5s oil light at start up Options

[kurt95gt]

ok this week I noticed my oil light comes on at start up an then shuts of within 5 seconds
its only on a cold start too
it still has the 5s with 178732 mile
I kno the oil pan leaks some good but is there anything else I should be worried about

[6G96GT]

How often do you add oil? When you check the oil, how low is it? Do you got smoke coming out of the exhaust? You should add a mechanical oil pressure gauge (T it at the head). It'll give you your operating oil pressure readings during start up, idle, and driving.

[kurt95gt]

How often do you add oil? When you check the oil, how low is it? Do you got smoke coming out of the exhaust? You should add a mechanical oil pressure gauge (T it at the head). It'll give you your operating oil pressure readings during start up, idle, and driving.

so far I've add oil once in 2900my miles an it was only half a quart
I check the oil every morning now before I ever start it up
ok I like the idea of the gauge but where at on the head do I t it at?
not 100%pretty on the smoke since its been in the low 40s here
so it looks like its smoking even if it isn't
but I kno last week for sure it wasn't smoking

[6G96GT]

That's not really a lot of oil adding to worry about as long as you keep it up. Checking the oil each morning is a good idea. I do that as well and my motor was fully rebuilt 10K ago.

The gauge is simple. Basically you remove the oil sending unit, then fit in a t-mount. Then, fit in the oil sending unit on one side of the t and then the new gauge on the other side of the t. The t mount itself is like $5 at any hardware store. The oil press. gauge is about $40-50 roughly for a good one and can be bought at any advance auto, pep boys, autozone.

Also, if you don't want to install it yourself, a mechanic will do it for cheap. At most, up to one hour's labor.

Here's a pic of mine (circled).



Should look like this when done...

[kurt95gt]

That's not really a lot of oil adding to worry about as long as you keep it up. Checking the oil each morning is a good idea. I do that as well and my motor was fully rebuilt 10K ago.

The gauge is simple. Basically you remove the oil sending unit, then fit in a t-mount. Then, fit in the oil sending unit on one side of the t and then the new gauge on the other side of the t. The t mount itself is like $5 at any hardware store. The oil press. gauge is about $40-50 roughly for a good one and can be bought at any advance auto, pep boys, autozone.

Also, if you don't want to install it yourself, a mechanic will do it for cheap. At most, up to one hour's labor.

Here's a pic of mine (circled).



Should look like this when done...

That's not really a lot of oil adding to worry about as long as you keep it up. Checking the oil each morning is a good idea. I do that as well and my motor was fully rebuilt 10K ago.

The gauge is simple. Basically you remove the oil sending unit, then fit in a t-mount. Then, fit in the oil sending unit on one side of the t and then the new gauge on the other side of the t. The t mount itself is like $5 at any hardware store. The oil press. gauge is about $40-50 roughly for a good one and can be bought at any advance auto, pep boys, autozone.

Also, if you don't want to install it yourself, a mechanic will do it for cheap. At most, up to one hour's labor.

Here's a pic of mine (circled).



Should look like this when done...

ok that looks easy enough to do
yea Im honestly starting to think im freaking out over bothering
an chance its maybe just the sensor?

That's not really a lot of oil adding to worry about as long as you keep it up. Checking the oil each morning is a good idea. I do that as well and my motor was fully rebuilt 10K ago.

The gauge is simple. Basically you remove the oil sending unit, then fit in a t-mount. Then, fit in the oil sending unit on one side of the t and then the new gauge on the other side of the t. The t mount itself is like $5 at any hardware store. The oil press. gauge is about $40-50 roughly for a good one and can be bought at any advance auto, pep boys, autozone.

Also, if you don't want to install it yourself, a mechanic will do it for cheap. At most, up to one hour's labor.

Here's a pic of mine (circled).



Should look like this when done...

ok that looks easy enough to do
yea Im honestly starting to think im freaking out over bothering
an chance its maybe just the sensor?

[6G96GT]

I think so (based on my own experience). I bought my celica with 173K on it and it drove and rode just fine with no engine probs until around 190K (no oil lights but lower oil press (right at the minimum) and that's probably because I drove it really hard and was a little careless with the oil changes. I once went 8K miles on regular oil before changing it. It came out really dark and felt really, really thin.

When I got my old pistons back during the rebuild, the original pistons had bad signs of scuffing wear but still not enough to cause smoke out the exhaust - the rings weren't that bad. Our engines are pretty rugged.

Also, like my engine had, you probably have dry rot here and there on some areas and or components. I just lost my cold air start temp. sensor because of dry rot. The plastic just gets really old and then cracks causing the sensor to default.

This post has been edited by 6G96GT: Oct 1, 2011 - 1:48 PM

[kurt95gt]

ok that makes me feel little better
im a freak about oil changes
I normally use penzoil (mainly because im to lazy to change my own oil )
is there something better I can use

[6G96GT]

I use mobil 1 fully synthetic but you probably should stick with what you got or maybe try mobil 1 high mileage. I hear that is great oil for higher mileage vehicles but I think any top name oil is pretty good. It's not like we're running drag cars or even turbo cars, lol.

[mkernz22]

The oil light normally comes on on start up because it's been sitting at the bottom of the engine, in the oil pan. Once you start it up, it takes a few seconds for it to circulate throughout the engine. Nothing to worry about at all.

[kurt95gt]

I use mobil 1 fully synthetic but you probably should stick with what you got or maybe try mobil 1 high mileage. I hear that is great oil for higher mileage vehicles but I think any top name oil is pretty good. It's not like we're running drag cars or even turbo cars, lol.

yea true
although in the summer I do like to hit the strip alil lol
my oil seems to do the job since its high milage

The oil light normally comes on on start up because it's been sitting at the bottom of the engine, in the oil pan. Once you start it up, it takes a few seconds for it to circulate throughout the engine. Nothing to worry about at all.

ok that makes sense
guess I just never pay much attention

[6G96GT]

Well that is true but for example, when mine was going before the rebuild my light would come on for 2 sec max but then came on for about 5 seconds or longer as it got worse. During the rebuild the mech said my oil pump was just about gone and my idle oil pressure went down to 9 psi. Now, since the rebuild about a year ago, the light comes on for a second and the idle psi is at 20. BIG difference.

This post has been edited by 6G96GT: Oct 1, 2011 - 9:59 PM

[kurt95gt]

Well that is true but for example, when mine was going before the rebuild my light would come on for 2 sec max but then came on for about 5 seconds or longer as it got worse. During the rebuild the mech said my oil pump was just about gone and my idle oil pressure went down to 9 psi. Now, since the rebuild about a year ago, the light comes on for a second and the idle psi is at 20. BIG difference.

ok so my next check ill get a new oil pressure gauge
an hopefully I've fought any problem soon enough to be fixed
without a full rebuild

[6G96GT]

I think the gauge will tell you where your engine's at. You'll get the oil pressure for start up, idle, and various rpm ranges like 3K. If your oil press. reads are lower then what Toyota calls for then you'll have a prob but if they are within spec, then you're good to go.

[kurt95gt]

I think the gauge will tell you where your engine's at. You'll get the oil pressure for start up, idle, and various rpm ranges like 3K. If your oil press. reads are lower then what Toyota calls for then you'll have a prob but if they are within spec, then you're good to go.

that's how im looking at it
ill eather find out somethings wrong or it all ok
eather way I end up with a cool looking gauge in my car
what range shouldn't oil psi be in?

[kurt95gt]

I think the gauge will tell you where your engine's at. You'll get the oil pressure for start up, idle, and various rpm ranges like 3K. If your oil press. reads are lower then what Toyota calls for then you'll have a prob but if they are within spec, then you're good to go.

that's how im looking at it
ill eather find out somethings wrong or it all ok
eather way I end up with a cool looking gauge in my car
what range shouldn't oil psi be in?

[mkernz22]

Would there be any specific brand you would recommend? I'm looking to get an electrical one cause I'd rather not run a line into my car lol

[kurt95gt]

just picked up a oil an volt mini gauges at harbor freight for 10a bucks

[6G96GT]

I've used the mechanical 'Sunpro' one, which I bought well over a year ago at my local Autozone for about $30. I did run a line through the wall and into the car but it's no big deal and I believe they are more accurate then the electric ones (I understand that the much more expensive electric ones are more accurate and are priced over a $100).

Any mech. oil pressure gauge should be fine though as they all work through actual oil pressure pushing the indicator needle. A brand name one though probably has a better quality build and stronger or longer lasting material. I've been planning to swap my Sunpro one out for a better brand name one but haven't gotten around to it.

[mkernz22]

I would just rather not have to run a line filled with oil into my car, especially cause it could start leaking. I don't need it to be 100% accurate, but pretty close

[kurt95gt]

well thought I was all set ti hook mine up but my t fitting wont work
I think its the wrong tread guessing the head hole is metric an my t is standard

so hopefully naps will have what I need

my nova has had the same sunpro mech oil gauge for 10+ years now and has never leaked (my gandpa done it before he died when I was 12) so I don't think leaking is a problem imo