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The red oil warning light (dummy light) does not come on anymore in my 85 olds. I just changed my oil & check the oil level often. My car does not burn or lose oil & the fuses are all good. Im sure its the bulb but i dont want to tear the dash apart to get to it. The oil sending unit switch is fine. Is it ok to just let the dummy light be ? All the other dummy lights incl check engine work.
I changed my oil yesterday & the crankcase was still full after 27 months & 2500 miles. I also have a 90 Tbird that loses 1 qt of oil every 500 miles. I havent driven it in over 2 yrs thanks to a careless driver. The olds does have its issues such as the throttle on the carb, muffler, front end, no heat, etc. Ill just deal with it until i can someday afford a newer & better car. The olds has 121,100 original miles. I got it at 91k miles & a ex relative got it at 31k miles. So im the 3rd owner.
Well, steel, you know your car and what it's oil habits are. Check the level a couple of times a week and you should be fine. The gas gauge in my 20 yr old Volvo quit last year so I keep a small note pad over the visor and record mileage and gallons at each fill up. We are our car's gauges sometimes.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by square peg
Well, steel, you know your car and what it's oil habits are. Check the level a couple of times a week and you should be fine. The gas gauge in my 20 yr old Volvo quit last year so I keep a small note pad over the visor and record mileage and gallons at each fill up. We are our car's gauges sometimes.
The only real threat, as long as you check the level frequently, is that if the oil pump goes out and you lose pressure. With no warning you could fry the engine. That is pretty rare but I had it happen once on a 1964 Buick, and the gauge I had installed saved the day. Hopefully the 1985 oil pumps were better made.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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You can get a gauge for about $10, I trust them a bit more. If you use a cheaper mechanical gauge, spend another $5 and use a copper oil sensor line rather than plastic. (Tho I have never had a problem w / plastic myself (tho I rarely use it)). Just last week one of my newer diesel transplants was buzzing and blinking low oil pressure. Gauge reads solid 60- 90 psi. Ironically... It is a newer transplant due to my hasty change of engine due to buzzing and blinking oil light with it's previous 350k TD engine I think I have been had (tho I did previously change the sensor / alarm BEFORE removing 350k engine (which was probably just fine).
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I think I have been had 
(tho I did previously change the sensor / alarm BEFORE removing 350k engine (which was probably just fine).
