Oil light switch and earth points

[.Mark]

So I had a bit of a scare at the weekend when pootling around and noticed the oil light come on

Stopped the car and waited for everything to cool, checked the oil level and all spot on, also oil pressure is good and the same as it always has been. Once the heart rate had returned to normal and the wallet had stopped twitching I figured I need to work out what's wrong. Like I say, everything is behaving normally, no odd sounds from the engine, pressure good, oil fully topped up, car starts ok, oil light goes out and stays out, drive up the road and about a mile it comes on, not sure if it's distance/heat related.

Also I leant in to put the window up with the ignition off and noticed as I did it that the battery warning light came on, so now I'm beginning to think earthing trouble - what do you guys think?

Where are the earth points on a 1999 Cerb?

[Gazzab]

Could be the oil pressure switch?
Could be the big fuse?

[.Mark]

Pointers to both?

If the big one went wouldn't everything stop working? Or can it partially go?

[high52kojak]

Oil pressure switch is in the V at the back of the engine, I think under the coil packs? There is a thread on here at the moment with a photo I think. It does sound like this is faulty on yours.
The big fuse is also at the back of the engine, you'll need to remove the cover at the bottom of the window screen to get to it. It will be in a black plastic case, this is an easy job and you may as well change it anyway.
One earth point is on the chassis at the passenger side front wheel arch, near the oil filter, if you remove the wheel you'll see it easily.

[JensenA]

Earthing points :-

ECU earth in the cubby hole in the centre of the car - tricky to get to.
Chassis Rail to the rear of the passenger side wheel arch.
At the front of the chassis rail on the drivers side.

All have big meaty black cables attached to them.

[.Mark]

Thanks guys, appreciated. Will go have a ferret around after work

[ridds]

It'll be the switch, notorious for failing. If the captive nuts in the coil mount plates are loose then it's a bugger to change.

Make sure you get a new one before removing the old as they are in short supply (or were about 18 months ago).

[.Mark]

Cheers Ridds Hello Andy......

[.Mark]

ridds said:

Make sure you get a new one before removing the old as they are in short supply (or were about 18 months ago).

And they still are - got to call him in a week or so to see how the search is going.

[ridds]

There is a supplier who makes them but they only do them in batches.

I think we need to club together and by one each and get our own batch made!

[.Mark]

If Andy can't find one I'd be up for that!

[ridds]

Pretty sure I got my last one from Racing Green.

[.Mark]

ridds said:

Pretty sure I got my last one from Racing Green.

Ah well, perhaps the old mates network will be OK then

[APB_V8]

My Oil switch started leaking oil passed the connection on the top on the way back from it's MOT. By the time I got home it had filled the V and was pouring through the space for the starter motor and out of the bottom of the bell housing, not a happy moment! Now the front of the house looks like the Gulf of Mexico!

I went down to the local parts shop and the chap ordered me in a intermotor 50600 for the next day, now all seems well.

Hope this helps

[.Mark]

APB_V8 said:

I went down to the local parts shop and the chap ordered me in a intermotor 50600 for the next day, now all seems well.

Hope this helps

Is that a like for like replacement? Guess it must be.

[APB_V8]

Hi Mark

I got the part number off the Equivalent Part Numbers list at the top of the forum, so I'm not the first to do this. It is the same thread but with a different designed top. At the end of the day it's a pressure switch, no pressure: 12V to earth and light comes on on the dash, pressure: not earthed, light off. The top has not blown off after 200 miles so far so it look like it can take the pressure.

Hope this is of help to you

Andrew

[.Mark]

APB_V8 said:

Hi Mark

I got the part number off the Equivalent Part Numbers list at the top of the forum, so I'm not the first to do this. It is the same thread but with a different designed top. At the end of the day it's a pressure switch, no pressure: 12V to earth and light comes on on the dash, pressure: not earthed, light off. The top has not blown off after 200 miles so far so it look like it can take the pressure.

Hope this is of help to you

Andrew

Nice one Andrew, Thanks

[APB_V8]

No Problem Mark

When you take the injection rail off (mine is the 4.2 so a bit different to yours so I may be corrected on this) make sure the manifolds are cool and you have an fire extinguisher to hand. Take the rails off with the injectors in the rail. If they come out of the fuel rail, high octane fuel comes out with a hell of a rush And Ridds is right about the coil pack bolts, I ended up drilling one out in the end as it kept spinning on the plate!:



While you are there you will see the black box holding your 100amp fuse on a small plate held on by the rear two bolts holding the rear coil pack in place. While I was doing mine, I changed it for a 125amp fuse from clever trevor as :



Oh well that was last year and it turned out that was the least of my problems:



But that's another story!

Hopefully I will see you around now I'm back on the road.

Good Luck

Andrew

[Tanguero]

To avoid (or at least reduce) the fuel spray when you pull the fuel rail, start the car and while it is running pull out the fuel pump relay in the boot. The engine will use the fuel under pressure in the rail and die in a second or so thus de-pressurising the rail and pipes.

[.Mark]

Thanks Andrew, so you mentioned fuel rail, fuel, hot pipes, fire extinguisher as well as spinning bolts and stuff like that.

I know my place, APM will be doing it

But thanks very much for the advice and pictures, really useful.



Oh, and the crank - bit of no more nails?