Urgent help needed - re oil pressure buzzer

[jeremybarker]

Hi all,

Need some advice on the above. Driving the car yesterday the oil pressure buzzer was intermitantly going off, sounds like someones playing a game of operation behind my dashboard.

I've checked the oil level this morning and it's not low at all in fact it's about 3-4mm over the top mark.

Drove it again this morning about 5 miles and again it was going off every now and again, i did notice that if you "wiggled" the steering left to right it went off straight away and on the return 5 mile journey it didn't go off once.

I've looked into some posts and it seems to point to either a dirty pickup in the sump or failing oil pump.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

On another note if the engine is on it's way out, can you easily fit a 16v KR straight into an 8v (mines a 91 J 8v)

Cheers,
Jeremy.

[rubjonny]

id have sump off asap, if wiggling car left to right helped that would suggest pickup issues. if cant be without car for any length of time get a new pump too. (as in, if pickup is ok and you need to change pump)

make sure you prime new pump with oil before you fit it. i sit pump pickup in shallow container with oil in then fill pump thru top, and spin the shaft manually till oil comes out the top. that way you know its picking up oil. hope that makes sence.  some block end with vaseline to stop the oil draining out while they fill, but i dont bother and its always worked alright for me

[jeremybarker]

Thanks for the reply,

Found a good link re cleaning the pickup and replacing the oilpump

http://www.volksdevil.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=85ftp://

[rubjonny]

covers it well, only thing to add is on your car the metal tin plate between sump and gearbox will come off if its a later mk2, which makes accessing the bolts for the sump in that gap way easier!

its worth having a look at your sensor wiring too, the yellow one to the white sensor on the filter housing is the one that does the oil buzzer. maybe its damaged and thats why shaking car about is helping, wiggles the wire so it makes contact. pop the boot off and pull back to you can check the wire and spade for damage

[jeremybarker]

Thanks for that,

I'll check the wire before i pull the sump off then 

And that's why this forum is so good.

[jeremybarker]

Thanks for the pointer John,

Checked the wire into the top of the filter housing and it was so loose there was no resistance taking it off. I've crimped the ends down a bit and re-fitted it and after 6 miles no buzzer and no light 

Hopefully this has sorted it and it wont need the sump taking off and pump replaced.

[rubjonny]

sorted!

[JasonPD]

When I had the oil pressure buzzer go off it turned out to be a broken wire on the sensor and an easy fix (but one I overlooked - the AA found and fixed it!  )

[jeremybarker]

Just glad i posted this before laying under a pile of nuts and sump on the floor.

Now I know how to do it I still might change the oil pump and clean the pickup as a preventative measure, it's probably only a £60 job.