Road side problem

[jem]

I have a VS V6 commodore which has been running AOK. It has done about 225,000km, anyway the wife is returning from interstate and is about 1000km from home.

She says that she was driving along and the oil light came on. She pull off the road and turned the car off and checked the oil. It was full.

She started it up and the oil light when out, but comes on again at about 2000rpm. When the light comes on there is also a rattle sound, so my guess is the pressure sensor is accurate, with the car idling or a low revs it sounds fine

I don't want some hick mechanic takinng advantage of the situation, any possible suggestions of what it could be???

 

[TheForgotten]

if it's good at low rpm but bad up high I'd say the oil pump not maintaining pressure in higher rpm. can't offer a suggestion which doesn't involve a mechanic

 

[hako]

Doesn't sound good to me - your wife is sure that it is the oil light (not trying to sound smart but there are a lot of different lights there). A shot harmonic balancer may make that sound at those revs but the oil light doesn't tie in. Are you in the RACQ or RACV? Can she drive it all the way home at idle or below 2000rpm? Wish I could be of more help.

 

[jem]

I thought about the harmonic balancer, with a chunk coming out and knocking the oil sender???

Will have to get the local mech. to have a look.

Never been in RACQ, I guess it would be handy now.

 

[hako]

I upgraded to the ultra service with RACQ which gives unlimited towing etc etc on the Thurs. They told me it won't take effect for 3 days. Friday my gearbox blew 100km from the coast. But using private towing services and trusting luck everything went OK...hope yours is the same.

 

[redvr]

i had the same problem with an rb30 the oil pump would cut out all to gether all of a sudden after about 3000rpm it needed to be replaced!
not sure if that helps at all!

 

[magooly]

I had the same problem, if the oil light comes on and the engine rattles its NOT the sender. Mine got worse, from cold was OK for 10 or 15 min then dropped pressure, switching off for a couple of minutes and it was OK again for another 10 min. Took it to the local Holden dealer, $700 later they could find nothing. Bypass and pressure valves in the filter adaptor were OK, pump was OK, pickup was OK, everything was fine except the problem was still there. Changed the motor.

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

How long has it been since you have changed the oil? Old oil thins out when hot so you would lose oil pressure and the engine will rattle.

Does the temp go higher when the oil light comes on? That would indicate an oil circulation problem as well.

 

[jem]

Update.

Hired a car and drove down to pick up the Mrs. Checking out the commodore, smooth as, up to 2000rpm above that had the death rattles.

So the the cheapest and quickest option will be a replacment engine. Called around some wreckers yesterday and it seems that there are heaps about and pretty good prices.

With this in mind I limped towards home keeping it under 2000rpm (which is highway speed anyway)

Drove for about an hour then "Bang". Engine won't even turn over. (I was expecting to have to change the motor so trying to get it home seemed to be a good plan)


Met a nice farmer and pushed the car into his drive so its not on the roadside. At this stage I will be getting my hands dirty next week with the engine changeover.

Pity this is all happening 900km from home.

 

[hako]

Sorry to hear it turned out that way.
I found the cheapest way to move a car a long distance was to hire a car carrying trailer - they cost about $45 per day up here and its an easy tow behind another Commodore or similar.