Ford Mondeo Oil Light

shanks84

Hi. My oil light keeps on flicking on from time to time. I've checked the oil, and it was low, so I stuck a litre of oil in. It's done absolutely nothing to the level on the dipstick, and it's still very dry. The oil light is still flicking on occasionally too! What could it be? Surely a litre of oil would make a difference?

It's a 2004 1.8 Mondeo

Thanks

LandyAndy

What level is the dipstick showing?

shanks84

LandyAndy wrote: »

What level is the dipstick showing?

Nothing. Its pretty much bone dry. It had a little oil on it when i first pulled it out and cleaned it, but when i re-dipped it, there was nothing

Deepmistrust

shanks84 wrote: »

Nothing. Its pretty much bone dry. It had a little oil on it when i first pulled it out and cleaned it, but when i re-dipped it, there was nothing

If it was showing nothing on the dipstick and the oil pressure light came on, then you will need more than a litre of oil.

Check with the manufacture. But I bet you need more like 3 or 4 litres.

forgotmyname

Always dip the stick twice, if its cold pulling the stick out wont show the correct level.

Remove the stick,wipe, pop it back in remove & check.

It must be seriously low for the light to come on, Meanin g there is no oil
in the feed to put pressure on the switch.

tomstickland

Put some more oil in. A full 5L will normally take an engine from empty to slightly over the max level.

KillerWatt

If the dipstick still shows nothing after a litre, then you obviously need more oil.

Having owned a Mondy or six in my time, I can tell you that your engine is pretty much bone dry if a litre didn't even bring the level up on the stick.
It takes pretty much 1 litre to go from min to max on the dipstick, and a good 3 litres from empty just to see the oil on the bottom of the dipstick.

Oil pressure warning lights are quite slow at responding, and generally don't activate until the oil pressure is already way beyond useless (which means the engine has already suffered damage).
If you can't hear any untoward noises at the moment, then get oil in in immediately and count yourself lucky.

KillerWatt

tomstickland wrote: »

Put some more oil in. A full 5L will normally take an engine from empty to slightly over the max level.

Wish that was true of my current car, 5 litres from empty won't even see oil on the very bottom of the dipstick.

davemorton

killerwatt wrote: »

wish that was true of my current car, 5 litres from empty won't even see oil on the very bottom of the dipstick.

ditto!.....

LandyAndy

To get to this low a level something must have gone badly wrong.
Either

You never checked the oil or had the car serviced.

or

There is an oil leak.

or

The engine is worn to the point where it cannot maintain adequate pressure.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Buy a longer dipstick, yes i know that a silly reply but the thread has to be a wind up...please tell me it's a wind.