My oil pressure light flashed up today and started beeping inside the car while the car was turned on inside my garage.

The only thing i can think of is that i was testing a few bits and the distributor was on the engine, but not bolted down.

I was under the impression that the end if the distributor was lubricated within the normal oil system and i wondered if, by not having that secured down fully, was it losing pressure through there?

Any ideas?

P.s. is there just the one single oil pressure sensor on the AEE 6n? Rear left of the head as you look at the engine?

Cheers

Bump

The fact that the distributor was not tight would have little effect on oil pressure.

Is it possible that whatever you were doing on the engine, reduced the idle speed which may then account for the warning light/buzzer activating.

As far as I am aware, there is just one oil pressure switch.

By the way, do take care if you are running the engine in the garage, we don't want to hear about people being overcome with exhaust gas on here!

Regards.

The fact that the distributor was not tight would have little effect on oil pressure.

Is it possible that whatever you were doing on the engine, reduced the idle speed which may then account for the warning light/buzzer activating.

As far as I am aware, there is just one oil pressure switch.

By the way, do take care if you are running the engine in the garage, we don't want to hear about people being overcome with exhaust gas on here!

Regards.

Hi there,

Thanks for the reply.

Firstly don't worry, i ALWAYS open the garage door fully to let fumes escape.

My dad said the same as you, he said with the dizzy loose it should still maintain the correct pressure.

I also thought the same about the idle speed and unfortunately it seems to remain on even when the idle speed is lifted. The engine doesn't sound very bad though, and it certainly hasn't seized, so i think i'll persevere.

Next step is to clean the pressure switch and connectors i think. After that, i'm going to buy a pressure tester kit i think.

Any other explanations?

Ed

Bump

The switch isnt too expensive to replace...have you checked your oil level?

Perhaps the oil pressure pump in the sump isnt working as it should but i doubt that as i'm pretty sure its chain driven on your engine and the gauze takes a lot to block.

Sorry i cant be more help...

It's always a good idea to check the actual oil pressure with a reliable gauge as you suggest, but before you spend your money, have you checked the idle speed is back to normal? Low idle speed=low volume from the pump, resulting in lower pressure. (You did say that you were working on the distributor in your original posting, any inaccuracy there could affect the idle speed, which is normally 900-950 RPM.)

Regards.

The switch isnt too expensive to replace...have you checked your oil level?

Perhaps the oil pressure pump in the sump isnt working as it should but i doubt that as i'm pretty sure its chain driven on your engine and the gauze takes a lot to block.

Sorry i cant be more help...

Oil level should be fine, only just filled with 3.5 litres of new oil but i can check again.

Definitely chain driven so should be relative to the engine speed shouldn't it? Well the sump has been off and everything was cleaned thoroughly including the oil pick up, so it can't be covered can it?

It's always a good idea to check the actual oil pressure with a reliable gauge as you suggest, but before you spend your money, have you checked the idle speed is back to normal? Low idle speed=low volume from the pump, resulting in lower pressure. (You did say that you were working on the distributor in your original posting, any inaccuracy there could affect the idle speed, which is normally 900-950 RPM.)

Regards.

To be honest i did think it was due to idle speed at first. However, at normal idle it seems fine, as soon as the revs lift slightly it begins to flash and beep.

I think next is to replace the switch and if it still persists then check the pressure itself.

Thanks

I had same thing happen to me i was driving home from cornwall and oil warning light and buzzer came on so i pulled over checked oil and was all correct level staryed engine again and was fine so i carried on with my journey and it came on again but before i could pull over the engine blew and no1 conrod through the block caused by the oil pump starving the engine, so i fitted new engine and oil light on again and i replaced that switch which i got from vw for £11 and its not missed a beat since, so for the sake of £11 its woryh trying before u fork out for new pump or even an engine. Hope thats of any help fella

Liam

I had same thing happen to me i was driving home from cornwall and oil warning light and buzzer came on so i pulled over checked oil and was all correct level staryed engine again and was fine so i carried on with my journey and it came on again but before i could pull over the engine blew and no1 conrod through the block caused by the oil pump starving the engine, so i fitted new engine and oil light on again and i replaced that switch which i got from vw for £11 and its not missed a beat since, so for the sake of £11 its woryh trying before u fork out for new pump or even an engine. Hope thats of any help fella

Liam

Hi

To be honest, i hope this isn't the case, mine seems to start and run fine, no dodgy noises or anything, but i do get the warning light.

I'll change the switch and hopefully that'll sort it - didn't even touch the crank or pump, so it's a bit too coincidental to have happened after the engine repair.

Yooo.. I have a polo 6n 1.0 AER.. My oil pressure light and buzzer came on. Changed the switch still happened n got really noisey didn't drive it n turned out my oil pump was completely shot! Oil pump had shit itself loads of metal in the sump when I took it off. But changed the oil pump and another new switch sorted and its one the money again :) hope tha helped but if your not getting a nasty tickin sound on idle you should be alright with a new switch.

Cheers ollie boy.

Well, i changed the switch and it still hasn't worked.

My dad made a good point as he said, the oil pressure switch doesn't go via the ECU it goes straight to the dial cluster. However, we don't know what the pressure switch does when it gets to the dial cluster - does it go straight to the warning light or does it interlink with another system or circuit? At present, i haven't got my rev counter connected and i wonder if that's tricking the oil pressure switch somehow?

Cheers

I'm having the same problem. Just put a 1.4 8v in, and the oil light flashes and the water level/temp light. Again no major sounds or issues, fan operates correctly and the oil is at the right level. Did your issue turn out to be a faulty sensor?