My 94 caprice is not oiling at all. Will low oil pressure cause the car to shut down? I have had a recentexperience w/ a tractor trailer that shut doen do to low oil pressure, but not sure if cars work the same. When it is about to cut off the low oil light flashes on and off even if the oil is at the proper level. If it does cause car not to crank, what could it be? And if it is not getting oil to the top of the motor is is the same for both prblems? HELP PLEASE, AND THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
Some cars have a feature that the fuel pump runs off the oil-sending unit. If low oil pressure then it’ll shut off the fuel pump. This feature has been around for years.
Many automobile engines will continue to run with little or no oil pressure. This can cause major engine damage in a very short time.
Is the Low Oil light (amber light on dash) or Oil Pressure light (red light in instrument panel) flashing? How many miles on the car? Which engine, the 4.3 V8 (L99) or the 5.7 V8 (LT1)? What kind of maintenance has the Caprice had? What was the frequency of the oil changes? Hopefully with more info, the more experienced forum members can provide better assistance.
I was reading the shop manual for my 1993 Caprice and there is an oil pressure switch tied into the fuel pump. If the switch indicates low/no oil pressure the fuel pump is disabled. My Caprices’ oil pressure switch was replaced recently since it was leaking. I’m not sure if this is the same switch though.
Note: In 1994 the 5.0 and 5.7 TBI V8s were replaced with the L99 and LT1 V8s. There is is a chance the 94 doesn’t have the Low Oil pressure shut off switch. Since the engine is cranking (turning over), but not starting that could indicate the fuel pump is disabled.
Ed B.
If i am not mistaking it is amber. IT has about 195,000. It is a 5.7. Since i bought it from the individual about 2 years ago who has it before me It has had regular oil changes, timing chain, knock sensor, fuel injectors, distributor, spark plugs and wires, Idle air control valve. I hooked it up to the OBD I machine and i am getting no codes. I notice you said something about the fuel pump and the oil sending unit. The fuel pump will stop coming on sometimes after a number of times trying to crank it. So if the oil presuure switch is tied to the fuel pump, what causes the oil pressure to be low or what causes the oil pressure to go low?