Search the forums on this, there's tons of threads, but I can almost guarantee that you've got a cracked oil pump rotor. BTDT Don't drive the car till it's fixed and oil weight won't help you. That oil pressure light comes on at I think 8psi, and at that point you're already too low and doing damage.

It's also really easy to add a mechanical or electric oil pressure gauge to the 4.6. There are also some really good threads in the forum in that regard.

 

IMO it does sound like your oil pump is kaput or the oil galleries are blocked (IMO the pump) as the oil light signifies low or no oil pressure. I'd strongly suggest not running the engine until it's fixed as you may damage the big ends, mains and crank also the pistons and other bushes and bearings.

 

would I be able to hook that up into an ultra guage?

 

No. you will have to get dirty.
you need a $20 oil pressure gauge; you can install it in the front cover or use a sandwich adapter as suggested 5-days ago

 

Search the forums. Lots of info on exactly how to plumb an oil pressure gauge. I first used a mechanical gauge to verify my pump had failed via an adapter on the cover, then ultimately wired in and installed an electrical gauge in an A-pillar pod. The ultragauge is not an oil pressure gauge.

 

the only thing holding me back right now is knowing which guage to buy and how to instal and wire everything up

 

just pm sizes to look for

 

At the same time you should be buying the parts to repair the oil pump. The gauge is just going to tell you what you already know, you have low oil pressure!

 

that's true.. I still don't know where to start exactly. im definitely going to be looking into the guage for the future though.

 

Start by dry docking your rover.

Buy-

- Oil pump gear
- Oil pan gasket
- Front cover gasket
- Blue thread locker

Remove the oil pan. Remove front cover, its the thing behind your water pump. Check RAVE, should be called timing cover, 9- 11mm bolts.

Remove. Look inside- Then unscrew 4 #3 posi screws and one 8mm bolton retaining plate. Remove plate and look at the oil pump ring gear, its the one with the cracked outer ring. Remove it and inspect the area it rests in. Make sure the outer perimeter(thickness of oil gear) does not have any deep scratches, that is the most important section. Also inspect the flat surfaces that the pump lays on. Should be minimal scratches. If scratches are too deep or it looks suspect, buy a used good front cover or new if you are rich.

Replace with new $100 oil pump gear, bevel edge into front cover. Pack with a ton of vaseline the gear and the area it sits in. Add blue thread locker to screws and bolt and tighten the retaining plate down.

Use gasket holder(copper gasket/gasket stay spray) onto front cover gasket and place on front cover. Mount front cover and start tightening the 11mm bolts in sequence per RAVE and torque measurements per Rave.

Get underneath. Clean block surface for oil pan. Add RTV/Right Stuff at the front main bearing cap seams(per RAVE) and the rear main bearing cap seams(per RAVE), just a thin coat about 1/4-1/2" wide. Now place gasket onto oil pan. Push pan into place and tighten 10mm bolts in sequence and torque spec)per RAVE.

Or- Take to a rover shop and pay $1000 for them to do it.

Bottom line is, this is a serious issue. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR CAR UNTIL YOU REPLCE THE OIL PUMP! YOUR MOTOR WILL BE TOAST IF YOU DO NOT TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY!.

I think you should know where to start now, exactly.