1988 Oil warning light, HELP

[jase386]

i just bought an 88 skylark, with 2.5liter. when i test drove it, part way thru the drive, the oil light came on. the guy said "they knocked something loose and ill have it fixed" so i agreed to buy the car.

he put it in the shop pd them and they put in a new sending unit. i called the shop to verify that they worked on the car, and they told me they had, and they had replaced the sending unit for the oil indicator.

the problem is, on start up, when i turn the key 2 notches to test mode for the warning lights, the oil light doesnt come on. they told me at the shop that certain models will only light up in an emergency, and some will come on at start up in test mode.


Does anyone have an 88 skylark or an 88 skylark owners manual and can tell me is this light supposed to come on at start up?? or is it dormant until there is a problem

[kknobl]

Originally Posted by jase386

i just bought an 88 skylark, with 2.5liter. when i test drove it, part way thru the drive, the oil light came on. the guy said "they knocked something loose and ill have it fixed" so i agreed to buy the car.

he put it in the shop pd them and they put in a new sending unit. i called the shop to verify that they worked on the car, and they told me they had, and they had replaced the sending unit for the oil indicator.

the problem is, on start up, when i turn the key 2 notches to test mode for the warning lights, the oil light doesnt come on. they told me at the shop that certain models will only light up in an emergency, and some will come on at start up in test mode.


Does anyone have an 88 skylark or an 88 skylark owners manual and can tell me is this light supposed to come on at start up?? or is it dormant until there is a problem

A couple of questions:

1.) Is the shop independent of the car dealer from whom you purchased the car? If not - or if they're buddy-buddy, get a 2nd opinion.

2.) Are there any other lights that exhibit this "characteristic?" If not, why would the oil light be the only one?

I had an 88 Skylark a few years back - absolutely loved the car. It had the Quad4 engine and I want to say the oil light would come on when the car ran its diagnostics as startup. I don't think that the Iron Duke (2.5) would be any different.

My thought is that the light SHOULD come on so you know that it is working. I think any GM manual will tell you "If x light doesn't come on at startup, have it checked out."

Kevin

[dewaynep]

You are correct. When you turn the key to the "run" position just before the start position the lights should all light up for a short time. This is called the "bulb test". Some lights will then go out and some, like the oil pressure light will stay on until the oil pressure has built up to turn the light out. Cars have had this "bulb test" function since they started putting idiot lights in cars in the 60's. How else do you know when the bulb is out? You really need to find out the reason for the low oil pressure before you drive it much more or you will have purchased a large paperweight. Sorry to hear this guy and the repair shop couldn't be honest with you, but at least you were aware enough to notice it now, before irrepairable damage was done.

[boarder_punk]

Generally when the oil light comes on its not because of the sending unit, usually it is because of low oil pressure. It happens occasionally with those cars that the oil pump will either go bad, get gummed up and stop pumping, or someone may have put in the wrong pump (yes this actually does happen). Definitely get a second opinion and maybe check to see if they just disconnected the light.

[boarder_punk]

Generally when the oil light comes on its not because of the sending unit, usually it is because of low oil pressure. It happens occasionally with those cars that the oil pump will either go bad, get gummed up and stop pumping, or someone may have put in the wrong pump (yes this actually does happen). Definitely get a second opinion and maybe check to see if they just disconnected the light.