My mini is an 2003 S with 90,000 miles, recently my oil light comes on when i come to a stop with the clutch pushed down and the rpm's dip below 1000 and stays on (Almost like it breaks a seal when it dips too low).
Now this is about 6000 miles after i had changed the oil, and i don't remember any plastic pieces or springs. I run full synthetic (5w30).
The light will shut off if i turn my car off and turn it back on but I am not driving it anymore until i figure this out.

Any Ideas why it would be doing this now?

also about a week ago i installed a catch can. routing it out of the pcv valve.
i have recently removed the hoses from the can and put a coupler between. everything is hose clamed and tight and the oil light continues to come on.

Oil level was a tad bit low but i have added a little.

ANY IDEAS?

 

Does it do any other time during the rpm range? Like when you let off the throttle even at a higher RPM will it come on and then when you press the gas it goes away?

I'd start with an oil change and replace the filter and o-ring and go from there.

 

6,000... good time for an oil change anyways, change it and when u do check to see if your oil filter is backwards or on right, an oil filter that is in reverse will cause the oil light to be on just at idle, if you press gas it goes away. But it's wierd that it is happening 6,000 miles after ur last change...

 

As well, if the o-ring on the filter canister is not seated right or is torn it will trigger the oil pressure light. My car exhibited almost the exact same symptoms when I didn't put it on correctly one time. I'm wondering if his o-ring has suddenly gone bad and broken its seal and it's causing the light to come on. Good first place to check...

 

The oil light comes on, the. If I rev it your goes away for a short bit, but the light continues to come on at any rpm's

And about my o-ring maybe just now possibly breaking...
The light did come on towards the end of some intense curves on a little rally with 7 others

 

Since it appears to be progressing...STOP running it.
I'd yank the filter...inspect it and the canister carefully, and replace it (the filter+ o-ring). Then see if it goes away.
But please don't run it, especially under load....
If you had the chrono package and/or oil preasure guages it would give some great info.
Check the old filter carefuly...look at the pleats and the end where it pushes onto the housing....hopefully it is just a minor issue.

 

Anytime an oil light is on you are damaging your engine. Oil light means STOP the engine & find the cause. I hope you haven't trashed your engine.

Good luck

 

Changed the oil, filter, and o-ring let the car run for 10 minutes, no light drove around the block twice and the light came on. It's now sitting in the garage. Any ideas? Oil pump? Oil pressure sensor?

 

First thing I'd do is find where I can fit a mechanical oil pressure test gauge into the oil system (the kind with a long hose so you can place the gauge where you can see it). Determine exactly what the real oil pressure is before going into replacing parts. My old Scirocco had a low oil pressure light always coming on at stop signs. I plugged in a mechanical test gauge and discovered the pressure was fine, just an old, faulty sender. Replaced that and all was well again.

Eric

 

I agree with Eric. The sender is the first place I'd look too. Verify your oil pressure with a mechanical gauge. If you are lucky it is bum sender...

 

Yes i have a mechanical gauge on the way, along with a Bentley manual and a craven speed tapless adapter.

 

Let me know if you need any help

 

Last winter my oil light would flicker on and off at random times, once summer came it never came on. Now that its cold out again I am getting the same flickering. Not really sure what to do since I had one guy look at it and wasn't able to find the cause.

 

Hey Jim,
You wouldn't happen to have a supercharger removal tool or the belt removal tool?

Thanks

 

Had a pulley removal tool , but you need something to release the belt tension, right? Don't have that but you should be able cob something up

 

Do you still have the pulley removal tool?

 

thought I sold it, now I'm not so sure.

 

sold it,sorry
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...t/8690/cat/500

 

I just remembered something, the guys that pulled mine, ground it off as the pullers don't work that well anyways, if the pulley is stuck or JCW small. Just grind it with a thin grinding wheel .

 

Just a reminder that most places that sell pullies also sell/rent or lend pullers, sometimes for free (like WMW). If you have a JCW, it is a different puller...but places still have them, just ask. And a reminder, the pulley removal tool for the Mini is special...and many of them, especially the ones that grip just 1/2 to 2/3 of the pully to make using the tool easier for clearance reasons will bend/destroy the oem pully...doesn't matter though, even the full coverage pullers will destroy it....it cannot be reused.

If you are creative, you can use a socket as a fulcrum for a prybar to subustitue for the tennsioner tool...be careful though, one slip could cost you a broken finger or worse. If not using the tensioner, have someone standing by to push a pin in the hole on the tensioner to lock it.

 

Definitely check the pump also. Do you have an aftermarket solid crank pulley?

 

So when you pull the tensioner back you need to put a pin to lock it in place to remove the belt.

If you remove the belt an release the tentioner would it slam into the crank pulley?

This is going to be a big project but I have plenty of time to work on it, just going to have to spend a little bit on tools, also think the bentley manual will help greatly!

 

Every thing pulley related is stock, I believe the belt has been changed around 70,000 miles

 

Before you did too deep...a few thoughts...
Like you said you were going to do verify the oil preasure reading with a mechanical guage.
Secondly, before doing upgrades, no matter how tempting IMO, get this item taken care of first.
One more thought....since you mentioned that the light first came on "after a spirited drive" with friends, it could be much more serious than just a pump...
When you had it running, did it appear to run+sound the same as before the light first came on?

 

it makes no odd noises, sounds the same and it ran great after I changed the oil, during idol the light never came on I ran it for 10 minutes sounded good and drove great for the first block then the light came on.

I will Check pressure
If not pressure I will drop the pan and if I see nothing in the pan I will change the pump. If all is good then I will change pulleys