"Tiago Rocha" <diariodastrilhas@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:280db4f6-dc7b-42e8-b8f2-4b00aa990c57@f40g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
On Dec 4, 3:45 pm, "C. E. White" <cewhi...@removemindspring.com>
wrote:

> Make sure you are using the correct viscosity oil (probably 5W30).
> Make sure you have a decent quality oil filter (I'd use a Toyota OE
> filter myself).

Perhaps I should start using 10w40, as the manual states, I'm using
15w50, as the 10w40 costs twice, I assumed that 15w50 was close
enough... The oil filter is <gasp> Fram... Maybe I could try 10w40
(only available synthetic for this viscosity where I live) and OEM
filters, but this is ridiculously more expensive.

-- T
============

As ridiculously expensive as a new engine?

"Tiago Rocha" <diariodastrilhas@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:73919f02-d3a0-4bb8-845e-fce9a663a40e@n33g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
> 2001 Corolla with 7A-FE engine. 95,000 km (60k miles)
>
> Takes long 30 seconds when engine is completely cold!
>
> No noises, no oil consumption, no smoke, everything smooth and working
> as it should. My old VW turned the oil light off in less than 10
> seconds and it had a tired engine, clattering and smoking.
>
> Is this normal for these cars?
>
> Thanks
>
> -- Tiago

30 seconds is too long for the oil pressure warning light to go out.

As C.E. White mentioned, the incorrect oil viscosity and/or cheap oil
filters can cause the oil pressure warning light to stay on longer.

The incorrect oil viscosity could take longer to flow, but I kind of doubt
if this is the cause because even with 40 weight oil, it should go out in a
few seconds.

A cheap oil filter can allow oil to drain out when parked overnight, but
even with a cheap oil filter, the engine should be able to refill the filter
in a few seconds.

It is possible, but not very likely, that a bad oil pressure sender switch
is causing the light to stay on for a longer than normal time. Oil pressure
sender switches tend to either leak all over the place or fail so that the
light is on all the time, not just the first 30 seconds.

This is not what you are going to want to hear, but a common cause of the
symptom you are describing is that the engine has been neglected and sludge
has built up inside the engine. When the engine is started, the sludge
slows down the flow of oil enough that it takes longer for oil to make its
way through the engine, or the oil pump is worn so it takes longer to
circulate the oil.

The next step is to remove the oil pressure sender switch and temporarily
install an oil pressure gauge. When the engine is started, note the actual
oil pressure and time it takes for pressure to reach normal level. If it
takes too long for oil pressure to build, remove the valve cover and inspect
the valvetrain for signs of sludge.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

"Tiago Rocha" <diariodastrilhas@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1589e55e-32ac-4198-88a6-884a78632888@a12g2000pro.googlegroups.com...
On Dec 4, 3:21 pm, "CharlesTheCurmudgeon" <n5...@comcast.net> wrote:

>
> 1. How cold is cold? (i.e. outside ambient air temp)

Normal day temperature is above 25C+, that's upper 70s F/ lower 80s F
and it never get any cooler than 20C, except maybe during a heavy
storm late at night. I'm in northeastern Brazil, 8 degrees below
equator.

> 2. What grade oil are you using (i.e. 10W30, 5W30, etc)

Shell Helix 15w50 API SL

>
> 10W30 will take longer to 'flow' into the engine in subzero temps. I'm not
> sure that it should take 30 seconds.

It takes 3 times more than the air bag light, it is too much, much
longer than any car I've seen. It's unnerving. I always thing my
engine will blow any minute, but unlike my previous car, that made a
horrible clattering noise while the light was on, the Corolla doesn't
make any weird noise. Perhaps not exactly 30s, I will clock the exact
time and report back.

Is it possible that I have issues with the oil pump?


Thanks!

-- T

Skip the 15W 50 oil. It is too thick. For the air temperatures you are
experiencing, try 5W-30 or at the most, 10W-40. See if switching to a lower
viscosity oil allows the oil warning light to go out sooner, but I doubt if
it will.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Ray O wrote:
> "Tiago Rocha" <diariodastrilhas@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:73919f02-d3a0-4bb8-845e-fce9a663a40e@n33g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
>> 2001 Corolla with 7A-FE engine. 95,000 km (60k miles)
>>
>> Takes long 30 seconds when engine is completely cold!
>>
>> No noises, no oil consumption, no smoke, everything smooth and working
>> as it should. My old VW turned the oil light off in less than 10
>> seconds and it had a tired engine, clattering and smoking.
>>
>> Is this normal for these cars?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> -- Tiago
>
> 30 seconds is too long for the oil pressure warning light to go out.
>
> As C.E. White mentioned, the incorrect oil viscosity and/or cheap oil
> filters can cause the oil pressure warning light to stay on longer.
>
> The incorrect oil viscosity could take longer to flow, but I kind of doubt
> if this is the cause because even with 40 weight oil, it should go out in a
> few seconds.
>
> A cheap oil filter can allow oil to drain out when parked overnight, but
> even with a cheap oil filter, the engine should be able to refill the filter
> in a few seconds.
>
> It is possible, but not very likely, that a bad oil pressure sender switch
> is causing the light to stay on for a longer than normal time. Oil pressure
> sender switches tend to either leak all over the place or fail so that the
> light is on all the time, not just the first 30 seconds.
>
> This is not what you are going to want to hear, but a common cause of the
> symptom you are describing is that the engine has been neglected and sludge
> has built up inside the engine. When the engine is started, the sludge
> slows down the flow of oil enough that it takes longer for oil to make its
> way through the engine, or the oil pump is worn so it takes longer to
> circulate the oil.
>
> The next step is to remove the oil pressure sender switch and temporarily
> install an oil pressure gauge. When the engine is started, note the actual
> oil pressure and time it takes for pressure to reach normal level. If it
> takes too long for oil pressure to build, remove the valve cover and inspect
> the valvetrain for signs of sludge.
Sludge might be covering the oil pickup screen. I'd change to a lower
viscosity oil and see if it doesn't help.

"Ray O" <rokigawa@NOSPAMtristarassociates.com> wrote in message
news:gh9ebu$i7u$1@news.motzarella.org...
>
> "Tiago Rocha" <diariodastrilhas@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1589e55e-32ac-4198-88a6-884a78632888@a12g2000pro.googlegroups.com...
> On Dec 4, 3:21 pm, "CharlesTheCurmudgeon" <n5...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>>
>> 1. How cold is cold? (i.e. outside ambient air temp)
>
> Normal day temperature is above 25C+, that's upper 70s F/ lower 80s F
> and it never get any cooler than 20C, except maybe during a heavy
> storm late at night. I'm in northeastern Brazil, 8 degrees below
> equator.
>
>> 2. What grade oil are you using (i.e. 10W30, 5W30, etc)
>
> Shell Helix 15w50 API SL
>
>>
>> 10W30 will take longer to 'flow' into the engine in subzero temps. I'm
>> not
>> sure that it should take 30 seconds.
>
> It takes 3 times more than the air bag light, it is too much, much
> longer than any car I've seen. It's unnerving. I always thing my
> engine will blow any minute, but unlike my previous car, that made a
> horrible clattering noise while the light was on, the Corolla doesn't
> make any weird noise. Perhaps not exactly 30s, I will clock the exact
> time and report back.
>
> Is it possible that I have issues with the oil pump?
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> -- T
>
> Skip the 15W 50 oil. It is too thick. For the air temperatures you are
> experiencing, try 5W-30 or at the most, 10W-40. See if switching to a
> lower viscosity oil allows the oil warning light to go out sooner, but I
> doubt if it will.
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)
>
>

15w40 is too thick, for one thing, even in subtropical Brasil. Even when it
gets up to 90 in the summer, I run 5w30 in my 95 Corolla.

As for the oil light going off, I think that's much too long.

My 72 Carnina (2T-C) had a lot of wear on it and my dad had run it year
round (from -20F to 100F and some long drives) on Kendall 20-20W. When I
first started doing oil changes, I switched to 10w40, and I don't remember
the oil light taking that long to go out.

My 79 Corolla (3K-C) had misadjusted valves at one point. (Mechanical
lifters, service manual recommended check and adjust every 15,000 miles,
through a series of moves to different dealers, nobody wanted to do it until
I got to 48,000 miles, by then you could TELL the things weren't right.)
Even then, it didn't take 30 seconds for the light to go out.

Sir Charles the Cold Curmudgeon

On Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:25:27 -0600, Ray O wrote:

> Is it possible that I have issues with the oil pump?
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> -- T
>
> Skip the 15W 50 oil. It is too thick. For the air temperatures you are
> experiencing, try 5W-30 or at the most, 10W-40. See if switching to a lower
> viscosity oil allows the oil warning light to go out sooner, but I doubt if
> it will.

Yeah! That's the oil they use in Diesel engines!

When I saw that that was my first thought. Then again, when the oil
pressure started going weak on my Hachiroku at about 225,000 miles, I
switched to 20W50!!! However, the guage got up to normal operating
temperature in a matter of a second or so!

On Dec 4, 12:18*pm, Tiago Rocha <diariodastril...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 2001 Corolla with 7A-FE engine. 95,000 km (60k miles)
>
> Takes long 30 seconds when engine is completely cold!
>
> No noises, no oil consumption, no smoke, everything smooth and working
> as it should. My old VW turned the oil light off in less than 10
> seconds and it had a tired engine, clattering and smoking.
>
> Is this normal for these cars?
>
> Thanks
>
> -- Tiago

Yes, it is normal for an oil light to turn off in less than 10
seconds. Actually, it should turn off even more quickly.

Ray's right: You need to use the oil that Toyota recommends. Let's
think about how you're saving what: $20 every 6 months for an oil
change. How much will your engine rebuild cost?

Jef

On Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:20:05 -0800, Nza wrote:

>> When I saw that that was my first thought. Then again, when the oil
>> pressure started going weak on my Hachiroku at about 225,000 miles, I
>> switched to 20W50!!! However, the guage got up to normal operating
>> temperature in a matter of a second or so!
>
> Hell, I've used 15w40 for the entire time I've changed the oil in the
> family's diesel Suburban. It was Castrol, I believe, when I was
> working at the German Autohaus and there was a 55-gallon barrel and a
> cheap employee price. Since then, I've used Shell Rotella 15w40
> exclusively... and well... 600k with the original timing chain should
> speak for itself.. and the oil pressure gauge still comes up
> immediately.

Yeah, but that's a big hulking er..what, 6 liter Diesel?!

This guy's talking about a poor little 4 cylinder in a warm climate!

"Nza" <thenza@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:a81846a3-8ffb-49e9-8d88-cb577cf5767c@33g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
On Dec 4, 3:08 pm, Tiago Rocha <diariodastril...@gmail.com> wrote:

> yep, every weekend I check oil, power steering fluid, coolant, brake
> fluid, clutch fluid, tire pressure... It is an old habit, I can't
> sleep well if I don't check this :-)

You must have owned a Jaguar at some point in your life.

Or at least an MG Midget. Lights by Lucas, Prince of Darkness.

Sir Charles the Curmudgeon

"Nza" <thenza@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:fbcba5a9-c81a-4922-abc1-8ca2c42f678a@x14g2000yqk.googlegroups.com...
On Dec 4, 1:21 pm, "CharlesTheCurmudgeon" <n5...@comcast.net> wrote:

> We're supposed to hit single digits here in the Chicago area tonight.

LOL! I love the South! It was around 70 today, maybe higher. I
had to take my jacket off whilst working outside. Even at 7pm, after
dark, it was a constant on-off-on again with the jacket...

Been to chi-town one time in mid-winter, Charles..... don't care to
visit again (no offense! LOL)

Yeah, I know how you feel. I used to live in Arkansas. I remember driving
my 1501 with the windows rolled down on Christmas Eve when it was 75 out.

Unfortunately the work is up here. I keep trying to get the boss to move
the office to Florida from December to March, he owns land down thataway.
And I could swing by Weeki Wachee and see if I could date one of the
mermaids.

Sir Charles the Cold Curmudgeon