oil light comes on when idle

[chrisandcindy]

I have a 2002 dodge caravan. The oil light comes
on when it is idle. When it is first started up when the
engine is cold the motor knocks. It has oil( check it constantly)
Could it be the oil pump???

[yogi_123rd]

If you lose oil pressure, the oil light comes on. Oil isn't being pumped up to the valves. Knocking noises will come from the area of the valve covers. If the light doesn't eventually go out, don't continue to run the vehicle as damage will occur.

A FAILING oil pump will cold startup ok (i.e. no light, oil is relatively thick). As the engine heats up the oil (the oil is thinning out), a bad pump will lose pressure and the light will come on.

[Wa jang chang]

Originally Posted by chrisandcindy

I have a 2002 dodge caravan. The oil light comes
on when it is idle. When it is first started up when the
engine is cold the motor knocks. It has oil( check it constantly)
Could it be the oil pump???

I had a 99 Dodge Grand Caravan SE. Had only 85K miles when the oil light and audio alarm (continuous ding ding ding) came on. Right away I parked and checked the oil level on the dipstick which indicated safe level. Thought it was a faulty detection circuit. So I drove few more miles planning to have a mechanic to investigate the problem. Pls DO NOT drive if you see the oil light come on. No more than 10 additional miles of driving the engine seized to run. My local shop quoted me $4700 to repair (replacing the engine). As it turned out, I had intermittent oil pump not properly lubricating the engine. If you want to avoid costly engine repair, have a good mechanic take a look at the engine to see if it is properly lubricating.

[oneeyeguy]

Originally Posted by chrisandcindy

I have a 2002 dodge caravan. The oil light comes
on when it is idle. When it is first started up when the
engine is cold the motor knocks. It has oil( check it constantly)
Could it be the oil pump???

low oil pressure at idle ...there could be a few reasons this happens one it could be your oil thickness are you running 5w-30? try 10w40 and a new filter filter restriction can cause low oil pressure also but if it isnt any of those things then its probably internal wear and that could be anything from a weak oil pump to bad cam bearings...you never stated how many miles were on this van that makes a difference in determining what it probably would be.

[NADJALYRIC]

My oil light came on with the ding, ding sound. I checked oil and the level was good, I added a quart to be sure. When I started the van back up there was no light, about 15 minutes later the ding, ding came back, then the knocking sound started. Is the pump going bad or is there a clog.

[Bernard Feltzer]

typical woman driver, give them a motor, it's destroyed.

Might as well take the van to a junkyard now, ain't worth $50 now.