'01 Oil Light coming on at idle.

[charbee]

Hi all, we have a 2001 PT Touring, auto, w/63,600 miles. Just today the wifey comes home and tells me that at a stop light she heard the "ding" and the oil light came on, but went off after she got back up to driving speed.

Checked the oil, and it's fine (just changed it about 250 miles ago). Started it up, and it was ok for about two minutes, and then it "dinged" and came on again. Put it up on the rhino ramps to see what I could see underneath, and the whole time it was up on the ramps no light. Only thing I could see visibly leaking was the tranny pan gasket (*#$@*&!). Got her back down off the ramps and drove a few blocks, and got the same behavior: "ding" and light at stop lights, but as soon as you step on the gas, light goes off.

She doesn't run rough or poorly, you just get the oil light at idle. I'm assuming it's the oil pressure switch. Have read a few threads and looked at the manual, and am kinda confused. Saw something that might have been it up behind the oil filter, but not sure if that's what I found. Is this thing on the driver's side, or passenger side? Some mentioned removing the battery and airbox to get to it, others say go at it from the bottom...what's the best way to do this?

She's had regular oil changes and we don't drive her "hard." No obvious problems engine-wise thus far. Haven't had to do much of anything to the engine on her yet, other than plugs/wires/PCV valve...so I'm hoping that this would be about as easy as changing the PCV valve. Let me know if I'm delusional. Many thanks.

[CREWZIN]

The sensor above the oil filter is for the Crnakshaft. The oil sinding unit is on the other side.

[quicksilverdon]

Welcome.
Several folks have reporteed problems like yours - a new oil pressure sending unit - get a Chrysler sending unit - some aftermarket ones are troublesome.

[charbee]

Many thanks to both of you. I'll look for the part on Monday. The dealership on our side of town shut down a couple of years ago, so I'll scout out where the next closest one is, or try on-line, since this isn't something "critical." If all else fails, I'll try Advance or PepBoys. Just hope I can get to the thing to get it out without too much hassle or knuckle-scrape-age.