oil light after track day

[Mhd]

One the last two track sessions that I've done when I get the car back to the pits / paddock area the oil light has come on once the car is stationary. No problems when on track or cooling down lap only when the car is stationary and I'm letting it cool a bit.

When I check the oil it is full and no problems when I restart once cooled down.

Any suggestions to the cause or how to prevent it in the future?

Fairly new to ownership (and track days) so any advice appreciated.

Thanks

[13Black]

Happens sometimes. Try cleaning the oil level sensor plug and go from there.

[GreySilver Beast]

............or would it be because there isn't enough Oil in the car when going out on Track

[13Black]

When I check the oil it is full and no problems when I restart once cooled down.

Take the love hearts out of your eyes Nigel

[Mhd]

Some time since my original post as haven't done any track days until today at JDM, but cleaning the oil sensor seems to have done the job.
Many thanks Nick

[Dave2112]

Same thing happened to me twice today at Combe, checked oil level and 3/4 full. Looks like I’ll be crawling under the car again tomorrow

[ChrisHolmes]

Me too so I ignored it as I can see pressure on the gauge and it went out by itself.

[Harrizone]

Not an altogether strange occurence at track days, the oil light does ocassionally come on but provided pressure is OK I have found you can ignore it as just a mechanical blip. Well leastways that is my experience over eleven years of tracking the car.

[350matt]

Warpcoil pointed out that the oil level sensors as they age can give a false reading of low level if they get hot and you then stop and restart

happens to me now fairly regularly if I stop for fuel the low light is on for a bit afterwards and I know the level is fine

however to replace the sensor its a sump off job

[13Black]

Better to be over active than under active

Mine used to do it when I trundled around the pits after a session.

[bigpete8]

Not quite after track day....
But this morning after a couple of beeps on the motorway came down the slip road and had to brake heavy to a standstill as car in front decided to swap lanes (nothing scary /twitchy just heavy breaking). Oil waning light pops on as I am waiting at idle and stays on, was due for fuel so detours to garage forecourt. Stops engine (light still on at this point) and restarts light goes out. Anyway filled her up and checks oil – still on ¾ mark.

So is this likely to be the same scenario as above and probably nothing to worry about just keep an eye on it?

[SeriousSam]

Probably. Pretty much every time I did Brands Hatch (before I had my bigger sump installed) I used to go out, do 3 laps, then at the start of the 4th lap I'd brake hard on the approach to Paddock Hill and the oil light would come on. Regular as clockwork. I check the oil between sessions so I knew it was OK, I just put it down as a quirk of the car. The only time mine has ever come on during road driving was when I was actually low on oil, which is encouraging.

[bigpete8]

Once it comes on does it stay on until engine is switched off?

[SeriousSam]

Yep. It's meant to encourage you to stop the car and check the oil level at the earliest opportunity, so it won't go out until then

[bigpete8]

I guess its possible the oil pickup was momentarily starved of oil due to the braking (was also going downhill)

[ChrisHolmes]

The oil level light isn't connected directly to the sensor.

The sensor is connected to the PCM which makes a judgement, based on a programmed algorithm, to determine if the actual level is low, given the pattern of outputs from the sensor.

The algorithm "assumes" that normal road driving dynamics would apply, so anything way outside those is likely to make it trigger a bit earlier.
Thankfully, they didn't choose to make the "low level warning" trigger limp mode

FYI the two fuel tank level sensors are also connected in a similar way, so the PCM can (try and) figure out how much fuel is actually in the tank.

OTOH the coolant level warning light is driven directly from the sensor, with no connection to the PCM.

[bigpete8]

That clarifies things slightly if it is an oil level light rather than an oil pressure light.
As oil level was fine I am even less worried..

[Hopkins]

The oil level light isn't connected directly to the sensor.

The sensor is connected to the PCM which makes a judgement, based on a programmed algorithm, to determine if the actual level is low, given the pattern of outputs from the sensor.

The algorithm "assumes" that normal road driving dynamics would apply, so anything way outside those is likely to make it trigger a bit earlier.
Thankfully, they didn't choose to make the "low level warning" trigger limp mode

FYI the two fuel tank level sensors are also connected in a similar way, so the PCM can (try and) figure out how much fuel is actually in the tank.

OTOH the coolant level warning light is driven directly from the sensor, with no connection to the PCM.

Very interesting, thanks. I find that my oil light will come on after a bit of hard drivin' and the oil level is between the first and second blobs. I usually avoid this by checking and filling frequently enough!