2003 Tohatsu 18 4 Stroke Oil Light Cold Starts

[sam751]

Hello everyone. I have a 2003 Tohatsu 18 4 stroke short shaft electric start. I've done a good amount of work to get it running nicely since I first got it in 2024. But this is the first 4 stroke outboard I've really worked on. And since the day I got it, it would sometimes start cold with the oil light on staying on. When I would shut it off and restart it, the light would go away after a few seconds as it should. I've been using it like that ever since. But recently, it seems that every cold start on the water, I would need to restart it to get the light off. Now I've changed the oil and filter since I've got it. I had the oil level in the middle and right under full with no noticeable difference. I've read that the oil sensor could be dirty and need cleaning, but I haven't found any online tutorials on that. I'm wondering if anyone has had this issue or maybe can tell me the process of cleaning the oil sensor.

 

[tohatsu_guru]

Locate the oil sensor on the side of the engine and remove the bolt that holds it in place. Pull it out wipe off the back of it very carefully clean cloth and then reinsert it and then put the bolt back in. The engine over a period of time can pick up minute metal fragments in the crankcase that cause the sensor to incorrectly ground. It happens on every brand and it's not a serious thing.

 

[pvanv]

Doesn't that sensor thread into the block?