Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

SO, oil pressure light on the instrument cluster (oil can picture) has been flickering over the last couple of weeks. Not a constant blink like an indicator, more like a random flicker….sometimes a hard red…sometimes a soft one…..like an electrical problem. Have not used car much in the last month…weather…maybe four 10 min journeys at best….yesterday, I changed the Oil (Castrol GTX Ultraclean 10w40) OEM oil filter and put on a brand new OEM Oil Pressure sender. Oil pressure on cold starts pegged at 5 then after 15 mins it goes to around 3.4 on idle…so not far off Clarks guide.
Took it for a spin today…upon start the oil pressure goes to 5 and sure enough the oil pressure light starts to flicker……after 3 mins…light goes away…drive for another 15 mins….light flickered once during this time and that was it.
So…a bit strange. I can’t seem to get it to come on with acceleration/braking etc..it has a mind of its own...I have checked wires from sender and ensured good contact to the sender to both the connections and have also checked back to under the manifold area. I have an oil level sender on the sump and the wires look ok…but unsure how to test that.

So, a bit strange and random. It really seems electrical rather than a mechanical fault…just can’t trace it. I guess in the grand scheme of things if the car is pulling well, with good oil pressure, no obvious leaks all is OK…just this flickering light is annoying...

Any pointers greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

M

I use 20w50 in my old cars. Don’t use 10w40 in any of my old cars because they don’t get used enough which I’m pretty certain allows seals to leak and pressure to drop.

Try changing to this grade oil and see how you get on.

Andy S

Sounds more like the oil level sensor is kaput...like mine is!
Mine packed up - illuminated 99% of the time even though oil level is fine.
Sod's law - it started playing up just after an oil change!

well I by passed the oil level sensor relay and no flicker...oil pressure is good and behaves as per Clarks and I check the oil at the dipstick pretty much every day........guess it is a quirk of my year of car and a bit of an afterthought...no other one has it?! I am sure it is a short in the wire somewhere, but just can't trace it....

M

the Oil level sensor relay is 944 617 150 00 £113.00 and still available, PET2 also says it was used in the 1982> 944

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OEM-Porsche- ... SwQFNa-T-d

Thanks for this...would rather try and test the relay really but don't know how...otherwise its just parts Lotto.....any clues?

M

From the pic it looks like a plastic case, some gentle taking apart and clean the contacts with some fine emery paper, and a blast with contact cleaner and see how you get on

Update alert

well...put the relay back together again on Monday.....flickered a bit on start up but has been fine all week! Been using it quite a bit, covered 200 miles at least, so all very strange. I do park on a slight hill with nose up if this may contribute....and the last time I had this issue I had changed the oil and filter back in the winter and didn't really use it that much....so a bit baffled.....oh well...on to the next challenge!

M