Engine oil temp light?!

[Frenchy]

While messing with the instrument cluster I noticed my 1993 SE Sport has an Engine Oil Temp Light and it does have a bulb with power available. Where is the sensor supposed to be hooked up? I plan to look in the FSM soon to see if I can find it, but I was curious if anyone here knew anything?

[Slartibartfast]

First I've heard of it. There's a transmission oil temp light, haven't heard of an engine oil temp light or sensor though. Where on the cluster? Round dash or square?

[adamzan]

First I've heard of it. There's a transmission oil temp light, haven't heard of an engine oil temp light or sensor though. Where on the cluster? Round dash or square?

1993 would be the last year of the square dash. Could be an option for the diesel ones overseas.


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[Frenchy]

It was specified for the VG30E in the operators manual. After looking in the FSM I couldn't find any info on it. 

 

Is is the last year of the square dash with the 1 year only cluster and the warning is in the bezel on the right side with the AT Temp, ABS light and 4WD light. Being a 5 speed the AT warning does not have wiring or a bulb.

[CamperDan]

On 6/23/2023 at 3:05 AM, Slartibartfast said:

First I've heard of it. There's a transmission oil temp light, haven't heard of an engine oil temp light or sensor though. Where on the cluster? Round dash or square?

This was available on the R50 Pathfinder too, a few months ago I replaced my gauge cluster with one I scored at my local junkyard (due to a missing 4X4 light) when I discovered that it had the AT Transmission oil temp light. I laughed because my R50 Pathfinder 4X4 is a 5 Speed.

 

Chris.

Edited June 24, 2023 by CamperDan

[Frenchy]

11 hours ago, CamperDan said:

This was available on the R50 Pathfinder too, a few months ago I replaced my gauge cluster with one I scored at my local junkyard (due to a missing 4X4 light) when I discovered that it had the AT Transmission oil temp light. I laughed because my R50 Pathfinder 4X4 is a 5 Speed.

I did look in the bezel and there is a spot for the AT Oil Temp as well, but no bulb and wiring. All depends on the factory setup I guess

[Slartibartfast]

I've got the same '93-only cluster in mine and don't remember seeing one of those while I had it out, though IIRC there was at least one symbol that I couldn't work out a purpose for. Like Adam, I assumed it was diesel-related. Does yours say engine oil temp or is it a picture? I might have to pop mine out and have a look with a flashlight. 

 

I haven't found a '93 FSM yet, but '90 and '95 have no mention of an engine oil temp light. Operator's manual, you mean like the one in the glovebox, with the jacking points and whatnot?

Edited June 24, 2023 by Slartibartfast

[CamperDan]

11 hours ago, Frenchy said:

I did look in the bezel and there is a spot for the AT Oil Temp as well, but no bulb and wiring. All depends on the factory setup I guess

Yes that's true, it's also the reason why I needed to swap out my Gauge Cluster. Turns out the previous owner replaced the original one with a junkyard replacement due to illumination issues, the replacement was from a 2WD donor, so no bulb was present in the 4X4 position. The A/T Oil Temp Light in my current Gauge Cluster only comes on in the ECC key position so no big deal, everything else works great so far though.

 

Chris.

[adamzan]

The AT oil temp light comes on at some ridiculously high temperature IIRC. If it comes on something is really wrong lol.


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[Slartibartfast]

I popped mine out today to have a look. Is this what yours looks like? 

 

 

I'm not sure what to make of the sweaty free-balling Christmas ornament second from the right. The drip says some kind of fluid is involved, and the color says it's urgent, but I don't see anything indicating heat. The '87 service manual shows a fuel filter light in the warning lamps section, specific to the SD25 diesel. I suspect that's what this is supposed to be. Maybe the bit at the bottom is supposed to be a sediment bowl? Naturally the manual only shows the circuit schematic, not the picture that the bulb lights up. The manual also shows a glow plug light, but nothing about that idiot light says "glow plug" to me (not that it really screams "filter," either). There is a bulb in that slot, and it's wired to the plug on the back of the surround, but the dash harness that plugs into it is not pinned for either of this bulb's wires.

 

The left side has two idiot lights for the auto trans (O/D Off and Power), one blacked-out idiot light slot with no bulb in it, and a low washer fluid light, which does have a bulb, despite being marked Canada-only in every service manual I've looked at. I did not chase the wiring to see if the washer fluid light or the empty slot are wired in the dash harness, but I did see that the dash harness plug has five pins, which is more than the two lights for the trans should need. (I'm also curious whether the manual US-spec trucks have a different rack of idiot lights for the left side, or whether it's just completely blanked out.)

[Frenchy]

On 6/24/2023 at 3:22 AM, Slartibartfast said:

I've got the same '93-only cluster in mine and don't remember seeing one of those while I had it out, though IIRC there was at least one symbol that I couldn't work out a purpose for. Like Adam, I assumed it was diesel-related. Does yours say engine oil temp or is it a picture? I might have to pop mine out and have a look with a flashlight. 

 

I haven't found a '93 FSM yet, but '90 and '95 have no mention of an engine oil temp light. Operator's manual, you mean like the one in the glovebox, with the jacking points and whatnot?

Correct, the owners manual is what is in the glove box 

[Frenchy]

10 hours ago, Slartibartfast said:

I popped mine out today to have a look. Is this what yours looks like? 

 

 

I'm not sure what to make of the sweaty free-balling Christmas ornament second from the right. The drip says some kind of fluid is involved, and the color says it's urgent, but I don't see anything indicating heat. The '87 service manual shows a fuel filter light in the warning lamps section, specific to the SD25 diesel. I suspect that's what this is supposed to be. Maybe the bit at the bottom is supposed to be a sediment bowl? Naturally the manual only shows the circuit schematic, not the picture that the bulb lights up. The manual also shows a glow plug light, but nothing about that idiot light says "glow plug" to me (not that it really screams "filter," either). There is a bulb in that slot, and it's wired to the plug on the back of the surround, but the dash harness that plugs into it is not pinned for either of this bulb's wires.

 

The left side has two idiot lights for the auto trans (O/D Off and Power), one blacked-out idiot light slot with no bulb in it, and a low washer fluid light, which does have a bulb, despite being marked Canada-only in every service manual I've looked at. I did not chase the wiring to see if the washer fluid light or the empty slot are wired in the dash harness, but I did see that the dash harness plug has five pins, which is more than the two lights for the trans should need. (I'm also curious whether the manual US-spec trucks have a different rack of idiot lights for the left side, or whether it's just completely blanked out.)

What you have pictured is what I noticed. The one second from the right is the Engine Oil Temp Light. It is mentioned in the Owners manual for the VG30E (US manual doesn't mention engines besides the VG30E and KA24E). looking in the FSM I could.not find anything on it and I'm wondering if there might be some kind of program in the ECM that calculates Engine Oil Temp based on other parameters. Being that old it is possible but unknown.

[Slartibartfast]

Can you post a picture from your owner's manual? I'm not doubting you, just confused. The only paper owner's manual I've got is for a '95. I was able to find a PDF version of the '93 owner's manual, but it shows what looks like a '92 or earlier cluster on page 1-2, and I don't see the Christmas ornament idiot light listed with the other idiot lights on page 1-6.

 

I have several service manuals for these ('87, '89, '90, '94/'95), but I have not gotten ahold of the '93 (irritating given that's what mine is). Usually the '90 is close enough, but it seems we're up against some one-year weirdness here. Does anyone have a copy of the '93 FSM?

 

The one thing I can say for sure is that this light is not connected to anything in mine. The wires dead-end at the connector to the dash harness. In a vehicle where the dash harness does include the wiring for this light, I would expect the other end to connect to an engine oil temperature switch like this, this, or this. I did not find an oil temp switch advertised for any gen of Pathfinder. 

[Frenchy]

I would be glad to show it if this forum would let me. It doesn't like pictures that are more than 2 bits. I think the Admin should do something about that because it's annoying and I can download pictures just fine to other forums 

[CamperDan]

4 hours ago, Frenchy said:

I would be glad to show it if this forum would let me. It doesn't like pictures that are more than 2 bits. I think the Admin should do something about that because it's annoying and I can download pictures just fine to other forums 

You can use the app called Imgur, this will allow you to upload the image to the app and then just simply share a link to the image here and not have to worry about said restrictions or limitations. I've been using it for a while now and it works great. I hope this helps.

 

Chris.

[Slartibartfast]

Yeah, the upload function here basically doesn't work. I use flickr, but it's not built for it. If you'd rather I can send you my email address, you can send me the picture, and I'll upload it from there. Not sure if that's less work or not.