When I am driving and come to a stop if I step even a little bit heavy the low oil light comes on. It is a 58 292 Y-block. I checked the oil and it is full so I figure the sensor is in the back of the block and just get activated when the oil moves to the front when I start, my question is whether this is a problem and what are my soluctions or is this just one of those things with these trucks and I need to live with it?
Thanks
Cbass

 

The low oil light is for low oil pressure, not low oil level (unless there was no oil of course). If the idle is to low and/or in drive with the brakes on and engine speed very low the oil pump can not give enough pressure and this will turn the light on. It is also can be an indicator of something that you don’t want to know about.

 

What can it indicate that I dont want to know about? If there is potential for a problem I do want to know about it. Also I dont know if I am following you here, the light comes on when the engine speed is low but the engine doesnt slow down because I am stopping it just goes to idle and the light is not on when it is idling just during harder stops. I dont have power brakes so it isnt like the brakes take any power from the engine so I dont understand how stoping slows the motor down any more than it would when I am just sitting at a light? The light comes on for like 5-10 seconds at the most when stoping only. Can anybody elaborate and OldF1, can you tell me what this other problem would be?

 

The first thing you need to do is install an oil pressure gauge to see what the oil pressure is actually doing. It may be low at all times and just drops low enough to light the light when at low idle. If this is the case you have oil pump problems or bearing clearance problems. It may be the sender for the light is getting weak.
You need to know what the actual oil pressure is both hot and cold and at low and high rpm's to determine what diagnose the problem.

 

The typical light comes on when oil pressure is less than 2 - 3 psi.... When it comes on, it's almost too late.

 

what is the procedure for installing an oil pressure gauge on the 292 yblock? Is this something I can rent from a auto parts store? What am I looking at for pressures?
thanks for the help so far,
Cbass

 

So I posted this question on another forum and was told that some truck y-blocks had no baffles in the oil pan and so on any kind of "harder" (does not have to be hard) braking the oil actually moves forward away from the pick up for a second or two. Has anybody else experienced this and what did you do to fix it? I was told to fab a baffle and weld it in but I dont have a welder. will see what I can come up with, maybe somebody knows of another solution?

 

Your engine may have a lot of sludge in it so the oil takes longer to drain back to the pan and thus less oil in the pan when you come to a stop. Could pull a valve cover to check.

 

If I pull the valve cover what am I looking for? Is it obvious that there is sludge?

 

Oh yea, it will look like black mud over everything. Pay attention to the oil drain holes at the back of head (at least that is where they are on a small block ford). My mom had a 70s LTD that probably never had its oil changed. The valve covers would fill with oil then get sucked into the carb thru the pcv, smoke like crazy out the tailpipe. I shoved a coat hanger down the drain hole and it gurgled a bit then started draining. Flatheads are famous for getting sludge build up due to condensation and no pcv, take off the intake and it can look like you opened a can of grease.

 

Just a note, my experiance with these things back in the 1950s when they were
worked hard negected, all sludged up they were notorious for flickering oil lights.
I remember back then, getting a Ford service notice stating "no cause for concern
for a fickering oil lamp while stopping". I worked for my uncles bus co. back then
and had many school buses that did that, and we had Marmon Herrington buses
with 332 Y Lincolns that ran with bad oil pressure (bad cranks) etc. Sometimes
those O rings from the pan to the oil pump would get heat brittle and suck a
little air so check that. sam

 

You can buy an inexpensive oil pressure guage at any auto parts store that will either, if electrical, hook to your existing sending unit, (which may need replacing), or come with a new oil line that will come with fittings to hook to an existing fitting in the side of the block. What oldf1 did not want to suggest is that low to no oil pressure is sometimes indicative of serious internal engine component wear. It is also possible that your oil pump is worn out or the oil bypass in said pump is operating. (not good) As stated, the first and least expensive step is to buy a guage and see what you have, and pull one or both valve covers and inspect for sludge. Good luck.

 

Got a pressure gauge hooked up and it read a nice solid 22 after warming up at idle. This is good, I really think that this is just from the oil rushing to the front of the pan since it has no baffles to stop it. I put a extra pint of oil in today and will see how it works when I drive to work tomorrow.
Thanks for all the help.
Cbass

 

Post back what you see tomorrow. My initial reaction was that 22 was low, but I suppose after being warmed up and only at idle, on a 50 year old engine it might not be that bad. But then again, if the light light is only supposed to come on at 2 or 3 psi, it sounds like you're all set. Maybe the sender was getting tired.

I can't remember what the Y in my '55 Fairlane used to run for pressure; my '60 had no gauge, just the light, and it never came on.

Keep us posted.

 

Any old engines that were run on non-detergent oils and haven't been apart need to be checked carefully when running on modern oils. It's a real possibility the detergents will break that sludge loose and plug all the return holes and the pump inlet screen. Nothing but a complete vatting will get it out IMO.