Pull the vehicle over and shut it off as quickly as you can do so safely. The longer the engine runs with low oil pressure, the greater the likelihood that damage is occurring inside the engine.
Look at how far up the indicator the wet oil line reaches. Each line below the “full” line indicates a quart of oil the engine is low. If the oil line reaches the second line below the “full” line, it means the engine is short two quarts of oil.
Be careful, the oil leaking from the engine is likely extremely hot. If you do not see any signs of a leak and the oil level was not too low, the problem may not be a lack of oil, but a lack of oil pressure.
If the oil light stays off, it means your engine was low on oil. You will need to assess where the oil went, but can safely drive the vehicle as long as the oil doesn’t leak out of the engine too quickly. If the oil light comes back on, shut the engine back down.
If the oil light stays on, you will need to have the vehicle towed to your house or a repair facility. Do not drive the vehicle with the oil light on if at all possible.
Eye protection such as glasses or goggles are a requirement for this project. Gloves are not mandatory but you may choose to wear them.
Remove the ground cable from the negative terminal and tuck it to the side of the battery. You will not need to remove the cable from the positive terminal.
Never just use a jack to support the weight of a vehicle you climb under. If you are unsure of where to place the jack or jack stands, check in your vehicle’s owner’s manual for designated jack points.
If you see a small stream of oil running down a surface in the engine bay, follow it up to its highest point to locate the point of the leak. If there is a lot of oil everywhere, the leak is likely substantial.
Make sure the engine is cool before starting this process to avoid being burned by dripping fluids. Look for brown or black fluids when searching for oil leaks.
Look at where the oil pan bolts to the bottom of the engine block. The pan is the lowest point in the engine and is held in place by a number of bolts. Run your finger along the oil pan to identify where a leak may have started. Check the oil drain plug on your oil pan to ensure it is snug and no oil is leaking from it. Look for signs of oil leaking where the cylinder head meets the block (head gasket) and where the cover bolts to the top of the cylinder head (valve cover). Leaks may also arise where the crankshaft bolts to the crank pulley on the bottom of the engine block.
If you can identify the leak, but lack the tools or expertise to repair it, bring it to a mechanic and let them know what you were able to identify. You can purchase replacement gaskets at your local auto parts store.
If the oil light does not come back on and the oil pressure gauge reads properly then the issue is resolved. If the light comes back on, turn the engine off immediately.
Purchase a compression gauge and insert it into the first cylinder’s spark plug hole to conduct a compression test. Repeat the process with each cylinder. Have a friend crank the engine as you assess the maximum reading on the gauge. If one cylinder reads as lower than the others, that cylinder has compromised rings or valve seals. The engine will require significant repairs.
Check in your vehicle’s service manual to locate the oil pressure sending unit, as it may be located in a number of places depending on the make and model of your vehicle. If the gauge does not move when the sending unit is disconnected, the engine’s oil pressure may actually be fine.
Use the correct installation tool for your vehicle when seating the oil pickup tube into the pump. Forcing it can cause damage. Add oil to the pump before you install it to ensure it is properly primed before the engine is started once it’s in place.
