E30 Zone

hi can anyone help me out i discovered oil in my expansion tank but there does not seem to be any loss from the engine the oil light comes on every now and again but there is plenty of oil there i have checked the plugs all the same light brown the temp does not move above the first mark except when stuck in trafic but returns back down any suggestions please
simon

What engine are we talking as some suffer with pourus heads and this sounds like a prime example, don't forget it takes bugger all oil in the water to make a rite mess

Geoff H

it is a 2.5 1988 with 116,453 miles on the clock could it be some thing other than a head gasket

simondavies wrote:the oil light comes on every now and again

Which oil light? The oil level light on the 'check panel' or the oil pressure light on the dash?

If its the oil pressure light then get the engine checked, if the oil pressure light comes on its not normally good news - blocked oil way or oil pump failure, even if the light only flickers on for a second

If its the oil level light, then these can sometimes come on for no reason - maybe a problem with the level sensor or the wiring connections on the sensor. Not really an issue as long as theres oil showing on the dipstick.

Sorry to crash the thread, but where is the oil pump and how much to fix/replace it? My oil light started off flickering occasionally and is now pretty much on all the time. Garage flushed the engine at the last oil change (last week) - no change.....
Cheers
Morat

Morat wrote:Sorry to crash the thread, but where is the oil pump and how much to fix/replace it? My oil light started off flickering occasionally and is now pretty much on all the time. Garage flushed the engine at the last oil change (last week) - no change.....
Cheers
Morat

First of all, either check the oil pressure with a gauge, or try a new pressure switch. Also check the wiring to the switch isn't damaged where it goes around the front of the engine.
If your oil pressure really is that low, then I suspect you need a lot more than a new oil pump.

Brianmoooore wrote:

Morat wrote:Sorry to crash the thread, but where is the oil pump and how much to fix/replace it? My oil light started off flickering occasionally and is now pretty much on all the time. Garage flushed the engine at the last oil change (last week) - no change.....
Cheers
Morat

First of all, either check the oil pressure with a gauge, or try a new pressure switch. Also check the wiring to the switch isn't damaged where it goes around the front of the engine.
If your oil pressure really is that low, then I suspect you need a lot more than a new oil pump.

Thanks brian. The engine is running fine so I'm guessing its got to be a wiring/sensor fault. Hoping anyway!

its the light on the obc no sign of any loss of oil in the engine though even though there is some in the coolant

simondavies wrote:its the light on the obc no sign of any loss of oil in the engine though even though there is some in the coolant

I'm totaly lost here! There;'s nothing on the OBC that has anything to do with oil. (Do you mean the check panel in the roof?) and the OBC and/or check panel have nothing to do with oil in the coolant tank.
Oil in the coolant tank is not good, and is a sign of a failing head gasket or a cracked cylinder head.