Oil Light comes on BARELY

[BoardDad]

Ok, I can't find anything regarding this in any threads, so please either help direct me to where this issue may already be addressed, or help with some feedback or suggestions if you are familiar.

I had my radiator replaced, picked it up yesterday.

Prior, when I was trouble shooting I drove 8 miles up to Napa to get an upper radiator hose. I was low on coolant, and the car was overheating (or at least the gauge was starting to climb) the oil light just barely became lit (almost not really lit, but not black like it usually stays - I would rate the light "on" at start as a 10, and this amount of "lit" at a 1)

Now the radiator is good, upper & lower hoses replaced, but I have seen this "phantom" oil light barely come on a couple of times.

I'm not really sure if I should be concerned, I would have it put on a computer to read codes, or whatever, but would rather not take it in for a diagnostic, unless it is necessary.

Looking forward to feedback,

Thanks

Tom

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

Hey Tom,

My oil light comes on in my 2.5RS. The dimly lit oil light goes away after the car warms up. It only happens when it's raining in the winter. I read on RS25.com that the electrical connector gets wet and some dialectic grease will take care of it. Your situation may be completely different due to your different motor.

Hope it helps.

 

[BoardDad]

Hey Tom,

My oil light comes on in my 2.5RS. The dimly lit oil light goes away after the car warms up. It only happens when it's raining in the winter. I read on RS25.com that the electrical connector gets wet and some dialectic grease will take care of it. Your situation may be completely different due to your different motor.

Hope it helps.

Thanks bro, whether or not this is the same scenario as mine, it's always worth knowing any situations that might be relevant, and trouble shooting has to start somewhere, right? Besides, I do have an '00 RS Lawn Ornament at the moment, not sure if I will repair then sell that, and keep the '03... or if I'll just drive this for winter...

I was thinking that a nice remote start (since it's auto) would be pretty pimp when it's like Negative 10 degrees, and I'm getting up at 6am to go teach skiing...!

 

[Chris]

There was an issue on some ej25s with the oil pickup tube cracking causing bad oil pressure. I'd make sure it wasn't the connector, because low oil pressure is going to very quickly kill that engine.

 

[Matt]

whats wrong with the lawn ornament??? how much?

 

[inski]

Definitely look into this right away. Also check your oil level.

The oil pessure sensor is easy. The goldish plug near the front is where the pressure sensor is. Yours wont be gold, more of a crusty corroded aluminum color. In between your ALT and PS pump.

It will have a half dollar mushroom sized sensor sticking up with a singe wire on top . Often the connectors get smashed. Check the connection, repair if necessary. If light still stays on do an oil pressure test. Your engine may be all done. Might not be but its pretty serious concern with expensive consequences if not addressed wicked soon.

 

[BoardDad]

whats wrong with the lawn ornament??? how much?

It's the 2000 2.5RS BRP 5MT

I'm picking up a transmission for it as soon as I can get a meeting planned. Then I'm not really sure what to do, I could sell that one, but I kinda love it... Target idea was if I could fix that one I would sell this '03 WRX after winter... I just can't afford to do anything until I start teaching skiing/riding up at Loon Mtn. so I get back to a decent income (took summer off for school taking unemployment through MEOC program)

I've got around $6000 in it (after transmission fix I'm thinking), and just paid $4300 for this WRX which just threw a CEL at me on way home tonight...

 

[BoardDad]

There was an issue on some ej25s with the oil pickup tube cracking causing bad oil pressure. I'd make sure it wasn't the connector, because low oil pressure is going to very quickly kill that engine.

How do I know if mine is EJ25 (or is that what you are verifying based on 03 wrx wagon 2.0 AT?)

 

[BoardDad]

Definitely look into this right away. Also check your oil level.

The oil pessure sensor is easy. The goldish plug near the front is where the pressure sensor is. Yours wont be gold, more of a crusty corroded aluminum color. In between your ALT and PS pump.

It will have a half dollar mushroom sized sensor sticking up with a singe wire on top . Often the connectors get smashed. Check the connection, repair if necessary. If light still stays on do an oil pressure test. Your engine may be all done. Might not be but its pretty serious concern with expensive consequences if not addressed wicked soon.

YIKES!? (ok, so terror ran through me!) My friend has the device to check the CEL codes (it gave me a CEL on way home tonight after about a 40 mi round trip) so I will be taking it over to Wheels N Waves here in Wells (Dave's a bike mechanic there, and a Scooby enthusiast lucky for me) so hopefully after I look at this in AM I will see if that connector looks bad, or jammed up) I'm a little amazed here: it seems IRA Subaru did the maintenance on this car it's whole life. Then it got sold to Ocean Subaru in Hampton, NH, and they put it on auction, where the guy got it and sold it to me... it just seems that IRA knew what was going on w/ the car, then Ocean dumped it... when I called IRA they gave me history, but Ocean said they never had a mech look at it... I just feel like the bottom of the dung heap, and this is what I get for LOVING Subaru... that or trusting some damn Euro selling me a used car... Oh well, I guess I gotta pay dues for anything worth having...

 

[inski]

The previous owner probably got bad news from IRA during a diagnostic or service visit and didn't have the means to fix it so they traded it in a Ocean. Ocean probably didn't want to monkey with it due to the issue or no profitability so they wholesaled it and sent it to the auction.

Best of luck. Hopefully its just the sensor or connector.

 

[BoardDad]

The previous owner probably got bad news from IRA during a diagnostic or service visit and didn't have the means to fix it so they traded it in a Ocean. Ocean probably didn't want to monkey with it due to the issue or no profitability so they wholesaled it and sent it to the auction.

Best of luck. Hopefully its just the sensor or connector.

Yup, I totally understood, just wished it wasn't me... Possibly after all the expenses to get it up to speed I will have paid the amount of the KBB Good rating. Since the interior is PRISTINE, and the exterior is 4.5/10 I'm thinking I'm doing pretty ok...?

 

[BoardDad]

Wonder if any dealer would want both my Imprezas, to put me into a certified pre-owned? I really want to stay in a Subaru.

 

[BoardDad]

So that little plug has a connector coming off it which looks like an "L" shape? It seems ok, and there's a white plug just above that... both seemed ok, not sure what to test?

 

[Matt]

un plug it an look for corosion, check the wire to make sure its tight in the socket. as inski said if the light stays on stop driving it and get the pressure checked...no need to cook a motor

 

[BoardDad]

un plug it an look for corosion, check the wire to make sure its tight in the socket. as inski said if the light stays on stop driving it and get the pressure checked...no need to cook a motor

Got it back to the mechanic who did the radiator today, and he said that in fact they had not tightened the transmission oil cooler line properly, and in fact the pinkish liquid I spotted this morning was a result. Possibly this also caused this light to "ghost" on. My bro put his code reader on it tonite, and got no codes (the mech came up w/ a gas cap code when he read it, so probably no issues there...)

This light is not showing up faintly even now, so I'm feeling more confident again, thanks to all for the advice. I will check that plug again tomorrow, as it was tight enough I could not pull it loose (also did not think I wanted to dislodge it, wasn't sure if it should screw on/off, or just pull off...)

Thanks

T

 

[inski]

The L shaped is the one. Its just a simple blade connector under the plastic coating. You can even squeeze it a little with plyers if it seems too loose. If the light is out I'd say its not a pressure issue. More likely an electrical or connection issue. Usually pressure issues are permanent...as in the light never goes out until the engine is rebuilt. Glad your mechanic fixed the loose ends.

Glad your confidence is back. Certified cars are nice for the peace of mind, the dealers have complete history of the car. But you do give up more money for them.

 

[bigd003]

I have also seen this "ghost" oil light... I got it right after going fully synthetic. Came on a couple times, like a flicker, then off.

I checked my oil level, dry dipstick (as some ej's apparently get for an odd reason other than low oil...???), so I then changed my oil and got a full pan of 2000 mile old syn (not low by any means). Put some fresh oil in there and haven't seen the light since.

I will check my connector after work... But I'm guessing i'm not on the verge of a catastophic failure here...

 

[i-wagon]

mine will do it if there is even a slight bit of moisture in the engine compartment. pressure wash engine=faint light for an hour, snow blowing in grille after parking it, light for an hour. i need to do something about that before winter........

 

[Chris]

mine will do it if there is even a slight bit of moisture in the engine compartment. pressure wash engine=faint light for an hour, snow blowing in grille after parking it, light for an hour. i need to do something about that before winter........

Clean the connector, get all the crap out. Fill it with dielectric grease. And you shouldn't have any more issues.