vauxhall vectra plz help

[yooplay]

i have a vauxhall vectra, s reg, 2.5 petrol, v6, sri. i have a problem that i cannot find an answer to. the oil light on the dashboard stays on all the time and there is a rattling noise comes from the top end. sometimes the oil light goes off and the rattling stops. is it still safe to drive? or do you no wat the problem might be? there is that many valves and switchs on the engine it could be anything so if you no wat could be causing the problem please let me no many thanx

[Toureman]

You have not got enough sense to let us know if the oil level is ok, have you got enough sense to have checked that first?

[tomtech]

it is nothing to do with valves and switches. if your oil light is on and the engine is rattling that is telling you there is no oil pressure. assuming you have checked your oil level and that is ok, then next step is to get oil and filter change right away, you could have a blocked filter. if that dont cure it then its probably the oil pump or the oil pickup pipe. to replace the pump is about a 10hr job. you are now talking money. also if youve been driving the car for any length of time whilst rattling, you may also have caused internal damage due to lack of lubrication.

[JamesQ]

As tomtech said, it's loss of oil pressure. (The rattling from the top end is the hydraulic tappets failing to pressurize.)

As the problem is intermittent, it's almost certainly a sticky oil pressure relief valve.