HELP: Car dies after startup / shows LOW OIL LEVEL warning message / But NO Codes
11-19-2007, 12:12 PM
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HELP: Car dies after startup / shows LOW OIL LEVEL warning message / But NO Codes I've been searching the forum for the answer, but can't find it, so hoping someone here can help.
Background: This weekend a friend and I decided to install a Dynatech header system in my 2000 C5 Corvette M-6 convertable. The install went pretty well overall.
The PROBLEM: After getting everything put back together, I started up the car. The car revs up like normal, the oil pressure gauge reads 40 psi like normal, and everything seems fine.... EXCEPT, the car dies after about 8-10 seconds and the DIC shows "LOW OIL LEVEL". The car is not throwing any codes. When I try starting the car again, it dies even faster and continues to show LOW OIL LEVEL warning on the DIC, but still no codes. It just won't stay running and keeps showing the Low Oil Level warning on the DIC.
I tried disconnecting the negative battery cable for about 20 minutes, and then reconnected it (saw some posts where this was suggested), but when I started it, it did the same thing: Died after a few seconds and showed LOW OIL LEVEL, but no codes. I'm completely stumped!
My guess is that the problem is not directly related to the new headers, since I don't see how an exhaust system would cause this type of problem. So I figure that during the install, we either loosened or damaged some connector accidentally. But I can't figure out where to begin looking for the problem. Any suggestions???
One Additional Note: During the install, the only real problem we ran into was that we accidentally broke a coolant sensor (not sure exactly what its called). The sensor that we broke is located on the driver's side of the engine, towards the front of the engine, just a few inches behind and below the alternator. I've ordered the part and will replace it when it comes in. I don't see how a sensor related to the coolant could cause a LOW OIL LEVEL warning or cause the car to die, but I guess anything is possible, so I thought I'd include this info here as well.
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!
Thanks.
Background: This weekend a friend and I decided to install a Dynatech header system in my 2000 C5 Corvette M-6 convertable. The install went pretty well overall.
The PROBLEM: After getting everything put back together, I started up the car. The car revs up like normal, the oil pressure gauge reads 40 psi like normal, and everything seems fine.... EXCEPT, the car dies after about 8-10 seconds and the DIC shows "LOW OIL LEVEL". The car is not throwing any codes. When I try starting the car again, it dies even faster and continues to show LOW OIL LEVEL warning on the DIC, but still no codes. It just won't stay running and keeps showing the Low Oil Level warning on the DIC.
I tried disconnecting the negative battery cable for about 20 minutes, and then reconnected it (saw some posts where this was suggested), but when I started it, it did the same thing: Died after a few seconds and showed LOW OIL LEVEL, but no codes. I'm completely stumped!
My guess is that the problem is not directly related to the new headers, since I don't see how an exhaust system would cause this type of problem. So I figure that during the install, we either loosened or damaged some connector accidentally. But I can't figure out where to begin looking for the problem. Any suggestions???
One Additional Note: During the install, the only real problem we ran into was that we accidentally broke a coolant sensor (not sure exactly what its called). The sensor that we broke is located on the driver's side of the engine, towards the front of the engine, just a few inches behind and below the alternator. I've ordered the part and will replace it when it comes in. I don't see how a sensor related to the coolant could cause a LOW OIL LEVEL warning or cause the car to die, but I guess anything is possible, so I thought I'd include this info here as well.
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!
Thanks.
11-19-2007, 12:18 PM
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I have an 01 F-bod so the oil pan is a little different I think. But for my car there is a low level sensor that screws into the passenger side of the oil pan. Maybe you bumped that connector.
11-19-2007, 12:53 PM
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I think that's a possible explanation for the Low Oil Level warning. However, even if the low oil sensor is completely disconnected, the car would still run (it would just show a Low Oil Level warning), right? Its almost as if the computer is shutting off the fuel to the engine, causing the car to die. That wouldn't be just from the Low Oil sensor, would it?
11-19-2007, 09:26 PM
#6
You probably broke a wire in the oil sensor plug and the coolant sensor will stop the car from idling. I forgot to plug in the coolant temp sensor and the car wouldn't idle. Looks like you have two problems to me. No big deal. Just solder the broken wire and replace coolant temp sensor.
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11-19-2007, 11:12 PM
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11-21-2007, 11:33 AM
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Any thoughts?
