Oil Light Flashing (leaking oil pan gasket = pressure loss?)

[gutterslide]

my friend just bought a 90 EX for $700. it has a pretty bad leak from the oil pan gasket, we haven't gotten to replace it yet. the oil light is flashing, and from searching i keep seeing that the first thing to check is the oil pressure sending unit. according to the people she got it from, they just replaced it. now i know it could be a clogged oil pickup, or a dying oil pump, but could it be caused by a loss of pressure because of the leak at the oil pan? it's a pretty good sized leak... about 1 quart every 200 miles.

thanks, in advance.

[TMaxxTim]

Thats a low oil light, low oil pressure light, usually goes off when there is NO oil in the engine, just check the level and see if it goes back on once you've filled up.

[gutterslide]

thanks, but there's plenty of oil. that's not the issue.

my only real question is would the oil pan leak cause a significant enough drop in pressure that would trigger the sensor? or are the problems elsewhere? when we replace the oil pan gasket, i plan to check/clean the oil pickup screen.

[TMaxxTim]

I would put my money on that being the problem.

[ACCORDianate]

First off, an oil pan isn't going to leak a quart every 200 miles. More than likely its a timing seal or balance shaft seal thats going bad.

If the oil pressure light is on it means one of the following things:

-no oil (no oil= no pressure)
-too much oil (will make foam and cause light to come on)
-bad oil pressure switch (will make light come on when car runs fine (mine did that and replaced it in the dead of winter))
-failing oil pump (your engine won't last long if so)

[gutterslide]

Originally posted by ACCORDianate
First off, an oil pan isn't going to leak a quart every 200 miles.

it isn't? so, the timing seal and balance shaft seal must be near the oil pan at the back of the engine? no? cause that's where it's leaking... right at the oil pan gasket and pouring onto the the A-pipe and smoking like crazy. there is a puddle under the car in the same spot, nowhere near the seals you've mentioned. thanks, though.

Originally posted by SteveB
No, it wouldn't.

that's what i'm afraid of. i hope it's a clogged pickup. if not, i guess the oil pump will get replaced along with the timing belt and water pump. sucks.

[ACCORDianate]

On the back of the engine, starting from the top are the places oil could possibly leak:

valve cover gasket
head gasket
oil pressure switch
oil filter
oil pan gasket

The oil pressure switch is directly above the oil filter.

If you think its the oil pan gasket, try torquing down the bolts and see if the leak stops. If the leak continues, get under the car and take a good look with a flashlight and see if the leak is coming from higher up.

Since the people that just sold the car just replaced the oil pressure switch, they may not have it in all the way or may have it crossthreaded, allowing a good leak. See if the oil filter is covered with oil. If so you probably found the culprit.

[gutterslide]

i think it was leaking before they replaced the sensor. it would be great if somebody left an extra oil filter gasket stuck to the block during an oil change and the leak is coming from there, but i really don't think it is. i pulled the car up on the curb and looked under it with a flashlight and it didn't appear to be wet above the oil pan.

edit- oh, it has a new valve cover gasket, too. so hopefully the leak isn't coming from there.

[NutBucket]

I know for myself its the sensor that's gone bad. I verified this by having VTEC engage while the oil light was flashing. Stupid oil pressure sender

This is on my H22 by the way.