<VV> Low oil pressure in a late model

[Brandes, Guy]

Hi Harry,

If it's a short to ground why is it going off at times and not on solid?

Regards,

Guy Brandes

65 VAIR 140

What IS a common failure, is the wire that connects these two together, 
frays, and touches some part of the engine metal, and shorts (grounds)
out, 
lighting the dash lamp.
Disconnect the oil pressure lead and see if the lamp goes out. It
should.

harry yarnell
perryman garage and orphanage


> Folks,
>     Yesterday on the way home from high school, the temp/oil light
came on 
> in the vair that my son uses as his daily transportation.  He pulled
to 
> the side of thee road and called me, saying the car over heated.  I 
> explained that it doesn't have a heat sensor (it's a 65, 500 coupe,
110 
> powerglide car) but the light meant that the oil pressure was low.
>     We then got some parts and did a number of things in the parking
lot 
> where he stopped the car.  We changed the oil filter --- it had only
been 
> on there for about 500 miles, but it's a Purolator and I know some
folk 
> have had problems with those.  Started the car and the light went out
for 
> maybe a minute, then came back on.  We then swapped the oil pressure 
> sensor for a used one that was on the shelf in the shop.  The light
stayed 
> on.
>     Each time we fired it, the motor ran smooth and quiet.  It sure
didn't 
> sound like there was no oil pressure.  I mean with no pressure, the 
> lifters would have been "clattering" like crazy.  So I took a chance
and 
> drove it very gently and slowly about 8 miles back home.  (Makes you 
> uncomfortable as hell to have that oil pressure light glaring at you
as 
> you drive.)  It seemed to run fine and got home with no problem.
>     Found a brand new oil pressure sensor at our local Advance Auto,
and 
> installed it.  The light stayed on.  I checked the conductivity of the

> wire that connects to the sensor, as it is somewhat frayed.  Touching
a 
> probe up into the connector, there is continuity to ground, which is
what 
> I think it should be.
>     After we installed the new sensor and the light stayed on, I
decided 
> to rev the motor a bit to see what would happen.  Revved it to maybe
2000 
> rpm or so (this is "by ear", there is no tach), and the light
flickered 
> out momentarily.  Revved again and the same thing.
>     It appears that there is a low pressure problem.  So what are the 
> likely causes and fixes?
>
>                      Thanks,
>                     Travis Payne   65 Monza coupe
>                     Raleigh, NC    65  500 coupe
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