Low oil pressure warning

lookforjoe

True Classic
the new thing is our “pull over and turn off engine - low oil pressure “ on the info panel.

Anyone experienced this? No noise from motor that would be indicative of actual pressure loss, esp since it doesn’t just happen at idle.
 
The sensor on my Golf and my Passat both failed which tripped the relay for the buzzer.

I would look at the sensor (duh Karl)

Our ever helpful modern cars. Ugh
 
What does an accurate oil pressure gauge say?

Oil pressure sensors are know to fail. By leaking or faulty indication.

Check this,


Bernice
 
Changed the OP sender yesterday. What a pain in the butt. The splash shield has a retaining screw placed directly behind the brake hose connnection to the hard line. Really??? Bunch of idiotic things like that on this chassis.

Anyway, No change. I’ll have to figure out if I can hook up a mechanical gauge to that port, otherwise it’s dealership time. I need them to check the software status, given the other glitches that have shown up.:(
 

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Need a motor. We have at least one spun bearing. I’m just curious how common this is. Motor only has 40k, which is a baby as far as I’m concerned. The dealer says they’ve replaced a number of oil pumps on these.
 
Haven’t heard of that problem, might check on one of the 500 forums, there are several.

Yes, 40k is nothing on a stock Fiat engine in my expectation. I sure hope thats the case as our new Jeep Compass has effectively a larger version of the 500 motor and its tech.
 
the new thing is our “pull over and turn off engine - low oil pressure “ on the info panel.

Anyone experienced this? No noise from motor that would be indicative of actual pressure loss, esp since it doesn’t just happen at idle.


When I was doing the Abarth swap for some reason I lost indication of oil pressure. I installed a pressure guage and found that when cold and idle the oil pressure was 50 PSI, increasing RPM pressure climbed to 90 PSI. A warm engine at idle is only about 20 PSI. The sensor is a pressure switch that is closed from 0-7 PSI it has only 1 terminal. No matter what I did I could not get the ECU to see a change in state, even jumpering the switch did not resolve the problem. The ECU was changed and all is well. The engine had only 2,800 Miles on it.

TonyK.

Grimsby Ontario Canada.
 
When I was doing the Abarth swap for some reason I lost indication of oil pressure. I installed a pressure guage and found that when cold and idle the oil pressure was 50 PSI, increasing RPM pressure climbed to 90 PSI. A warm engine at idle is only about 20 PSI. The sensor is a pressure switch that is closed from 0-7 PSI it has only 1 terminal. No matter what I did I could not get the ECU to see a change in state, even jumpering the switch did not resolve the problem. The ECU was changed and all is well. The engine had only 2,800 Miles on it.

TonyK.

Grimsby Ontario Canada.

Unfortunately on ours you can hear an audible knock now. How hard was it pulling the motor out of the donor? Remove nose & pull it out forward? Can't find a good reference for the job...
 
Not doing well here. Engine arrived Friday. Looks completely shagged. I can't imagine this only had 50K, unless it was removed & left out in the dirt & elements for several years. Looks like it was puking oil for many miles. Heavy corrosion & oxidation, broken **** all over, cut engine harness (WTF???) broken sensors, etc. I'm thinking it must have also come from a turbo (listing said NA, correct VIN digit), or else why pull the exhaust manifold?

Then the vendor (Levielles Auto in Somers, CT) claimed I must be falsifying the evidence, as he couldn't see the 'special' markings he says they put on all their engines. Maybe that was the red spray paint all over the flywheel & rear casting??? He did ultimately refund the total purchase cost. Now I have a boat anchor to dispose of.

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yeah, I'm gonna consider using an engine with a large whole in the timing cover
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bent & cracked branch pipe

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Delivered open like this
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snapped off oil filler
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This is a normally aspirated engine. Although the exhaust manifold is missing the water lines to the turbo are not there nor the wiring for the waste gate actuator. That being said it appears that this engine has been rolled on the ground which would provide a plausible reason for the damage and bent lines.

Check out LKQ they are very good and have a good reputation for supplying quality used parts.

I will share with you a special adapter that I made to allow the use of both the X oil pressure sensor and the Abarth engine oil pressure sensor. This is where the 2 entities require some adaptation to make the engine and the X come together. Also the 1/8" pipe plugs allow a standard pressure gauge to be installed on the dash for direct pressure readings.


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TonyK.

At Bob Martin's in Radcliff Kentucky.
 
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or else why pull the exhaust manifold?

Hey Hussein. Sorry for your troubles. Yeah, I too would not have accepted that POS they sent you....

As an interesting aside, I can at least explain why they shipped you the engine minus it's exhaust manifold. I'm pretty sure your original exhaust manifold also contained an integral catalytic converter. Original equipment converters contain a lot of precious metals ( like platinum and rodium - that is how they work ) that are worth a LOT of money - like $200 or so just in scrap metal value. It is standard practice in the auto wrecking business to immediately remove the converter from all wrecks and sell them for their scrap value. They may never sell that engine, but that converter is guaranteed money in the bank.

And even stranger - and more enticing for the wrecker - is that they often get paid in cash....

This business is so enticing that I can tell you a funny story. I'm in the exhaust parts trade, and often get calls from a shop whose customer has come in with a very noisy car. Turns out that the previous evening someone had stolen their converter !!! Usually on a car - like on an X1/9 - where the converter was easily accessible from under the car. The thieves just slide under with a cordless sawzall and chop it out. SUVs and trucks are popular targets due to easier access with their higher ground clearance.

So yeah, most any engine you find for your 500 will likely come to you minus the exhaust manifold/converter assembly. No big deal as you should just be able to swap over the one from your existing engine, as long as it is still okay. The only exception would likely be an engine you find on Craigslist or something from a private party.

Suggest you actually try to go see in person any engine you want to buy. Or at least buy from a reputable source - yes I have heard that LTQ are pretty good. And check carefully - most of the engines in the wreckers are from front end collisions. Look closely for broken engine mount castings or bent stuff that cannot be easily swapped over from your existing engine.

Good luck, Doug
 
Thanks Doug - that makes perfect sense - I just looked & the cat is integral to the manifold.

Unfortunately there are no local yards where I can preview what I would be buying. I’m asking the yards I’ve contacted for specifics on what is & is not included.
 
Hey Hussein. Generally speaking...in your case, when you get an engine from the wreckers, you will NOT get the exhaust manifold, alternator, or starter. Other stuff like coil packs, mounts, intakes, etc will be hit and miss....wiring bits may or may not be chopped or intact....

They assume that in 99% of cases like yours, you have an internal engine fault in a complete car. And can thus re-use your existing manifolds/alternators/wiring/hoses/mounts/etc when replacing the engine. I have already explained about the exhaust manifold. Alternators and starters they can sell separately to end users or in bulk as cores to the rebuilders - again money in the bank.

Any other ancillary they either sell separately or - as time is money to them - they will just cut a wiring harness or engine mount if it makes removal quicker. They just assume you can re-use your existing ones.

Which in most cases is okay. but a real bummer if you need to use the the engine for a swap like K20 into X1/9. For that reason you will find most of the JDM engine places sell it much more complete.

Funny story - i recall years ago going to the wreckers to get a rear trailing arm for a Volvo 140 ( remember those ? ). They wanted like $20 for it. Bolted on the body with one bolt, and onto the axle with one bolt. Yup...watched the guy just torch through the bracket on the body - hey no big deal on a wreck - and then instead of undoing the bolt to the axle, he just torched the bracket on the axle itself. Thus rendering the axle useless.....
 
Hey Hussein. Generally speaking...in your case, when you get an engine from the wreckers, you will NOT get the exhaust manifold, alternator, or starter. Other stuff like coil packs, mounts, intakes, etc will be hit and miss....wiring bits may or may not be chopped or intact....

They assume that in 99% of cases like yours, you have an internal engine fault in a complete car. And can thus re-use your existing manifolds/alternators/wiring/hoses/mounts/etc when replacing the engine. I have already explained about the exhaust manifold. Alternators and starters they can sell separately to end users or in bulk as cores to the rebuilders - again money in the bank.

Any other ancillary they either sell separately or - as time is money to them - they will just cut a wiring harness or engine mount if it makes removal quicker. They just assume you can re-use your existing ones.

Which in most cases is okay. but a real bummer if you need to use the the engine for a swap like K20 into X1/9. For that reason you will find most of the JDM engine places sell it much more complete.

Funny story - i recall years ago going to the wreckers to get a rear trailing arm for a Volvo 140 ( remember those ? ). They wanted like $20 for it. Bolted on the body with one bolt, and onto the axle with one bolt. Yup...watched the guy just torch through the bracket on the body - hey no big deal on a wreck - and then instead of undoing the bolt to the axle, he just torched the bracket on the axle itself. Thus rendering the axle useless.....

I've found a couple others that are more complete in terms of undamaged harnesses, sensors & piping. One has 60K & is cleaner (in CA), the other is here in NY, with only 35K. Since that is closer to my actual mileage, I'm leaning toward that one. Waiting for a couple pics to confirm details.

I certainly remember the 140 series - I had several (mostly EFI), along with 164e's :}

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Got another engine on the way - another east coast job so oxidation is par for the course. This one is 2015 / 35K. Engine harness intact, intake & plumbing all there, just no exhaust "maniverter". Hopefully it lasts more than 10K, ours has 45K now.

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Started taking the nose off after work

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Maniverter

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Motor came. 2015, 35k. Nice and tidy.

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Immediately obvious issues - crank sensor is on the flywheel. No oil sensor in the oil pan. I’m not pulling the pan, so I’ll drill & tap for the sensor. I’ll rewire for the crank signal sensor to the crank pulley, since I have to swap flywheels over, I won’t have whatever trigger wheel is present on the existing auto flex plate.

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The crank is different on this motor - the pulse wheel is part of it - unless it is a removable plate. Doesn't look that way. Rear cover is also different.

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Pulled the axles out of the hubs

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Amazing this boot didn't leak

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Drivetrain out. Right axle didn't want to come out, so I left it be.

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Trans leak that I thought was the right axle (at a glance from underneath) must be coming from up here - the top is saturated

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Selector shaft seal

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Another oil leak - front crank seal

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The overall quality of these seems pretty crappy, I wouldn’t expect this level of leaks, etc. at 40k. Now I have to transfer over all the crap I need. Bunch of parts on order.

Need to investigate the crank sensor change from 2012 to 2015, and make sure the system is still the same, just revised placement. Also have to add the oil temp sensor wiring.
Hopefully it goes back in by the weekend.
 
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Removed the transaxle. Started swapping over parts to the replacement motor. Need to clear all this out so I can get my Fiat inside :D

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Look familiar? Similar design to the X1/9 trans

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removed the shift gate mechanism so I can replace the shaft seal

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After removing the roll pin (above), I found the shaft is retained by a circlip under the left side guide bushing, which means holding back the spring with a tool, whilst prying off the circlip with the other, while steadying the entire assembly with the third hand.... So, what happened was the circlip took off up & across the garage - into this corner :(

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thankfully I heard the sound of something dropping into a cardboard box (god knows how I know exactly what that sounds like) - so I hoped & prayed the circlip landed inside one of those up on the shelving...

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I would have been royally screwed if that wasn't in there.

Pulse wheel on crank is separate

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Sheet Metal shield from Manual trans won't fit over this. I'll have to cut it around

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Auto trans spacer in comparison

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While everything is apart, have a look at the starter solenoid connection. The connection is poorly designed and a failure point on 500s. My wife's 500 has had this connection fail twice. Clean it and apply some anti-oxidant.

Brian
 
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