Oil pressure light on for a few seconds at start-up?

[NewVanOwner]

Is this normal...

-Drive the van, park, and start 20 minutes later - red oil pressure light comes stays on for a few seconds at start-up.

-Drive the van, turn off, start again immediately - oil pressure light goes off almost instantly.

Thanks

[CleverUserName]

My van was doing that too. Previous owner said it was normal. He was running Dino 20w50 when I got it.

I changed the oil to synthetic 5w30 and it went away almost immediately. I would guess there was some varnish or gunk on the sensor and they syn oil cleaned it off. Or it failed completely. Not sure exactly what changed, but it doesn't come on anymore.

Maybe worth trying.

Edited to add: Make sure your using an OEM Toyota Oil filter or quality aftermarket that has a diaphram. My problem was not filter related, but yours may be, so take a look there first.

[adamh]

mine does this when its cold for up to 5-6 seconds before going out (diesel van) 10w40 oil, new oil pump, clean sump.
but go's out very quick if the engine is starting at normal running temperature.

[vanalogs]

Mine does the same thing kind of it just randomly turns on and off throughout driving it. The guy that I bought it from said its a bed sensor?

[adamh]

Mine does the same thing kind of it just randomly turns on and off throughout driving it. The guy that I bought it from said its a bed sensor?

may just be a bad contact where the black/yellow cable meets the oil pressure sensor its a plastic slide fitting, slide it off, and clean it up with a soft wire brush and something for cleaning electrical contacts.
while the BK/YL cable is off use a small piece of wire to connect the free end of the cable to the chasis and you should see the dash light go out, that would qualify the cable as continuous.

[vanalogs]

may just be a bad contact where the black/yellow cable meets the oil pressure sensor its a plastic slide fitting, slide it off, and clean it up with a soft wire brush and something for cleaning electrical contacts.
while the BK/YL cable is off use a small piece of wire to connect the free end of the cable to the chasis and you should see the dash light go out, that would qualify the cable as continuous.

Thanks adamh Ill try that today.

[timsrv]

FYI, since the oil pressure light gets it's ground from the sender, the light will only light up if that connection is good. Aside from low oil pressure, other reasons for it to light up would be a faulty sender or a short on the wire going from it to the light. My van had an intermittent short in that wire. Even with the sender disconnected the light would come on at times. In the end I ran a new wire from the sender to the instrument cluster.........problem solved. Tim