crowbarsk1 Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 The oil level light stays on in our 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass with the 3.1 L engine, when you start the car, even though there is the correct amount of oil in the engine. If you shut the car off, then restart it, the light will go out. I have changed the oil level sensor that goes into the bottom of the oil pan, but it did not correct the problem. I do have a Hayne's manual on hand for this car, and in the electrical diagram they show the oil level sensor as well as a low oil level Module. If the module is the issue, where would it be located and how would one test it? Appreciate any help with this Electrical issues tend to bewilder me. Crowbarsk1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 there is no oil level module... it is all done by the PCM. a lot of things will upset it as well, even something as simple as parking on an angle, oil grade, oil temp at shutdown, how freely oil can run back down through the heads/lifter valley...... many things. oil level is computed after the engine is shut off, the PCM tests how long it takes for the oil level switch to go from a "low" to "normal" state. if it takes very little time, oil level is estimated to be correct. if it takes beyond a certain time threshold, it is assumed that the oil level is low. it isn't that great of a system, but it is better than nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_e777 Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Check the connecter and the wiring, maybe damaged or dirty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Sounds like an open circuit, my oil level sensor isn't hooked up and it plays roulette. Like Rich said, check the connector and wiring. Haynes is pretty vague, alldatadiy.com is much more thorough, and a lot of people forget that large libraries may have Chiltons or even factory service manuals that you can xerox pages from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crowbarsk1 Posted February 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Thank you all for this info. I have purchased the AllData info for the car and it corroborates the info you all have given me. AllData has a neat little diagnosis chart to follow, which will help me out a bunch. I will check it out this weekend. I also stopped at the GM dealer when i was in town today and he found a new PCM on the shelf, (The parts-man said it has been sitting there for many years), which he is willing to sell for $100, if I require it. He claims they where around $200 retail, and that it is the only one that he could find in Canada. Is this part something that it would be advisable to buy while it is still available, even if I do not require it at this time? I plan on keeping this car longer term. They also said it would be a two hour charge to program the PCM to this car, which i have no idea about. Would that be a fair time for this job? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 two hours labor to change and program the PCM? that's hilarious. i don't know what crazy method the dealership uses, but it takes me 2 and a half minutes to upload a full calibration to the very same PCM. another 30 seconds to program the VIN, and most of that is time spent typing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crowbarsk1 Posted February 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Interesting. Thank you again. This forum has helped me out twice now with this car. I really appreciate the help. Knowledge is power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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