintain adequate pressure. Buy the same type of oil that is in your car's engine, and pay attention to the weight of the oil (5w30, 10w30, etc.). After that, fill the engine oil until the dipstick indicator reaches the “full” line. Start the engine, and see if the oil light is still on.
- If the oil light is off, it means the engine lacks oil. You'll still need to check the oil flow, but the car is safe to drive as long as the oil doesn't leak from the engine too quickly.
- If the oil light comes back on, turn off the car engine.
Step 5. Try not to drive if the oil light comes back on
If the light is still on even though the oil has been added, the problem may be in the oil pressure. Oil pressure is generated by the oil pump which pushes the oil into the engine. If this pump does not work, the engine will not be properly lubricated and will be seriously damaged if you continue to drive.
- If the oil light continues to flash, you will need to call a towing service to take the car to a repair shop.
- Do not drive when the oil light is on.
Method 2 of 3: Finding an Oil Leak
Step 1. Wear appropriate equipment
Before handling or maintaining a car, you must put on the necessary equipment. To check engine oil, you have to get under the car, and it's possible that hot engine oil may drip from above you. Therefore, you must wear safety glasses. You will also need to wear work gloves to protect your hands from pinching, scratching, and heat from the engine case.
- You are required to wear eye protection such as safety glasses or goggles.
- Although not required, you should wear gloves.
Step 2. Disconnect the battery
Before jacking up your car, open the hood and disconnect the battery to make sure the car is not powered and turns on while you are under the car. Loosen the nut that secures the black ground wire to the negative terminal of the battery using your hands or a wrench. You can identify the negative terminal by looking for the words “NEG” or the (-) symbol above the terminal.
- Disconnect the ground wire from the negative terminal and slide it into the side of the battery.
- You do not need to disconnect the wire from the positive terminal.
Step 3. Use the jack to raise the vehicle, then use the jack stand to support it
Make sure the car is on asphalt or solid concrete and use the jack to raise the vehicle to a height that will allow you to get under the car. When the height is correct, place the jack stand under the car at the jack point specified to support the weight of the vehicle.
- Never only use a jack to support the weight of a vehicle under which it is entered.
- If you're unsure or don't know where to put the jack or jack stand on your car, check your vehicle's user manual for the designated jack point.
Step 4. Look for signs of an oil leak
Look for signs of oil leaks around the engine from top to bottom. There may be a small leak that makes the oil leak slowly, or a large leak that drains the oil quickly. Since the oil system is under pressure, a large leak causes oil to be sprayed around the leak area.
- If you see a small stream of oil on the surface of the engine compartment, drill all the way to the highest point to find the location of the leak.
- If there's a lot of oil splattered, the leak looks pretty bad.
Step 5. Make sure the liquid found is oil
Modern car engines have a lot of fluid and it is difficult to determine which type of fluid is leaking. The oil is usually brown or black, the white coolant is usually orange or green, and the windshield fluid is usually blue. However, once mixed with dirt and engine housing oil, the color of these fluids can be difficult to identify. Wipe some of the liquid on the white paper to get a better look at the color.
- Make sure the engine is cool before starting to work to prevent burns from dripping liquid.
- Look for brown or black liquid when looking for oil leaks.
Step 6. Check common leak locations
When looking for oil leaks, it's best to start at points where gasket damage is common. Car engines are made of a variety of metal components that are fixed with many screws. However, simply connecting the two metals with screws will not be able to withstand the oil pressure from the engine. Therefore, car manufacturers add gaskets to create a sealing engine. If the gasket of the car is damaged, oil pressure will gush from the weak point of the engine and cause a leak. Although in these places leaks are common, it is not impossible for leaks to occur in other locations.
- Locate the bolts that secure the oil sump to the base of the engine block. This body is at the lowest point on the engine and is held in place by many bolts. Trace along the oil sump with your finger to identify where the leak started.
- Check the oil drainage plug in the oil sump to make sure it is securely in place and no oil is seeping there.
- Look for leaks where the cylinder head meets the block (head gasket) and in the cover bolts at the top of the cylinder head (valve cover).
- A leak may also occur in the crankshaft bolt to the crank pulley at the base of the engine block.
Step 7. Replace the damaged gasket
Once you find the location of the leak, then the leak needs to be stopped. Remove the component on the damaged gasket. Remove any damaged gaskets before replacing them with new ones, and screw the components back into place. Some gaskets are fairly simple and easy to install, but some require you to remove the engine. Try to see if the repair can be done yourself, or you should use the services of a professional to fix the leak.
- If you can identify a leak, but don't have the necessary tools or expertise, take your car to a repair shop and share all your findings.
- You can buy new gaskets at a repair shop or auto shop.
Method 3 of 3: Assessing Other Oil Pressure Problems
Step 1. Replace the oil filter
If you haven't changed your oil in a while, it's likely that the oil has hardened too much to drain properly. Solve this problem by draining the oil from the engine, changing the oil filter, and filling the engine with new oil. If the old oil filter is no longer draining oil, the oil lamp will turn off and the oil pressure will return to normal when the filter has been replaced with a new one.
- If the oil light doesn't come back on and the oil pressure gauge shows a normal number, the problem has been solved.
- If the light comes back on, turn off the engine immediately.
Step 2. Perform a compression test on the engine
If your engine oil is low but there are no signs of a leak, it looks like the engine is burning oil. Engine oil must not enter the cylinder to be ignited by a mixture of fuel and air. Therefore, burnt oil indicates the seal in the engine has been damaged enough to seep through the faulty seal. Typically, this occurs in the valve guide and piston ring. If both are worn enough for oil to pass through, the amount of compression in the leaking cylinder is limited.
- Purchase a compression meter and perform a compression test by inserting it into the cylinder's first spark plug hole. Repeat this process on each cylinder.
- Have a friend start the engine when you see the maximum number on the meter.
- If one cylinder shows a lower number than the other, the seal ring or valve may be faulty. If so, your car's engine needs a major overhaul.
Step 3. Check the oil pressure sending unit
Locate the oil pressure sending unit and disconnect the power cord. Check to see if this action has an effect on the oil pressure meter in your vehicle. Otherwise, the problem may not be in the oil pressure, but in the oil pressure reading sensor.
- Locate the oil pressure sending unit with the help of the user manual as it varies depending on the make and model of the vehicle.
- If the meter does not move when the sending unit is disconnected, the engine oil pressure is actually fine.
Step 4. Replace the oil pump
An oil pump technically does not produce oil pressure, but creates a flow and resistance of oil flowing along its lines and generating pressure. Therefore, a faulty pump can reduce the engine's ability to generate oil pressure. If you are trying to replace the oil pump yourself, be sure to use the correct gasket to prevent it from leaking. Installing a new oil pump is a big job. So, if you do not have adequate equipment and expertise, you should use the services of a professional.
- Use the correct mounting tool when attaching the oil intake hose to the pump. If forced, your car can be damaged.
- Add oil before installation so that the pump is properly prepared before starting the engine.
