Thread: oil light stays on excessively long

A question for all you engine guys out there,
I built my 11.7:! motor. I reused my old oil pump but checked all the specs as per the FSM.
On cold mornings after the car has been sitting overnight, the oil light stays on for anywhere from 5-8 seconds before it goes out. During this time I don't hear any valve train clatter or knocking, but it still has me very worried.

I took off the oil filter and checked the valve in the oil filter housing, and it did not seem to be stuck open.
Has anyone ever run into this and been able to fix it without having to take the whole upper and lower oil pan off to get to the regulator valve before, or is there something else I am missing that could be the problem?

Rob --

Are you using 5W30?

It could be the sender. Does it come on at any other times?

You should get an oil pressure gauge. Ever since I got a rod knock on my first motor years ago, I don't take any chances.

I am ordering a gauge and sender tonight, and I parked my car for the time being. The problem does not seem to be oil pressure. The oil is all draining back into the pan after the car sits overnight. I ordered the spring for the oil check valve, and also the whole spring/seat assembly for the oil regulator valve. I am just hoping that somehow the O-ring blew or I just overlooked something simple like that on the oil regulator valve. That would explain the symptoms, good oil pressure but no oil pressure on cold starts for a few seconds.

and one more question, other then the oil check valve in the oil filter housing, and the pil regulator valve in the front cover, is there anything else that controls or restricts oil pressure in any way?
I am pretty sure that those are the only 2, which makes troubleshooting this very easy

ordered my gauge last night

Any experienced engine builders have any thoughts on the oiling system?
As I said before, I am fairly certain that the pressure regulator valve is what keeps the oil from draining out of the oil filter and passage back into the pan. Am I correct?

i like prosport but hard to see in day

no one?

so no one out there has any input on how likely it would be that the oil pump had too great of clearances and was letting oil drain back? I know that to me the OP regulator seems like it is the most likely culprit, When I was looking in the FSM, the OPR bypasses the filter and would allow oil to drain back out the pickup.


I am going to be removing my pans and pulling out the old regulator assembly to see if that is the culprit this saturday.