1995 Plymouth Acclaim New Owner

I just bought a '95 Acclaim with 140,000 miles to use as a commuter
car. It's got the 3.0 V6 and a 3 speed auto. I changed the oil
yesterday and added 4.5 quarts of oil to the motor as per the manual.
Now, unlike before, I get a flickering oil pressure light when I stop
at stop lights, but it goes away quickly when I begin to move? Am I
just low on oil? or has my engine gone out on me in one day?

Also, I can't get an accurate reading with my dipstick.....I can't
discern any spot where the oil level is.

It was a cheapie, but I LOVE this car already, any help with these
issues is greatly appreciated.

 

My Acclaim had the 2.5 rather than the 3.0, but 4.5 quarts is what it
required when you changed the filter as well as the oil, which I always
did. Are you sure you put in 4.5 quarts? If you can't see any oil on
the dipstick after putting in this much oil, then something is fishy.
Either you have the wrong dipstick, you put the oil in something other
than the crankcase, or you have a leak and it has leaked out. The fact
that the oil light is flickering tends to suggest that it really is low
on oil and thus may take suspicion away from the dipstick.

I'd put another quart or two in, at least enough to register on the
dipstick and see if the light stays out. Might also want to find
someone with another 3.0 and compare your dipstick to theirs to see if
the length and markings are the same.


Matt

 

What viscosity grade of oil did you use?

Erm...you can't? That's certainly odd. You do know how to check properly
(pull, wipe, reinsert, pull, read), right?

 

If you are sure that you put the proper amount of oil in don't overfill to
eliminate a problem that wont go away. If the engine is not making any noise
and you see oil getting to the top of the valve train you no it is getting
properly lubed. Do an oil pressure test to ease the mind and install a new
oil pressure sending unit and be on your way. Then double check the dipstick
for proper readings, sometime you have to clean it off really good to see
the oil on it as you pull it out

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

Perhaps I should have been clearer about the dipstick. It's not that I
can't see any oil on it, it's just that the oil is smeared all the way
up past the marks, and I can't get a good reading. I put 4.5 quarts,
4.7 if you count what I added because the light was flickering.

No leaks that I could find. My oil pan gasket needs changed, but that
wouldn't have caused a huge leakage in one day.

How do I go about finding and replacing the sensor and or test the
pressure?

Also, I'm having an issue with my temperature gauge and gasoline gagues
not being consistent. For the Temp gauge, it will start out at about
halfway, then go down to almost cool when I'm moving, but go up to
almost hot when I'm idling. For the gas gauge, it won't register any
more than 3/4 tank when full, and it can fluctuate by more than 1/4
tank when I'm making turns at speed.

Any ideas about this?

 

This often happens when the engine is hot. I tend to check my oil when
things are cold. Then the oil pretty much stays in place while you
remove the dipstick.


Matt

 

Well, It's not been as bad with the flickering today on the way to
work. Ironically, it seemed to do better when I switched the A/C on
(It's like 60 here in DC). That being said, I don't get any
discernible difference when I push in the A/C button....no light,
nothing. Do I have a blown fuse, or is there something more wrong?

Just getting used to the new ride.

 

Purchased a '93 Acclaim two years ago with a 2.5 engine.

It has been great for me as well. When I changed the oil on mine, the
oil pressure
indication did something similiar to yours although I did not get any
oil pressure light
flicker. Just a dip in the oil pressure on the gauge when stopped for
lights. I use
5W30 oil as I believe most MOPAR engines of that time used that oil
grade.

Could it be that the oil pressure sensor needs to be replaced? I use
to drive an '86
New Yorker with a 2.2 engine and the oil pressure sensor went on it and
the flickering
oil pressure light was the indication.

By the way, I just replaced the Oxygen sensor on the Acclaim in
September as my
gas mileage had been declining for the last year. Before I changed the
O2 sensor,
I was getting approximately 500 kilometers per tank. After the sensor
change, I'm
getting 750-800 kilometers per tank (as long as temperatures are mild).
The sensor
has already paid for itself during the gas price spike during October.

Steve

 

I'm going to check out the oxygen sensor in my car as well as the oil
pressure sensor. It's running great, and I'm very happy at this
point.....aside from the fact that the AC appears to need a recharge.

I have noticed that the oil pressure light does not flicker when the AC
is on (button pushed in)....perhaps the car's idle is higher when the
compressor is running.

 

10w30 is more appropriate at this stage of that engine's life.

Certainly could be.

Hope you didn't use a Bosch, or you'll soon get to do it again (and again,
and again, until you start using a different brand).

 

I agree with the other opinions that say that the oil light flicker
almost certainly indicates that the oil pressure sensor switch (not
sending unit, which technically provides an analog signal to a gage -
you don't have that - you have a switch which controls an idiot light)
needs to be replaced (but if it will make you feel better, have the
pressure checked by someone who will not try to flim-flam you). And yes
- when you turn your a.c. on, the idle gets compensated to a higher
speed, so the flicker stops - typical of a bad oil pressure switch.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

Bill, SHAME on you. Only the losers at General Motors think there is any
such a thing as a dashboard "gage".

You're not a loser at General Motors...are you?

He might or might not, depending on whether he has the plain or fancy
instrument cluster. The plain one hasn't got an oil pressure gauge. The
fancy one does. Both have an idiot light. A combination sender-switch is
used with the fancy cluster.

 

No, I've got the plain instrument cluster. I'm awaiting my service
manual for the car, as I'd like to do these repairs myself. I think I
can do most of them except the serpentine belt.

BTW, is the oil pressure sensor switch near the oil filter on the
underside of the engine?

Anybody out there have any success with those do-it-yourself AC
recharge kits?

Also, I think I need to either bleed my cooling system or install a new
thermostat because my temperature gauge varies wildly depending on
whether I'm sitting or driving.

Also, also, What would cause a gas gauge to vary by as much as 1/4 tank
when taking turns?

Sorry for the Questions, but I'm loving my car.

 

The recharge kits work fine. I'd suggest you get a set of gauges as well.
The problem here is generally there is a leak that caused the refrigerant to
escape and the cheap and easy recharge will work for a day or two if you are
lucky. It generally requires an expensive diagnosis and part replacement.
Hope your results differ. Post your result and actions you take for the
benefit of others.

Bob

 

Hope you got the *factory* manual, not the junk from Haynes.

Don't remember where it is on the 3.0. This will be in the manual.

Depends what you're trying to do. If you're just trying to get by until
you sell the car, they're fine. If you want it fixed properly, without
damaging the system, then the DIY kit is not the way to go. Properly-done
A/C work is more complex than it seems.

These two problems could well be related, since the fuel and temp gauges
share a common voltage controller. That is: Could be a gauge problem
rather than a temperature problem.

 

I'll have to give that voltage problem a look on the gauges...I'd hate
to have to replace that cluster.

I got my new oil pressure sensor, and I'm unfortunately, the manual is
the haynes or Chilton manual, I can't locate a chrysler one online
right now.

 

Why? They're neither expensive nor difficult to replace.

Garbage. Contains way too much wrong information, and a great deal of
needed info is missing. Using it is counterproductive.

They're available most of the time on eBay, and you can get 'em new over
the parts counter at the dealer service department. Or, you can get a
1-year www.alldatadiy.com subscription for $25, which gives you all the
factory info including TSBs and wiring diagrams.

 

First off, I've never replaced an instrument cluster before, so I
really have no idea what I'm doing. Until I get SOME KIND of manual,
I'm not going to touch anything that has to do with electric components
or gauges.

I really don't even know what is wrong with the damned thing. Even
when full (overflowing) the gas gauge never shows more than 3/4
tank.....and the level shown on the gauge varies wildly when turning.
The behavior of the temp gauge is not quite that weird.....especially
when turning.

 

OK, fair enough. It really is exceptionally easy, though. Requires little
more than a philips head screwdriver and 10 minutes' time.

If you're getting variation when turning, then one of two things is
happening: Either the gauge sender (in the tank, part of the fuel pump) is
faulty, or the gauge head itself (in the dashboard) is faulty. Is the
behavior exactly the same whether you turn right or left? Or is it
different right vs. left?

 

Where is the oil light in the fancy one?

Is there a "Check Gages" light in the fancy one?

I was surprised when I discovered that the plain
one has a "Low Fuel" light.
I should say rather an icon that 10 seconds of
mental decoding tells one "oh, it must
be a gas pump, fuel must be low".
Like the oil can light.

Thanks.