oil lamp and check engine light on

[kkegg]

I have a 97 rover 4.0 se and the oil lamp is coming on and off. The check engine light has just came on and the car is making a loud clicking noise and sputtering a little. I looked at the temp gauge and it is stuck on cold. My thought is that it might need a new thermostat. Any one know how to replace thermostat? Does it sound like I am on the right track?

[Landy-Andy]

Hi KKegg,
I had a water temp gauge stuck on cold, it turned out to be the water temp sender, I bought one on ebay for $6 & I had it swapped out in 30 mins (simple job) The first run after changing it, the temp gauge came up to normal (just under half way accross the gauge).

As for the Oil issue? Are you losing any oil? When did you last have it changed? It sounds like a oil pump problem. Where abouts on the engine are you hearing the clicking? Did you overheat the engine before this sympton started?
Andy

[troverman]

Check oil and add--could be oil pump but rare failure on 97 4.0--not particulary good signs. Thermostat is $90! No way around that price; it has its own housing; sending unit may be enclosed. Easy to change, though. Does your message center say some type of temp guage fault? It should.