1.4 Oil pressure light problem

[CM690]

Just recently my P reg, Golf mk3 1.4 has started showing the oil pressure light on the dash. The weird thing is though, the light doesn't come on while the car is cold but when it warms up (around the middle of the temp dial) the light starts to come on at around tick over and doesn't go off until 2,000rpm sometimes even 2,500rpm I thought it was something to do with low oil so I checked that and saw that it had the correct amount

I took it back to the garage I got it from and they kept it for 2 days saying that they changed the oil and replaced the two switches (I don't know for sure but I guess oil pressure switches?) After that they said they couldn't find anything wrong with it and gave it me back, didn't cost me anything. Told me not to worry and keep an eye on my oil.

Today I took it to my dad who is a mechanic but isn't that sure what it could be so he asked someone at work that suggested a thicker oil and an oil flush, as apparently old Golf's have trouble with low oil pressure at lower revs. So after doing that and removing a very thin oil out the engine the light now only comes on when the car is warm at tick over and goes off around 1,200rpm but I did notice when driving it home earlier that it sometimes didn't go off until just under 2,000rpm so I'm not sure that really did anything at all.

It's maybe nothing to worry about but it's driving me insane! It's obviously coming on for a reason

any suggestions?

[Leon27]

Did anyone check the oil pressure using a guage?

I'd consider doing that first and if you feel its low then take off the sump and check the pick up isn't blocked.

[CM690]

Did anyone check the oil pressure using a gauge?

I'd consider doing that first and if you feel its low then take off the sump and check the pick up isn't blocked.

Nope we didn't check it with a gauge, could you explain how to do this?  We were going to check the pick up but we hoped that the engine flush would have cleared any crap that was blocking it I guess this is still something to check. Thanks for the help I will definitely check this on my next day off if I can.

[archie837]

I'm running a 1.4 and the oil pressure light seems a bit mad. After you turn it on it flashes 3 times without fail. Switch has been changed and oils at the right level, so don't really understand why it does it.

As long as your oil levels alright I wouldn't let it bother you too much?

[CM690]

I'm running a 1.4 and the oil pressure light seems a bit mad. After you turn it on it flashes 3 times without fail. Switch has been changed and oils at the right level, so don't really understand why it does it.

As long as your oil levels alright I wouldn't let it bother you too much?

Yeah this is what I've been told by many people but really just wanted piece of mind by getting to the root of the problem or getting it fixed before I started spending money on my car 

[Leon27]

Sure, I'd say for the Mk3 set up it would be a process similar to what we do at work. We take the oil pressure sensor out, screw in an adaptor and plug the guage on. Advise that you let a garage test it though and hopefully someone here can post up what the readings should be as my Autodata doesn't have it.

Its easy to diagnose when you got the equipment but if you don't then taking the sump off isn't too difficult. I got a sump gasket from VW for about £12, thats all you'd need I'd assume, to remove the sump and inspect the pick up.

Depending on the condition of your engine there may be oil caked to the sides of the sump that need almost scraping off. These flakey bits can disperse, gather and can clump together in the pick-up, something I'd doubt an engine flush could clean out and make it to stay out.

This appeared when trying to find out the pressure for your engine:
http://www.autohausaz.com/vw-auto-parts/vw-oil-pressure.html

[CM690]

Sure, I'd say for the Mk3 set up it would be a process similar to what we do at work. We take the oil pressure sensor out, screw in an adaptor and plug the guage on. Advise that you let a garage test it though and hopefully someone here can post up what the readings should be as my Autodata doesn't have it.

Its easy to diagnose when you got the equipment but if you don't then taking the sump off isn't too difficult. I got a sump gasket from VW for about £12, thats all you'd need I'd assume, to remove the sump and inspect the pick up.

Depending on the condition of your engine there may be oil caked to the sides of the sump that need almost scraping off. These flakey bits can disperse, gather and can clump together in the pick-up, something I'd doubt an engine flush could clean out and make it to stay out.

This appeared when trying to find out the pressure for your engine:
http://www.autohausaz.com/vw-auto-parts/vw-oil-pressure.html

Thanks a lot, that link gave me quite a bit to test out so I'll get this seen to as soon as possible. I might just refrain from driving until I can get it looked it properly don't want to take any risks at all

[rubjonny]

what oil spec are you using? old vws like 10w40 semi-synth. preferably I'd use synta silver or fuchs titan.

woth looking at the sensors to make sure they are the right spec, tyou should have a 1.8bar sensor and a 1.4bar sensor, 1.8bar has yellow wire and 1.4 has blue wire.