Oil pressure switch may have cracked, a cheap and easy part to fix. Maybe $50 at a roadside service station.
On the oil pump by the oil filter, see pic - http://members.tccoa.com/alflorida/image...
Your dipstick is right the gage on the dash is pressure, KEEP OIL ON IT! And if you can check the oil plug and filter and make sure who did the oil change put them on tight!
The "puff of smoke" through the vents would make me look high on the engine for the leak as it, more than likely, dropped onto something hot, like the exhaust manifold in order to poof smoke.
When it sits, does a puddle form with the engine off? It could be really simple, like a loose filter or drain plug. It would be worth stopping at another oil change place and having them look it over. Many of the "national" chains will check out their other shop's work. If you're not waiting long enough to check the oil when you stop, it could be showing low levels and you could easily overfill it. I'd park, eat lunch, and then check the oil. It could be that the oil ports are partly clogged and the oil is taking time to get back to the drain pan and oil pick-up.
That's a long way from home to have big problems.
This sounds like the oil pressure sending unit. Obviously, the leak is coming from a pressurized source and not just crankcase windage or a failed gasket. A new sending unit should run less than $20 if you can find an AutoZone.....CP 7577 is the part number.
the good- if you keep putting oil in like you are all should be good.
the bad- your engine needs repairs and in MOST cases a problem like that is so expensive to fix its not worth fixing. also dip sticks are pretty accurate. i dont see how a dipstick could be wrong. make sure you are checking the oil when the car is off and has had a few minutes to sit so all the oil drains back into the pan.
drain the oil then fill it up to what is required for your car.
I've got a 1996 Grand Marquis with 122k miles...It's in really good shape. I got it tuned up and had an oil change before I left for a cross country drive last week.
I started in Maine and am now in Wyoming so I'm almost there!
BUT, a problem has arose:
Yesterday when driving through Colorado, out of no where a small black poof of smoke came through my AC vents (ac was on). I pulled over to check everything out and all seemed normal.
I drove to the next exit and realized my car was leaking a drop of oil about every 5 seconds or so. The oil level on my dash is a bit above the middle, but when I checked the dipstick, it was empty!!
So I realized my gauge isnt functioning right. I immediately put 5 qts of oil into the car. Drove the car for about 200 miles, checked the engine later and it STILL says it's low or empty (I think my dipstick is not reading it accurately).
So the car is running completely fine, everything is smooth and quiet, no weird smells, but I know its leaking oil pretty consistently and I can't seem to find a way of measuring how much oil is actually in the engine, which is really bothering me.
I've bought 4 more quarts of oil and am kind of putting half a quart in every 200 miles or so...
Can someone help me out? Any ideas of what is going on how you would handle this situation? I only have 2 more days of traveling after today, and then the car will be able to rest for a while while I figure this out.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!
