1.8T Oil Warning issues. Fielder needs help

[Fielder]

So after blowing up the Saab and the Landrover, I went back to VAG and bought a 1.8T sport Audi A4, Just had the 3 beeps of death (oil pressure).

Strange thing is, It only happens if i go abouve 4,000RPM, if i drive the car on a normal commute, its fine, no beeps, as soon as i go above 4,000RPM or have to put my foot down to overtake i get the 3 beeps of death, first got it 3 days ago but it went away when i pulled over, Then got it again the day after when i had put my foot down, turned the engine off and on again and it cleared. Then yesterday it happened and stayed on so i nursed the car another 1/2 a mile home and have not driven it since.

Wierdly, i changed the oil last week and the oil that came out was black but i found no sludge or particals in it. Could it be a sensor or does it need to be stripped down and cleared out?

Thanks for helping an old golfgti.co.uk veteran out 

[danny_p]

odds on it's the eoil pickup,  rop the sump and have a ganders at the oil pickup it's probaly full of sh!t ,  pop it off give it a blast out and refit

[adi]

what year a4, on the later one's the oil pump strainers are cheaper and prone to blocking, i would replace the strainer and remove all the carbon from the sides of the inside of the sump and use the bigger modified oil filter.

[tshirt2k]

Forget the strainer. Change the pump. £60 saves ruining the turbo and bearings plus sump has to come off anyway.  Had it on a few 1.8t's. I cleaned the strainer and made no difference. Oil should only be synthetic and changed regular. Alot of it is due to the small turbo getting really hot and people treat them as a normal car and don't let cool before switching engine off. The heavier A4, A6 and passats suffer most but a mate had it onm his TT.

It usually starts to happen from 90k onwards.

[rickar]

i agree with danny_p, the most likely cause is the oil strainer in the sump.
It is the weak point on the 1.8T, and will clog if the incorrect oil grade is used (very specific)and/or the time between changes has been abused/extended. As you already probably aware, the head being starved of oil for even a few seconds can be a killer of this engine.
It may be prudent to just replace the strainer with a new one for the cost, whilst you've got the sump off, and having to replace the oil again etc.
Good luck, hope its all ok.