When I change my oil I'll have my car front end on ramps. After I put the new oil in I'll let the car sit for about an hour and let the oil settle. Then I start the car and put it in reverse to get the car to go down the ramp. When I start my car the oil light will be on for about 4 seconds and then go off. I realize the new oil isn't running in the engine for those 4 seconds and needs to circulate. I fear though I may be doing damage for those 4 seconds. Am I doing something wrong or is this normal right after a oil change?

 

4 seconds is a little long-it indicates that the oil pump is taking that long to build up pressure enough to extinguish the light. But I'd not worry about it absent other symptoms, not much you can do short of getting into the motor. And you don't need to wait a whole hour to wait for the oil to settle-it settles pretty fast...

 

Are you starting it while on the ramp? If so this may be the reason why. The car should only be started while it's on a level surface.

 

Ya, I tried to roll it off the ramp in netural but I couldn't so I had to start it. How much damage do you think I did?

 

Your engine should be ok.

Really though, I was always told to park the car on a level surface when changing oil so fully drains.

 

I've always prefered a jack and jack stands. but really, you can get to all the oil change stuff with it on the ground. Guess deep down I trust jack stands more than ramps and ramps take up a lot of shop room. I think the filter come out from above anyway. My oil light stays on about half a second on start up. I'm gonna try a regular change and see if it is better. D

 

With 4+ litres of oil in the sump, a 10 degree angle is not going to uncover the oil pump pick up.
The reason you see the light on for a few seconds is the pump has to fill the new oil filter.
It doesn't do any harm, if it did, engines would be failing at 100k kms.

Regards, Andrew.

 

My attitude towards these little worrying problems can be summed up as follows: It's a Volvo, it'll be fine. As long as the oil light doesn't come on at speed in a straight line the engine is fine.

 

Exactly.... Just takes a little bit for the presure the build...