Pontiac Repair: engine leaking oil, oil pressure switch, low oil pressure

Question
QUESTION: 2000 pontiac montana engine will start and run, but oil coming out of engine can not go far before low oil pressure light comes on. what could this be? I am not a mechanic but i suspect the oil pump quit working.

ANSWER: Hi there:

When the oil light comes on is there any noise comming from the engine? Youcould get off real easy and it just be a bad oil pressure switch. Pull the dipstick and see if the oil is low and if the oil have a milky look to it. if it is then you have a head hasket issue or an intake mainifold gasket that was leaking coolant into the engine and you didn't know it. If that is the case couples with the oil lamp on is a recipe for disaster and engine failure. oil and coolant do not mix and will put an end to an engine in a hurry. good luck and happy holidays.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: oil is not milky , but oil is leaking out around bottom of engine. when oil light comes at first it is not making a noise but after about 10 minutes it makes a ticking noise that is because of the oil leaking out of engine. that why i thought the oil pump might have quit working.

Answer
No the pump didn't quit working. I think the engine is worn out. More then likely the bearings are worn out and the pump can only deliver so much oil pressure and as the oil warms up the viscosity things out so the pressure drops due to leakage past the increased internal clearances in the engine due to worn out bearings.