After I ran at the track today really hard, on my way back home I stop at a gas station wait for my turbo time to turn off the car when I noticed that my car at idle (800rpm) has the oil light on.

I checked my oil today before going to the track and it was fine, I checked at the gas station and it was fine, but at idle (800 rpm) the oil light would come on flicking. Once I step on the gas and rev the engine up the light turns off. This only happens when I push the car to the limit (it happened last week also at the track).

When my car was stock I pushed to the limit several times and nothing happened. Since I got the car I have been using Mobil 1 0W-40 which is the only Mobil 1 oil down here that I can get for around US$20,00. The other oils (10W 30) are not available or are just too expensive (150 dollars per liter) so I don’t use it.

I did a big amount of searching and I found this:

1. Some threads say it is normal, ignore it.
2. Others say it might be the oil pump.
3. Others say it might be low oil or faulty oil pressure sensor.
4. Others say to increase rev at idle and it will go away.

Questions:

1. Normal idle is 800 rpm, right? So why would I increase it?
2. Did I screw up my engine because of the 0W40 Mobil 1 oil? It worked fine when the car was stock, but not now.
3. The oil level is normal, in fact I only recently installed my mods (three weeks ago) and since then this is happening when I push the car hard to the limit.
4. Are my mods doing this? Would it be because I am running a 93 octane map and using 95 octane gasoline? Or because the map I am using from Vishnu is for US spec EVO VIII and my car is a JDM EVO VIII?

I appreciate any help guys.

 

By process of emlinination:

1) you are using the wrong oil filter (related to oli pressure)
2) you are using the wrong oil (a heavier viscocity will aid in mantaining higher pressure)
3) you have a low oil pressure condition (test with oil pressure guage)

I'll bet you a futbol jersey that it's reason #2. You need 10w30 oil in the motor (full synthetic) - that's why 1) the owners manual requires it and 2) the oil cap on the motor has a sticker requiring it. http://www.castrol.com/castrol/castr...ountryselector

P.S. I'm a men's medium... *blue (not yellow)...

 

If your oil get very hot and you are running a low weight oil (like 30) your oil pressure will drop at idle because the oil is thinner. get an oil pressure guage and see what its reading. should be 1.0 bar (14.7psi) or more at idle.

Mike

 

I am using K&N Oil Filter - interesting you said that because that started to happen after I changed the oil filter as well. Is K&N Oil filter not good for the car?

Yes, I am using the wrong oil. Is the Mobil 1 10W 30 heavier than the 0W40?
I thought the 0W 40 had a higher viscosity ...

I am getting an oil pressure gauge. Please let me know about the OIL. I thought that 0W 40 would be better because in Brazil it gets really warm during the summers, so I thought that the 0W 40 would protect more.

Thanks for anwsers!

 

I am running MOBIL ONE 0W 40 Full Synthetic oil. Is it lower weight or higher weight than the 10W 30?

 

#1 dont drive any more until you get this right !!!
#2 Get a real oil presure gauge , if you have MORE than 5 psi@idle(IIRC) its your oil sending unit (or any thing in the loop from the sending unit to the ecu) . If you have LESS than 5 psi@idle(IIRC) , Start looking at the oil pan for dents , the oil pick up could be blocked . If no dents next steep is to drop the oil pan and look for blockage in the oil pick up screen ( I had a "tech" leave a shop rag under my valve cover , it wound up in the oil pan , stopped up my oil pump/pick-up and i lost oil psi ) . If you still dont find anything wrong start thinking about a new oil pump . Good luck .....

 

EDIT oil pressure should be 4.2 psi @idle per tech-manual

 

First thing I would do is consider getting a full synthetic oil that is the proper weight and viscosity that may NOT be Mobil 1. Most top level synthtics are all very good. It is MUCH more imortant to run the right oil specs than run a particular brand, just make sure it is a decent full synthetic.

Also, try running with the OEM oil filter, assuming you can get to a dealer easily. Just buy a bunch of them then you dont have to go back so often.

I recommend getting a oil pressure and oil temperature gauges for your car. They are not that expensive if you get a good mechanical unit with electronic sender. I have Stewart Warner and they are nice.

 

On the head or at the oil filter? if its at the filter, thats hell of a low!!! thats 0.3 bar.. way too low for idle if its measuring off the filter housing that is.

 

Ok, I will try switching to Motul 10W 30 full synthetic oil. This is the oil that was recommended to the JDM EVO VIII's that came to Brazil.

Will see how it goes on monday. Thanks!

 

oil doesnt matter i use 0w-40 it gives me better protection at startup and when pushing my car to its limits,also the owners manual says you can use as high as 20w-50 oil in your car and it all depends on where you live and your ambient temps iam going to change to 5w-50oil for my car cause its know modded not stock.
also check first the pressure sensor from the oil, and iam using the same maps from the vishnu site and i dont have any problems at all.

 

I had this same problem after getting an oil change at a Mitsu dealership once.

Just like you the oil light would flicker at idle.

It bugged the crap out of me until I read my receipt and I found that they used 10W40 instead of 10W30.

I immediately went out & got another oil change, this time I bought my own Mobil 1 Synthetic 10W30 and a Fram oil filter and the problem went away & never came back again.

 

also use stock oil filter, oil viscosity doesnt matter it all depends on your ambient tempetures if you live in the dessert you wont be using 10w-30 its to thin or vice versa if you live in the north pole you wont use 20w-50 you would use 0w-30 it all depends on where you live. also have in mind that if your modded you wont be using stock oil viscosity i think someone would need something more thick for the added protection.

 

What mods do you have in your car?

 

Here in Sao Paulo it is about 50 to 90 Farenheit (10 to 30 celsius) the whole year. So I would guess the 0W 40 would do, but from what I read the 10W30 is a heavier oil, not too thin like the 0W 40, thus increasing oil pressure.

What do you think? I am going to try Motul 10W 30 which is the stock oil that Mitsubishi sold in Brazil. I am also using the K&N Oil Filter, do you think they are not good?