What Does Low Oil Pressure – Stop Engine Mean? (Explained)

The vehicle engine requires enough oil pressure to run smoothly. If it fails to get the high or standard fuel pressure, the engine won’t run. But oil or fuel pressure is not a constant part of the vehicle. It might go up and down for some reason.

Today, we will explore why the oil pressure is low, how it stops the engine and its effects.

What does low oil pressure – stop engine mean?

A low oil pressure-stop engine has poor engine condition due to the low fuel pressure. Sometimes, the engine doesn’t get enough oil pressure; as a result, it will stop, or the engine light will come on. The low oil pressure will also cause some other damages to the engine. Overheating is one.

Can you imagine driving your car without fuel? You cannot do that. The same happens with the engine. If it fails to get enough engine pressure, it will also fail to run smoothly and eventually; it will stop due to the lowest fuel pressure.

You need to check the fuel pump, tank, engine parts, coolant, water pump, and other parts of your vehicle. They play the role of causing low oil pressure and hindering the flow of the oil. You have to be careful and check them regularly.

Either repair them or replace the damaged ones to solve the low-pressure problem. You might need to invest in some parts and install them; it will be worth it.

Apart from that, the low oil pressure is risky and can damage the engine power. It increases the engine temperature and damages the engine.

When the engine doesn’t get enough fuel pressure to run, it will start forcing and putting additional effort into running the car. If you continue driving with low oil pressure, the engine will stop.

Why does low oil pressure light come on and how to fix it?

The low oil pressure light comes on for several reasons. We find out the top five reasons in this regard. Let’s go through them and solve the problems accordingly.

Insufficient Oil:

The most general reason for low oil pressure light coming on is insufficient oil.

Maybe you forget to fill the fuel tank and start driving for an urgency. If your tank has a very low oil level, it will cause the oil pressure light to come on.

It happens with everybody unless you are very careful about your car’s health. However, the insufficient oil can’t provide enough oil pressure to the engine, which creates issues.

Loose Gas Cap:

We sometimes don’t look at the gas cap after filling the fuel tank. You might also forget to tighten the gas cap, ultimately hindering the fuel flow.

Notably, the loose gas cap causes rough idle that creates engine issues and low oil pressure.

Therefore, you must check the gas cap and tighten it properly. If it remains loose for a long time, you will get the low oil pressure light is on.

Overheated Engine:

When the coolant system goes terrible and can’t deliver the cool fluid, it will overheat the engine.

And an overheated engine will cause the oil pressure light to come on. The engine fails to produce enough power to drive smoothly.

If the car’s water pump goes wrong, it will create issues and overheat the engine as well. It will become another reason you get the oil pressure light.

Faulty Oil Pump:

Another crucial reason you get the oil pressure light to come on is the faulty oil pump. It creates problems in the entire fuel system. First, it will hinder the fuel flow, and then it will lower the oil pressure.

Moreover, the faulty oil pump will damage the engine performance. When you find a faulty oil pump, you must replace it or repair it. But repairing will be insecure; it will be best to replace the pump.

Oil Viscosity:

Last but not least, oil viscosity will also play a big role in low oil pressure light. If you use any thick fuel, maybe by mistake, your engine will fail to optimum use of the oil and generate enough power.

These are all possible reasons you find the low oil pressure light coming on. It’s time to fix them all. Here, we come up with all the available solutions to help you solve the low oil pressure that stops the engine. Follow them and drive safely.

Repair the damaged part:

The first thing you should do is find out all the damaged parts that cause the engine light to come on. Maybe you have a faulty coolant system, or the water pump is not working.

Whatever the reasons are, find them out and repair them. You might need to replace some if they are entirely damaged.

Change Oil Pump:

If you find a faulty oil pump, replace it with the new one. You cannot expect to increase the oil pressure with a damaged oil pump.

Change Oil:

When you don’t find any problems with any engine part, and everything is fine, you should change the oil. Sometimes, the old engine oil causes the low oil pressure light to turn on.

Can you drive a car with low oil pressure?

You can drive a car with low oil pressure, but it is not safe. You have to be careful while driving with low oil pressure because it will damage the engine and cause other problems.

Only if you are in an emergency and have to drive the car should you slowly drive.

You should go to the mechanic and ask him to find out the reasons and solve it soon. It will be best not to drive with low oil pressure.

How far and how long can you drive a car with low oil pressure?

You can drive only about 30 minutes. It is the highest time you should drive with low oil pressure. If you go beyond that time, your engine will be severely damaged. It will also damage other parts of the engine.

Since you can’t drive at full speed, you can’t go more than 8 to 10 miles within 30 minutes.

And it’s better not to drive the low oil pressure car. You may only drive 5 to 10 miles. You need to look at the low-pressure light; it might stop the engine if it goes down.

What happens if you drive your car with low oil pressure?

If you drive your car with low oil pressure, it will damage the engine and other parts. You can count more effects along the way.

Overheated Engine:

If you continue driving your car with low oil pressure, the engine will produce heated air which will overheat the engine. Eventually, the engine will drop its performance.

Stop the engine:

Do you know low oil pressure can stop your engine? The low oil pressure will indeed stop the engine after a specific time.

Damage to the coolant system:

If you continue driving with low oil pressure, it will damage the coolant system indirectly.

When the engine produces overheated air, the coolant system will try to make the engine cool. If you continue for a long time, you will damage the coolant system.

Can low oil pressure damage an engine?

The low oil pressure can damage the engine by producing overheated air and temperature.

If the engine fails to get enough oil pressure, it will react and create enough power to run. Eventually, it will damage the car engine and reduce its performance.

Low oil pressure is not safe for the entire car’s health. It will damage the engine and the coolant system by overheating the engine. That’s why it’s better not to drive with the low oil pressure. First sort out the problem, then drive the car.

How much does it cost to fix low oil pressure?

It will cost you around $160 to fix the low oil pressure. Both the labor cost and the parts price are included. The parts will cost around $70, and the labor or mechanic will take the rest as the service charge.

But the price will depend on the car brand and other factors. The labor cost is fixed. If you don’t need to replace the entire fueling system and repair the system, you might save some by repairing them.

It’s better to change the damaged parts and get a new one to drive safely and enjoy the fueling system for a long time. If you repair the damaged parts, they might create issues in the near future.

Final thoughts

If your engine fails to get the right oil pressure, it will fail to produce the required power to drive the car smoothly. The engine will be overheated and damaged. This condition is known as low oil pressure. If you continue driving with it, it will stop the engine.