Oil pressure light is on but gage is high

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Kevin-s3

New Member
Posts
9
Location
St. Louis Mo USA
Hello

As the title says I have an oil gage and it is reading a 6 where the highest number is a 7. I recently change the sensor and now after my series 3 runs for 15 minutes or so the light comes on.

My dip stick is showing the middle between low and high. I have change my oil to see if the filter has a problem. Is use filter from Land Rover. Not after market.

The 50 dollar question is “who do I trust”? Gage or light.
 
It’s good to have a gauge but you need confidence in it
The sensors could be duff even when new
I always change filter when changing oil
You could get a pressure tester and measure the oil pressure
 
You need a gauge that tells you pressure in a standard unit of measurement, 0-7 isn't much use unless you have a conversion table
An oil pressure gauge is always better than a light, often by the time the light comes on, when it's working properly, it can be too late
 
Is your guage driven by an oil capillary pipe or an electric wire? Mine is a psi guage powered electrically from the sensor and has started playing up, I either have 45-50psi or nothing. If I give the sensor a sharp tap with the handle of a screwdriver, it comes back to life for a few days. Series 3 oil pumps are very reliable so your issue is probably the sensor, you should consider getting a new one or doing away with the guage and just get a sensor for the oil light.

Col
 
Thanks for all your replies. Here is some additional info and responses.

I think that the light sensor and gage are different since the gage was working while the light was not. I had the sensor replace during other work and the first did not work. This is the second. BTY I had the frame replace.

As for the gage sensor I’m not sure if it is electric. I will need to crawl underneath the rover to look for it. It is reassuring to know that the oil pump is reliable.

I went out and took a photo and enlarge the gage. In the bottom in very small print is kg/cm2. The conversion to PSI is 85. I’m not certain but it may have been lower when I first purchased the car and before I did the first oil change.

I’m not certain the sensor manufacturer since the mechanic purchased it online.

thanks again
 
85psi is too high
I’m not sure if the oil pressure is measured direct from pump or after it’s been through oil filter
I meant to put this on earlier , but it looks like pic upload back on , these are good
DC1C8302-C510-47CE-A8D5-3F5C50156B38.png
 
What year is your Land Rover, and what engine do you have fitted?

I just checked the listing for that test kit on amazon. If the engine has the original paper element type filter holder fitted, that kit does not have the correct adaptor to connect it in place of the oil pressure switch.

The original Series engines had British Standard threaded oil pressure switches. Unfortunately I cannot recall exactly what thread dimension they used.

Most of these threads are now obsolete here in the UK, so a correct adaptor may be difficult to find in the USA.
 
On my 1982 S3 Diesel the filter is spin off type - the thread for the sender is 3/8 BSF as far as I know. I have a similar kit to the one above bought from Machine Mart and there is one adaptor that fits. I am just in the process of fitting a gauge which I had sitting around and have had to get a local machine shop to knock up a suitable adaptor from hex bar as impossible to find anything with a mix of old and newer threads. Reason for fitting gauge is intermittent green light showing when hot but not always, replaced sender at least once and still similar. Tested pressure with the gauge kit when stationary in the workshop and all seems OK even when hot so wanted to have a working gauge installed so I could check reading on the move on odd occasion that the green light comes on to see if it really is low pressure. Had wondered about a sticking pressure relief valve as the issue so this is just part of the investigation process as no issues with smoke, high oil usage etc otherwise.
 
The engine is a 2.25.. I’m pretty sure. 1973.

If the kit does not have one that fits I will go from there.

I’m going to buy the pressure kit since it cost is worth the gamble.

thanks for all your help
Kevin
 
I was not certain as to the couple of the response and thought it would be easier to just provide a picture of the filter with both sensors. In fact both are electrical, but I’m not certain as to age or if it is the original. I’m thinking it’s not.

I tied a thought if I decrees the oil weight from 20w50 to 10w40 it would change the psi. It did lower it and addition proof was the green light came on sooner. The psi decrees to 78 cold to 71 warm.

Know-matter what I’m going to need to test the pressure, but I do have one other question. Does it matter which sensor I use for the test?
0CD6EC29-45E1-4B72-9A47-4256B5CF0A5C.jpeg
View attachment 199162
 
I would just unscrew the adaptors and go straight into oil pump and check threads , if the other sensor has different thread ie metric that may suit better
 
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