V6 TDI oil pressure warning

[Alf99]

Hi folks, first post here and hoping for some help.

I bought a 2002 A4 2.5l V6tdi Quattro recently. 180k, full service history and runs great (interior has been mullered though haha).
Although it's running absolutely fine its low oil pressure warning keeps coming on intermittently. It can go for an hour and be fine, then the light will come on for a bit, switch off again, back on, then off....

The oil level is ok. A touch high if anything. It's been serviced recently which didn't have any effect to the oil pressure warning.

Maybe stupidly, I've been driving it like this for the last thousand or more miles.

Really wanting to know if there are any known problems with the engine / oil system which are likely to be causing the light to come on, or if any one has any other advice on possible causes.

Thanks for any help

Edit: fixed typos!

 

[pauldazzle]

Fit a new oil pressure sensor, & go from there.

 

[DrStrange]

As Paul says.

BUT also check oil pick up pipe if the TDI's are the same as the 1.8't. NOTORIOUS for being clogged and if bad, causes catastrohic engine failure for obvious reasons.

 

[Alf99]

Hi Paul, DrStrange.
Thanks for your responses. I got a new pressure switch from Eurocarparts yesterday (£7 - bargain!) so will fit that at the weekend and check the wiring.

I'm assuming checking the pickup pipe and strainer are a sump-off job, unless there's a way to at least temporarily clear the system without removing too many parts?

 

[DrStrange]

No worries.

I would 100% check and clean the pick up pipe anyway..irrespective if that's the issue or not.

Yes, it appears so..(Sump removal)

 

[pauldazzle]

I wasn't aware that the V6 suffered from the same oil pick up issue as the 1.8T , but if a new sensor doesn't solve the problem that's the next step.

 

[DrStrange]

To be honest Paul, I'm not either. But yes, it's been said it's always worth doing.

 

[diffas]

To make sure you have oil pressure present just fit in oil pressure gauge. You should have at least 2bar@2000rpm. Its the minimum.

 

[Alf99]

Just a quick update....all fixed now

Changed the pressure switch. The wiring was pretty brittle as well, with a couple of nicks out of the insulation which I wrapped up.
No more low oil pressure warnings. Whether it was the switch or the wiring I don't know, but in any case, if the warnings come back on again then I'll splice in a new wire and see if that fixes it again.

Thanks for your help folks!!

 

[DrStrange]

Great and good to hear!

Seems an inexpensive fix for what it could potentially be. Where is the Oil pressure Switch located?