Oil warning light pissing me off
 

I've been driving for a little bit now in my 88 GXL and just recently a week ago: I'm driving around and the next thing I know, the refill oil light comes on. I'm freaked now so I pull over right away and check my oil levels... everything's fine. Ok..... now I'm confused. Now it's the next morning, and I pull out of my driveway and go down the street. ERRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! *noise from oil warning light. Freaking out again, I pull over and check the oil levels. They're still fine. The thing is thsi happens so often it's starting to piss me off. Is there some temporary solution to just not have the light come on because I'm thinking the sensor is out of wack. Or better yet, can you direct me to where the sensor might be? Coo, any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Peace,
AJ ^_^

i don't have a real solution but you could just disable the thing. i had that done to my 91 because when the oil sloshed around during an autox it set the buzzer off. and it sounds just like the red line buzzer. confused the hell outta me...

I would suggest replacing the faulty part. The oil warning indicators are there for a reason. Try losing your oil pan seal, and hence all your oil, and not knowing a thing about it until the engine seizes. ;) Same goes for the overheat warning indicators.

Take care,

Sounds good, but do you guys know WHERE the faulty part is? Like literally where is the sensor located? Also, just for the time being until the shop is available, how can I disable the light?

Thanks!

Peace,
AJ ^_^

Don't know off-hand, but I bet it's in the shop manual. If you don't have one, I also highly recomment that you get one. The Mazda one. The Haynes and Chiltons variety suck, except as supplements to the Mazda factory manual.

I'm sure the part isn't that expensive (sensor?). They could probably toss a new one in at the dealer pronto for under $100. Pretty cheap insurance against blowing or overheating your motor in my book. :)

I'd try to get the Mazda dealer to throw the car on their "magic machine" to test stuff out, and have the mechanic show you where the bad part is, all for the diagnostic fee. Then you can hunt down a new or used part and swap it at you convenience.

Take care,

That's coo, last time I had Mazda do a diagnostic on my car it almost cost me an arm and a leg. I pretty much do my own work on the car now after a couple of years working on motorcycles. I just haven't ha da shop manual on hand so it was a bit difficult. In any case, I'll have the Mazda dealership take a peak at the oil sensor and see if they can replace it for not too expensive. Anyways, thanks for the advice!

Peace,
AJ ^_^

The oil level sensor is one of the wires coming out of the oil pan. There are two and I can't remeber which one it is.

If you are going to do you own work, I highly recommend getting a factory shop manual. If you can't find one of those, the Haynes manual is pretty decent.

Check out this site for shop manuals - maybe not the correct year, but it should help.

http://www.iluvmyrx7.com/index.htm

Oil Level Sender
 

The Oil Level Sender is a float type sensor with a magnetic switch inside. Works just like your brake fluid sensor. When the level of the oil alows the float to go down too far (oil level is really low for this to happen!), then the wires get continuity and turn on the light and buzzer.

The sensor is on the DRIVERS SIDE of the oil pan and it is in the side of the pan JUST behind the motor mount. There is a white plastic connector that has 1 wire. When the float magnet goes low enough, the magnetic switch closes and alows the wire to have continuity to ground and it turns on your light and buzzer.

Take that light and buzzer serious and DON'T disable them even though they are annoying. You have a problem that needs to be fixed! That thing has saved at least one of my engines. I have had 8 RX7's and never had a problem with the sender, but they can break I'm sure.

I would check to see if the wire is shoring to ground somwhere ( the wire goes into the wire harness on the drivers side just in front of the oil pressure sensor which is below the oil filter. Look for a wire shorting to ground or you may actually have a bad sender.

Hope that helps.....

Oil Level Sender
 

OH! And go to Autozone and get a Haynes manual. It's worth the whole $12 you will spend. It shows where the sender is I think.
Good luck...