New Land Rover owner here.....Had the Oil Lamp flash several times over the weekend. Diagnosed by shop as being faulty oil pan gasket. Did I dodge a bullet here, get ripped off or just over-reacting to all the usual 03-04 death VIN doom and gloom info?

Thanks in advance,

 

Sounds like a ripoff. Listen to that. The oil light flashed, so they replaced the oil pan gasket?. That must have been one hell of a leak. Did they do an oil pressure test?

 

I have ocean front property in Nevada I'll sell you for cheap.

 

You get the idea.

 

Haha, thanks. Actually they did do a pressure test and that came back fine. Next time will run the diagnosis by the forum here first

 

Since the oil pan is vented thru both the bottom of the valley and the oil dip stick tube, can't imagine that leak would allow below 10 PSI unless it was a gusher. Suggest do your own PSI test or maybe another shop. Hope you are using 15W40.

 

We're just busting ***** man.

Check the wire on the oil pressure switch, its above the oil filter on the side of the block.

 

Good Sir,
(or dude)
There is NO way that an oil pan gasket can affect your oil pressure.
As these find gentlemen has described.
Unless your oil leaks out. That will affect the pressure.

There is a pickup screen in there which may be a bit plugged.
The pump has a tube and a pickup screen to scavenge oil from the bottom of the pan.

You could be running the Synthetic VooDoo oil which is so so thin.

I would change the oil to a thicker grade - 15w/50 or such.

If it is really hot - there is this little physics formulae:

pv=nrt

pressure * volume = n*r* temperature.
n is a constant.
r is rate I think.

High school chemistry stuff

Solve for pressure

p = nrt
___
v

So, as t - temp goes UP
pressure goes down.

Make sure your thermostat on the engine is OK and you are running in normal engine temp range.

I bet it flashed on a really really hot day with Synthetic voodoo oil in it.
And, you had your A/C on.
And, you were at a stop sign or light after a trip on the highway.

There is probably 10w/30 in it.
I would get that out.

What also is interesting is -
Look at the equation and volume - V.

As volume goes UP, pressure goes DOWN.

What makes volume??
Holes, gaps.

Gaps in the crank big end bearings will cause more oil volume - lowering the pressure.

I bet Savannah has an oil schematic of oil flow :-)

Anyway,
Easy way out is to put in some Mystik oil or Rotella oil and go forward.

See if your radiator is clogged on the outside.
Inspect your fan clutch.

 

I was completely with you on your suggestions of checking the oil pick up/viscosity, and then you tossed in the Ideal Gas Law stated above.

The application is fundamentally flawed. *

First of all this equation specifically applies to ideal gasses (see your periodic table), but can be used to describe the physical properties of real gasses or gas combinations (use of van der Walls equation applies). *In our trucks it better describes the compression/combustion in diesels and most directly the air conditioning cycle.

Lastly your algebra is confused as where PV=nRT as T goes up P goes up not down as stated. *

Correctly stated: *solving for P=nRT/V as V goes up P goes down, but I don't see how this applies to a leak in engine oil.

FYI: *R is the universal gas constant, n is the number of moles (mass in grams/molecular mass in grams per mole), T is calculated in absolute units (a simple conversion).

I am more of a lurk and learn member here, but I believe this extraneous information can only to serve to confuse the actual issue in this case.

Low pressure mechanical blockage/failure or fluid break down. KISS.

 

Didn't take any offense....after years of driving sports(ier) cars, I finally wanted to get a 4x4 to mess around with. I've had the Discovery for 6 months now with no issues. But i found about the whole death VIN after buying it. Will check the oil type now. Thanks for the advice