How can I tell if my oil pump is going out?

I have an 01 Mitsubishi Galant 4 cylinder and my oil light only comes on when the car has been driven for a while and only when at idle. If I am at a light sitting it flickers and as soon as I start to go it shuts off. Any suggestions? I have changed my oil/filter and all levels are good.How can I tell if my oil pump is going out?If it bothers you check the oil pressure sensor and replace it if it's off. It that doesn't work just keep driving until it burns up.



The reason the pressure goes low is due to excessive wear around the oiled engine parts. Oil is leaking past where it used to just (seep) into. All you can do to fix it is a major overhaul or replace the engine.How can I tell if my oil pump is going out?Well, it sounds like your 8 year old car is starting to show some wear. Check with your own mechanic to be sure, but I'd say unless you are hearing valve chatter, the characteristic %26quot;tick tick tick%26quot; sound at an idle, I wouldn't worry about it too much. You could try a slightly heavier weight oil, if you're using 5-30 you might go to 10-40 for example.



I doubt it's the oil pump, they generally are a %26quot;pass/fail%26quot; thing and either work or don't. And if you had a problem with a dirty pick up screen, it would starve out for oil at any speed, not just at idle.How can I tell if my oil pump is going out?Yeah, just to a straight 40 weight unless you live in a really cold climate. there are oils now for high mileage vehicles that do a good job. they're available at all the auto parts stores. Drive it until the rods start knocking.How can I tell if my oil pump is going out?All ya gotta do is not idle the engine. There, I fixed it fur ya. Ok seriously, everybodies right, except the one about changing the oil press sensor. If you want to verify that the flickering light is in fact accurate you would plumb in a calibrated oil press guage and verify what the oil pressure actually is at idle. Not hard to do and doesn't cost nothing if you have a friend with a guage and the know how to plumb it into your system to do a quick check.How can I tell if my oil pump is going out?Put in thicker oil and keep driving.How can I tell if my oil pump is going out?you can tell alright ! after awhile you will hear a knocking noise if it goes out. if your engine sounds ok then it,s probably the oil pressure sending unit.