Help,

My 99 Grand caravan's oil light comes on during idle after running for 15 mins or so. Once accelerating the light goes off. The oil level is constantly checked due to a known oil leak somewhere near the engine caskets, which by the way I thought I paid to get fixed only to see it start leaking again. Anyway, I'm wondering if this is an oil pump issue or just some wiring issue with the sensor.

History:
Engine 3.3 w/260K mi
Recent alternator and belt 4 mos

Thx,

 

Welcome to DF
Try installing a pressure gauge and ck your oil pressure at idle,or replace the oil pressure switch.

 

How difficult is it to replace switch, where is the switch located. This does not occur all the time. I have not been able to determine a pattern yet

 

It is right next to or On top of the Oil filter. I think it has a Green connector, but not 100% sure. Buy a new switch, so you know what it look like. It might need an Oil Pressure switch socket that could run u a few dollar.

 

Not positive on a 2003 but on most 3.8/3.3 ltr engines it's mounted to the left of the oil filter. Knock sensor is on the right on 3.8s

 

Hi 99grandvan...welcome, Iassume you have a few miles over 100,000 on your van. If so be sure you put at least 10w40 weight oil in it. Most oil change shops seem to be prone to putting the cheapest 5 weight oil in vehicles to control their operating costs. engines with over 75,000 miles on them have larger bearing clearances due to normal wear and should be running thicker oil to keep the pressure up ...kingoftow

 

What grade of oil do you have in there right now? Where are you located (cold or warm climate)? Did the 3rd Gen's require the 5W20 that my 2007 does, and if so, did too thin a weight get put in? Depending on what's in there now, then he probably needs to try running a thicker oil but there's that trade-off if he lives in a cold climate where the thicker oil causes harder start-ups in cold weather (Maybe a synthetic if he's gonna have to go to a thick oil just to deal with that). But I'd go price that oil pressure switch and likely replace that as well just to be sure. With 260,000 miles, it could be one or all of the suggestions above that he needs to follow. One thing's for sure, that engine owes nothing to no one at that mileage... (slow clap)"Bravo".

 

is oil pump replacement a major repair?

 

Yup. Requires dropping the oil pan. Not for the faint of heart.

 

IIRC the 3.3L the recommended oil was 5w30 though 10w30 is approved above zero, even at 260K does it need 10w40 oil, in fact I've never had to use anything heavier then 10w30 in any Dodge engine I've owned.