So I read that there are a lot of issues with the oil pressure sensor where it would flicker at idle. But I was getting the oil light flicker after my 4th autocross run. Every run I would hit the rev limiter for about a half to a full second at most. After my 4th run I was sitting on the grid (car idling) and my rpms were around 7/800-1000. I then noticed my oil light flickering lightly. Whenever I would rev the car up it would go away. Didn't want to risk anything so I didn't run the rest of the day. I had the car turned off for about 10 minutes. When I turned it back on the oil light never flickered again...

So does this sound like the oil pressure sensor needs to be replaced or could this be something else? Oil has not more than a 1000 miles on it and is filled to the right amount.

Thanks.

 

That's your oil getting hot and getting thinner. Improve oil cooling with a cooler kit like what MAP sells with a legit Setrab cooler, or run thicker oil for autocross events. 10w40 or 20w50.

 

Does your car have aftermarket cams by chance? You could try bumping up your idle a couple hundred RPM's and see if that solves it. Sometimes the oil pressure sensor starts to crap out and that is the issue but I've also found that Ill get the flicker sometimes especially after getting the oil really hot as it thinks out some. What kind of oil are you running? Do you have an aftermarket oil pressure gauge? I'd say its normal and you shouldnt really worry about it but I'd hate to see you pop a motor from low oil pressure and come back here and yell at me, lol!

 

Car only has bolt ons and a tune. No Cams, no oil pressure guage and nothing for oil cooling. Would the oil get hot from just 4 50 second autocross runs?

 

Yes, the stock oil cooler is puny.

 

Will an upgraded oil cooler help cool the oil while sitting at idle? I can see how it would help cool oil when driving out on the course but not when sitting out on the grid. But it does all make sense with the oil getting hot, thinning oil and then oil no longer flickering after like 10 minutes of sitting.

 

I am using amsoil zrod 10W-30.

 

Even when sitting still, a larger cooler hold a bit more oil. And the setrab cooler has more rows, so it holds more oil and has more surface area. So it will cool the oil better in all situations. Even sitting still, the increased surface area will help it dissipate more heat.

 

Try running 10-40 first, quick easy fix. Might also look into Kiggly pressure regulator-- I am seeing increased idle pressure this year after install even hot, Im in Tx. Just a thought.

 

I've only ran 10W-30 on this car. This is a daily driver so would running 10W-40 be fine? Changing the oil seems like the cheapest route and at most oil cooler. At most I do 8 autocross runs not lasting more than 50 seconds each run. So just trying to figure out the best course of action to get longevity out of the engine.

 

The oil is not your problem. I've run 0W-20 for 60,000 miles and no oil light ever.

2 questions:

Have you changed the oil pressure sensor?

I know it sounds like I'm being condescending, but I'm not here. Did you check the oil level?

 

I've never changed the sensor and I did check the oil levels when I saw the oil light flicker and was a little above the 2nd knotch. Will recheck to see what it's like when the engine is cool.

 

What do you do, cruise your car on the streets? My oil light flickers after a hot track session running 15w50 race oil..

 

Yes, I do. I also had run Sebring and PBIR during that time. Prior to that highway pulls, and general goofing off. Never saw a flicker of any sort.

 

Oil cooler ugrade? The 4g63 already only runs about 5-10psi at idle. You get a 10w30 up in the 300's and it gets a lot thinner. Thin enough to trigger the oil light which comes at probably 2-4psi..