Ok, here's a 'What does THAT mean' thread...

Sometimes when I start my MINI, the oil light comes on. I can get it to shut off when I rev the motor, and then when revs come back to idle the light comes back on. It only stays on for a moment, then it darkens for the rest of the drive.

I checked the oil, and it appears full.

Why not ask the dealer? Well I have mods I am not ready to show them yet... LOL.

Ideas? Nothing in the BMW TIS...

 

The oil light coming on indicates low oil pressure, which does not necessarily have anything to do with the oil being full (meaning you can have low oil pressure even with the correct amount of oil if something else is broken).

I would recommend you get this checked out as soon as possible and avoid hard driving until you get it checked. It could be an electrical fault or it could be that you actually have dangerously low oil pressure. The techs can verify oil pressure by connecting an oil pressure gauge and making sure oil pressure is within spec.

The light goes off when you rev the engine because oil pressure increases with engine speed. But it's very important that you get it checked because if the light is coming on at idle then it's possible that your oil pressure may be below spec at speed too.

Oil starvation is a very very bad thing so this is extremely important if you don't want a new engine in your future.

 

This could be something as simple as a defective oil pressure sender (turning on the light even though the pressure is sufficient), or something more serious like an internal leak, defective oil pump, etc. Either way, it is wise to have this checked out by your dealer.

I added an oil pressure gauge to my car in addition to the light. With the engine hot and idling, the pressure is about 12psi, and is about 50psi at cruise. Good numbers for this type of engine.

 

Both posts above are wise words indeed and should be heeded. the sooner, the better.
Great Bear, did you find a gauge with a matching facia to the rest of the instruments? The MINI kit is pretty worthless in tha respect and of course, it makes it really easy to check the guages stuck behind coffee mugs any one know of a cluster for around the tach with proper facia colors?

 

Mine is about 20-21psi when the engine is hot and idling. But I do use 15w-50 performance driving Mobil One.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...746#post363746

As for the oil light, mine goes on all of the time. Two different dealers couldn't figure out why. I now have gauges and see I have a healthy oil pressure - ALL OF THE TIME. My light is just out of whack. But now, I can ignore it.

 

I would be concerned that it goes out at high RPM.