Folks,

I'm getting a "low oil pressure" warning at idle. Runs fine, idles fine but the needle hits the low red when idling. Checked oil
Level and it's fine. No check engine light or other issues that I'm aware of. Any advice from here as to where I should begin my search for the culprit?

 

Drop the oil pan and check for debris or sludge on the oil pump sump screen. If it is clean, you may have oil pump issues.

The sensor is not a real sensor...it is just a pressure switch....it will just indicate no oil pressure or exact middle of the gauge oil pressure. Trigger point is around 5 PSI.

You should avoid driving the car until you get to the bottom of this.

 

Last 1 i had a week ago doing this had upper chain tesnioner plastic pieces stuck in the oil pickup. And youre in the yr range for issues.

 

Thank you for your responses gentlemen. I did just remove a damaged tensioner that had become dislodged so that sounds about right. Guess it's time for the oil pan to come off. Glad I didn't end up changing my oil last night like I had planned.

Is the oil pan gasket interchangeable with any other Lincoln models so I can try and pick one up locally? I'd hate to have to wait a week to be able to replace the pan gasket. Thanks guys,

Jonny

 

Not on a 97, but its a cheap oring style, either reusable if not crushed or probobly cheap in the overall scheme of things on a jag

 

Well gentlemen, here is the latest. Whenever I start the car and let it run at idle the oil pressure gauge is half way. When the car is at normal operating temperature and at idle I would expect it to have low oil pressure. As soon as I blip the throttle, the gauge will go to low oil pressure, and then as soon as I give it even the slightest hint (approx 5% throttle) it goes back to halfway. This leads me to believe the issue is with the sensor itself, and not a low oil pressure.

Can anyone tell me where the sensor is? I just did my tensioners and there were definitely no issues with low oil, not to mention the cams looked great as did the oil. I'd thus believe that there is no sludge in the oil pan... At least that would be my inexperienced guess

So right now as soon as I can find out where the oil pressure sensor is I'd like to replace it before pulling the oil pan... Anyone?

Thanks guys,

 

There are two sensors right near the base of the oil filter. The one closest to the oil filter with a single wire is the is the oil pressure switch.

 

I don't profess to be a mechanic but could it be that at idle you are not drawing enough oil from the sump to pick up something that might be picked up and blocking the inlet at higher RPM's?

i.e higher rpm's, higher flow, better chance of picking up something in the sump that could clog the pump that is too heavy to be picked up at idle?

Barry

 

Good thought. British Rail had a devil of a problem with some of their big diesel locomotives cutting out at speed, but restarting as soon as they slowed down.
After months of work it turned out that a disgruntled employee had sabotaged them by pushing a tennis ball into the fuel tank.

 

sound resonable to me

 

Thank you guys for your response. I'm gonna start with an oil change and see how it looks and if I can find anything in there that may make me think dropping the pan is necessary. From there I think a replacement switch/sensor and if it is still as issue then delve deeper. I don't think it is an oil pump issue though. If it can pull appropriate psi at idle then why by blipping the throttle would it all of a sudden not be able to? That just doesn't make sense to me. And damn I hope I'm not wrong!

 

I fear you're going to end up dropping the oil pan, at least it's an easy job. Just keep your fingers crossed you don't have to get at the oil pump.

 

Steve - i fear you are right although for the sake of not having to drop the pan I'm going to hope that if there is any leftover tensioner in the pickup/screen that a simple drain mixed with gravity will remove it. If not, then step B is removal of the pan. Wish me luck!

 

For the sake of around £40, (In the UK) I'd get the car diagnosed by a Jaguar dealer.
My last diagnosis cost me £38. Marshall Jaguar, Ipswich. (Faulty throttle body - fixed under warranty)
Then at least you know what you need to do.
If you get it wrong and just hope for the best, an XK engine isn't cheap.
Roy.

 

I certainly wish you luck - I never seem to get any !
Please let us know what happens so we can learn.
I'm sure you agree that there's nothing more frustrating than following an interesting thread to find it stops without the OP telling us how he fixed it (or not).

 

dx3,

Don't be foolish. Drop the pan & check properly. Low oil pressure will cause damage to both big end & main bearings. It also isn't great for rings, pistons, & camshafts. Playing 'penny wise' could end up being many 'pounds foolish'. Another old adage goes something like 'a stitch in time'.

Cheers,

Languid

 

+1

In my case, 75% of my tensioner bits were lodged in the screen of the oil pick-up pipe. Drains of the pan did no good...if there are bits in there, you've got to go in and get them yourself.

Dropping the pan isn't a big deal, just get a replacement gasket before you do the job. You'll also have to remove the oil pickup pipe to really know if there's any kind of blockage...three bolts and very simple. Mine sounded like a spanish maraca when I removed it and shook it. Flush hot water through it in the reverse direction to dislodge the tensioner bits held to the screen with oil gunk.

I'm posting this from my phone so can't provide the actual link, but if you want to see photos, search for a thread titled "A Bomb, Defused."

Good luck.

 

Here's the link
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...defused-61468/

 

Thank you gentlemen for your responses. I took the day off from work to get this done... guess I should have made sure the dealership still had the gasket after the weekend. Turned out they sold it, and someone else had called about one today...

So the car is up on jackstands and the parts should arrive tomorrow. Will "try" to find some time this week to get the oil pan off and see what's lodged in there. Thanks again.

 

when you take off the pan, youll see why pieces sucked up will never come out, they get trapped. Stick your pinky in there and spin around to get all the pieces out. You may not even see any but theyre there