Thread: Oil Pressure light on instrument cluster

Originally Posted by Azza_LR3

Hi all,
Can anyone shed so info for me. I was on an interstate trip recently, and after driving about 200kms, the engine oil light came up on the dash, car momentarily lost power, so i backed off throttle, and pulled over immediately.
Car stalled when i pulled to kerb. I popped bonnet, and checked oil, it was low, but i had oil (disappointing after a recent post trip service). Anyway.
So i started the car again and it was running rough. So i shut it off again, and got towed home.

Other information: I have a scan gauge fitted to vehicle, both engine (90deg cel) and trans (70deg cel), were within normal temps ranges, and no other alerts came up.

Does anyone have any ideas what happened? Im suspecting oil pump failure for some reason, can has 245ks on it, and trans was fully rebuild 60ks ago.

Any suggestions, or has anyone encountered this before?

Sounds a lot like a major failure, probably a crank bearing, possibly oil pump but more likely a bearing.

Thanks, so ive done some investigation and checked out a few things,
The oil was free of debris, after i filtered it, However, oil filter has moderate amounts of brass dust on bottom of this.... Telling me its chewed out a big end bearing or 2.
So i shoved my borescope up the sump hole and took a peek inside. Basically, its appears i have chewed out the mains bearings for CYL 1 & 2, As they were starved of enough / any oil,

So its undoubtably caused by the infamous 2.7 diesel oil pump failure. Which as ive been made aware was a huge issue years ago, somehow mine was not replaced under recall in 2011/12, thanks to previous owners......

So now i must remove and repair the engine....... Which is quite a timely and costly job (as body needs removal off chassis).

Anyway I will keep you all posted, as i progress to getting my beast back on the road.

Gee the bad luck stories continue.

Sorry to hear this.

Sounds like you have joined the infamous spun bearing club. But losing oil pressure before the failure is different so does point to either lack of oil or an oil pump failure as you suspect.

Not aware of any oil pump recall, but the must do recommendation is to replace the oil pump with timing belts and make sure you have the latest upgraded pump which is reinforced and has a larger impeller.

Can I ask what oil spec you were running since you owned it?

Plus any issues with starting the car in recent times?

Originally Posted by Azza_LR3

... checked oil, it was low, but i had oil (disappointing after a recent post trip service)...

What was done at that post trip service? Was engine refilled to the correct level? As others have asked, what oil spec was used?

Yes, a pre trip checkover was completed. A few weeks earlier, transmission oil changed, diff oil changes x 2, Engine was looked over, but they somehow missed engine oil. AS after it stopped , i noticed oil was low, but it was there.

After some detailed inspection, and checks, i have found the issue. Oil Pump has failed for some reason, And starved the big end bearings of CYL 1, 2, which have chewed them out. Gold dust was found on base of oil filter, oil was generally clear of material, just some fibrous material in strainer. Oil was a little dark.
So i will be removing the engine in the upcoming weeks, and rebuilding the engine, as i believe its the only way forward. or to retire the car..

Cheers
Azza

Will be interesting to see what you confirm when you strip it down. Also could have spun a main bearing which then starves the cylinder big end bearings of oil.

What spec oil were you using?

Originally Posted by DiscoDB

Will be interesting to see what you confirm when you strip it down. Also could have spun a main bearing which then starves the cylinder big end bearings of oil.

That wouldn't result in an oil pressure light though.

Originally Posted by BradC

That wouldn't result in an oil pressure light though.

Agreed - could be one of the first oil pump failures seen (excluding the early model housing failures after a timing belt change).

If so - supports changing pump every timing belt change even if you have the updated pump.

The other variable is the low oil level and if it starved of oil whilst under load - depends on how low it was.

Strip down should confirm. Not good either way for the OP.