RE: 1987 325 CHECK oil light?? -help!

["Fadeev, Alex" <Alex.Fadeev@xxxxxxx>]

Bob Norman <bnorman@domain.elided> wrote:
> 
> The oil light on the overhead display came on this morning.  You know
> when your cruising along, and the big yellow CHECK light comes on,
> scaring the bejezus out of you, and you glance up only to find that
> you're low on windshield washer fluid?  Well today it was the oil LED
> that was illuminated.

Bob, 
Don't worry too much about E30 check lights - they are there to remind you
that you are running low on one of the fluids or that your lights are dead.
Nothing life threatening.
The instrument cluster warning lights, on the other hand, are the ones to
keep an eye on. If you oil _pressure_ light comes on in the instrument
cluster, then it's time to shut the engine off immediately/panic.

> I pulled over, checked the level (it was near the bottom mark on the
> dipstick, but not below) and read the owners manual.  The manual said
> that the light is just to let you know that the oil is low. OK, me
> thinks ...no big deal I'll top up when I get home.  So I drove about
> 30 km's with the light on.  When I got home I topped up the oil, but 
> the light is still on!!! It won't go out!

The oil _level_ check panel E30 sensor is finicky. Even with oil level
at/above minimum level, taking a few off ramps is known to leave the oil
level sensor exposed for a moment to long and trigger the oil level light.
Once triggered, the light takes forever to go out. Either the sensor checks
for consistently adequate oil level of X many minutes, or the oil takes a
while to drip down to the oil pan and register at the sensor. 
Either way, don't worry about. There is about 1 quart/liter of oil between
min and max markings on the dip stick. If you put in 1/2 - 1 quart of oil
after the light came on, you are fine and sooner or later the light will go
out.

> Have I done some serious damage? Should I be worried? Do I 
> need to some how reset the light??

no/no/no.

> Can some one tell me where the sensor is on the engine (hoping
> for a loose wire?)

The oil pan is 'L' shaped with the bottom of the 'L' extending to the
(driver?) side. The oil level sensor is at the top of that driver-side
extension. Follow the wiring and you will not miss it.

take it easy,
alex f

------------------------------