So my red oil pressure light came on, and after searching all of NAM, I changed out a crappy OEM oil filter with a MINI one. Also topped up engine oil - no leaks seen on the floor at all.

Unfortunately this didn't help - the oil pressure light still came on after a short drive. To add to all that, I thought I heard some sort of Rattle during a cold start (disappeared after the drive):


Are these 2 issues linked? Or do I just have to reset the oil pressure light? Am hoping it's not going to be a rebuild...

Any help would be great.... Thanks!!

 

Yes, the oil filter and the oil light are linked, and there's no reset for the oil pressure light.

What the mileage, what oil are you using, what has been your normal oil & filter change interval?

Don't understand this, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in this case is MINI.
I play safe and use OEM MINI oil filters only.

Using poor quality oil filters will cause damage that would require a rebuild - installing a good filter now would be closing the stable door after horse has bolted.

 

By topped up the oil level, how much did you need to "top up"?

You could also have a faulty oil pressure sender, have you thought about plumbing in a mechanical oil pressure gauge?

 

Thanks for the response, guys!

@1004ron - Mileage is around 60k for a 2008 car, oil change was done about 1000 miles ago with the crappy filter (sorry not OEM, some other brand). Oil was Motul 300v 5w40. So what you're saying is that there's been irreversible damage done?

@nkfry, topped up from the middle of the 2 indicators on the dip stick to the "full" indication. Not that much added. Is there any way to tell if the oil pressure sender is faulty?

 

I think the oil should be 5W30 not 5W40. Replace it back to 5W30 and see if that changes anything.
as for the rattle, do yourself a favor and remove the head cover and observe the chain and guides. As you might know, the N14 engine is know to fail in that area. was anything done in that regard?

 

Thanks and sorry for the late reply!

I find it interesting that oil viscosity would be the cause of this. I'm thinking it might be the oil pressure sensor or something as this issue is intermittent - probably comes up every other drive, and only near the end of the trips.

As for the Rattle, what exactly should I be looking for when I examine the chain and guides?

 

I think the viscosity plays a role in this. the same way you cannot put transmission oil in your break lines, you "shouldn't" change the oil rating in your engine, if that makes sense. This issue appeared after the oil change which also was a different rating. if you continue to have the issue, it is better to revert back to 5W30.
as for the rattle, if you remove the head cover, feel how much "play" is in the chain. also, you need to determine if the chain was ever worked on. as you might know, there is a "recall"/law suit in that matter. You might want to preemptively getting it done.

 

Thanks again! Unfortunately am not in the US, so that can't apply to me. Will still check it, though!

 

Engines aren't sensitive to a minor variation in viscosity. (0-30 vs. 5-40 doesn't matter in the short run, although long term it's better to stay with the recommended oil ratings.) That's definitely not a problem.

I suggest a test with a real oil pressure gauge to make sure you know what the pressure is. Driving an engine with low pressure will kill it quickly. I've also read more than one post in which low oil pressure was due to a faulty oil filter which partly collapsed and was restricting the oil flow. I recommend hanging the filter, as this does not seem to be an isolated problem.

The general rule is that you should have 10 PSI of pressure for every 1000 RPM the engine is turning. (You can convert that...)

 

Location: Boston, MA ??

 

The oil pressure switch is fairly cheap (I haven't checked, so assuming here) and changing it out could be your cheapest and easiest process of elimination.
If the light comes on with the new switch then you most likely have engine damage.

 

Sorry - moved from Boston to Singapore a couple of years back!

Agreed on the switch. Will try that too, if the oil doesn't work. Am also thinking of trying an OBDII Bluetooth adapter to see what my oil pressure really is like...

 

I don't believe that the OBDII scanner can do that - as far as I know the engine is fitted with only a switch, so no means of getting an actual pressure reading from it to present to the ECU and scanner.

 

Shucks. There goes one idea! Will try changing the oil first..

 

Okay just did the oil change today, and the engine sounds fine and pulls well, but after a 20 min drive, the red oil pressure light comes on again. Same thing on the next few drives.

Will probably try the oil pressure switch next, but any other suggestions would be really helpful. Thanks!!

 

Take a look at the vacuum pump.

 

Again, have a shop screw a real oil pressure gauge into the engine and get real world pressure reading.

 

The noise you are hearing is the vacuum pump. Sounds terrible just like mine but mini says that's normal operation for it to sound like that.

 

Was your vacuum pump noisy AND the oil light coming on?

 

Thanks for all the input! Still awaiting for the oil pressure switch to arrive..

In the meantime, will a vacuum pump failure (or close-to-failure) cause a decrease in oil pressure?

 

I think the opposite is true. You do NOT want to drive the car with low oil pressure. The damage can be costly if the vacuum pump fails/seizes.

 

Good call. The oil pressure light only comes on at the end of my drives, and not the start.

Just reading about the symptoms online, and although I do not have the ones related to reduced braking performance, I do have an issue with the AC keeping the cabin temperature cool!

Am now considering replacing it and the switch at the same time....

 

for the AC, just check/add freon to the system. cheaper than replacing the AC

 

Yes did that. Aircon blows cold when the compressor is on. I think the problem is the switch/relay/thermostat, or the vacuum pump...

 

So from all my searches, I can't seem to find a link between a faulty vacuum pump and low oil pressure (aside from an oil leak at the pump, which I don't have).

I think that these might be two different issues - or am i missing something here?

Also, I just checked the vacuum pump by removing the brake vacuum line, and the rattling seems to subside. However, the Rattle sounds like it is coming from the left of the engine (where the timing chain is), as opposed to the left... Am undecided if i should replace the vacuum pump now...