Oil light flickering - Urgent help needed

1997 740i 117k miles

The car's oil light started flickering today after an engine wash yesterday. I am assuming that it is due to water in the sensor but I am a little worried. No symptoms showing of low oil pressure, or level. The oil light just dimmly comes on and flickers off never really appears to be all the way on like when you put the key in before starting.

Can someone show me a diagram of where to find the sensor that activates that light so that I can unplug it and dry it out to make sure that is the problem? I am heading on an 800mile trip tomorrow and need to make alternate plans if this is the begining of a larger problem.

Thank you all.

Find the oil pressure sending unit. Unplug the connector, spray electronic contact cleaner in the plug and sender. Blow dry with compressed air. That's what I'd do.

Oh yeah, at the moment I have no clue where it's located. I may be poking around wiring diagrams today anyway so if you don't find it I'll let you know if I found it's location.

I would turn on the motor and either run the heck out of it for a while, or if it looks like it is going to cut off, just let it idle in the driveway for a while and let the water evaporate on its own, or you could try spraying WD-40 on all of the connections that may have gotten wet.

I would not recommend washing these motors, but if you are going to wash the motor anyway, let it run for a while until it gets hot and then start spraying degreaser or low pressure water on it, such as a garden hose, and don't get any water on any of the electronics. If you use a pressure washer on these motors, forget it, you could spend a couple grand trying to fix it.

Thanks for the advice fellas. I started it up a few minutes ago and couldnt get the light to come back on.. I am about to go hit the plugs with some electronic lube/cleaner and pray.. I ordered a new sensor just in case..


Although the light only came on after 30 miles of driving this morning.. overall I am hoping it was the water factor.

So far so good.. I picked up the sensor and will put it in if the light comes back on..

800 mile trip successful with no recurrence of the flicker.. Had to have been my overzelus washing techniques.