Oil pressure with no clear fault
- Thread starter shifty_uk
- Start date
Just got a quote for circa £100 to take the oil pump etc off to check for oil pressure issues - I think I'll go down this route, investigate the oil pressure problem and failing that, just go own the new engine route.
I can't get the engine stripped for any less than £500 so there's no point in my mind, I'm thinking I'd rather spend that money on a new engine?
Any thoughts?
Again, appreciate the advice guys!
I can't get the engine stripped for any less than £500 so there's no point in my mind, I'm thinking I'd rather spend that money on a new engine?
Any thoughts?
Again, appreciate the advice guys!
I'd probably go down the "investigate the oil pump" path for the sake of £100. If it turns out to be the pump is on its way out (and the source of the noise) then it's possible that the engine is still ok. In which case, a new (or refurbished, new isn't cheap!) pump could see you right.
If you find that there are scored bearings/crank after removing the sump, it might be possible to locate a short-block rather than a whole engine, which again would work out cheaper than forking out for a complete replacement.
Worst case is that you have to source a complete engine, fitted or otherwise, but I'd leave that decision until you at least have had the sump off.
If you find that there are scored bearings/crank after removing the sump, it might be possible to locate a short-block rather than a whole engine, which again would work out cheaper than forking out for a complete replacement.
Worst case is that you have to source a complete engine, fitted or otherwise, but I'd leave that decision until you at least have had the sump off.
The sumps been off and the oil pumps been cleared out already hasnt it?
If the gauge is showing oil pressure is within spec then perhaps its not an engine issue, im going to place an outside bet on your DMF being the cause here.
As for the "rattle", can you run the engine with the bonnet up (aircon off too, it sounded like you had air con on in the last video) and listen at various parts of the engine from left to right , front to back, to see where it comes from
If im right the rattle will be from the bell housing area (ie right of the middle of the engine bay) maybe even do a litle vid for us holding the camera at various spots
If the gauge is showing oil pressure is within spec then perhaps its not an engine issue, im going to place an outside bet on your DMF being the cause here.
As for the "rattle", can you run the engine with the bonnet up (aircon off too, it sounded like you had air con on in the last video) and listen at various parts of the engine from left to right , front to back, to see where it comes from
If im right the rattle will be from the bell housing area (ie right of the middle of the engine bay) maybe even do a litle vid for us holding the camera at various spots
Is the DMF not directly linked to the DSG? I.e failure symptoms would be between gears/taking off?
I'll film it like you say.
I'm finding it hard to distinguish what's actually been carried out, I was told on both occasions that the bottom end of the engine 'was taken off' and checked... which I initially assumed would involve taking the sump off completely?
Can DMF failure cause the oil pressure to rise?
Timeline of events
-Car was running fine one minute
-Oil pressure warning light came on
-Pulled over (ticking noise could've started but I was travelling at speed and got the ignition off as soon as I could.
-Car was checked, oil pressure was checked and engine flushed.
-Car started up fine, no issues except that noise being there now. Top end(?) was taken apart and 12 oil jets around hydraulic lifters found blocked, they were cleared.
Question: Could a broken thermostat cause the oil pressure to drop? I'm thinking that the thermostat was broken initially (it never sat right on 90, was told it was fine) and now that the engine has been cleaned through and unblocked, it's now reading 60.
Maybe its been running at a higher temperature than the thermostat indicated because of the blockage??
I'll film it like you say.
I'm finding it hard to distinguish what's actually been carried out, I was told on both occasions that the bottom end of the engine 'was taken off' and checked... which I initially assumed would involve taking the sump off completely?
Can DMF failure cause the oil pressure to rise?
Timeline of events
-Car was running fine one minute
-Oil pressure warning light came on
-Pulled over (ticking noise could've started but I was travelling at speed and got the ignition off as soon as I could.
-Car was checked, oil pressure was checked and engine flushed.
-Car started up fine, no issues except that noise being there now. Top end(?) was taken apart and 12 oil jets around hydraulic lifters found blocked, they were cleared.
Question: Could a broken thermostat cause the oil pressure to drop? I'm thinking that the thermostat was broken initially (it never sat right on 90, was told it was fine) and now that the engine has been cleaned through and unblocked, it's now reading 60.
Maybe its been running at a higher temperature than the thermostat indicated because of the blockage??
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Just an update:
So in the end this has cost me just a smudge under £1k in total.
Found an engine specialist who stripped it top and bottom, found the camshaft worn due to lack of lubrication, end casing was blocked and worn too. All replaced, new camshaft, casing, gaskets, oil, filter etc etc. £740.
Engine isn't gubbed like everyone was saying. Rides as smooth as the day I bought it.
Cheers for all the replies. Glad I didn't just replace the engine or give it to Audi and bend over.
So in the end this has cost me just a smudge under £1k in total.
Found an engine specialist who stripped it top and bottom, found the camshaft worn due to lack of lubrication, end casing was blocked and worn too. All replaced, new camshaft, casing, gaskets, oil, filter etc etc. £740.
Engine isn't gubbed like everyone was saying. Rides as smooth as the day I bought it.
Cheers for all the replies. Glad I didn't just replace the engine or give it to Audi and bend over.
I don't want to be a doom and gloom merchant but I would still suspect some bottom end damage. You've been lucky that it was a top end problem that was the initial cause, but you've still have multiple problems with low oil pressure which I think will still have caused some engine additional wear and shortened the life of the engine somewhat.
I'm not saying it'll seize up next week, but low oil pressure is more likely to damage the bottom end, Main and big end bearings along with the crank. The big and main end bearings are so soft you can dent them with your fingernail, so it doesn't take long to damage them with low oil pressure - Especially as you have been driving it n the mean time.
Anyway - I'm glad it's sorted, and I hope you have no more problems with it.
I'm not saying it'll seize up next week, but low oil pressure is more likely to damage the bottom end, Main and big end bearings along with the crank. The big and main end bearings are so soft you can dent them with your fingernail, so it doesn't take long to damage them with low oil pressure - Especially as you have been driving it n the mean time.
Anyway - I'm glad it's sorted, and I hope you have no more problems with it.
I don't want to be a doom and gloom merchant but I would still suspect some bottom end damage. You've been lucky that it was a top end problem that was the initial cause, but you've still have multiple problems with low oil pressure which I think will still have caused some engine additional wear and shortened the life of the engine somewhat.
I'm not saying it'll seize up next week, but low oil pressure is more likely to damage the bottom end, Main and big end bearings along with the crank. The big and main end bearings are so soft you can dent them with your fingernail, so it doesn't take long to damage them with low oil pressure - Especially as you have been driving it n the mean time.
Anyway - I'm glad it's sorted, and I hope you have no more problems with it.
Cheers for the advice - wouldn't these things have been checked when the engine was stripped? I didn't drive the car when it had low oil pressure, only after it had been recovered and checked over but I get where youre coming from. I asked what could've caused the oil pressure in the first place and was told possibly from before when the oil ran low a couple of months ago... I don't really think they knew.
Would you suggest any further checks or run the engine until it wears down?
Did you try reading the update?
If he told them about it's previous low oil pressure issues, then for a specialist rebuild company not to have, at the very minimum, checked wear on the big and main bearings, would be rather ridiculous.
By all means the OP should ask them if he is unsure, but I'm sure they would have mentioned it if they were worn.
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Soldato
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I thought oil pressure was created not by the pump but by the correct gaps between the moving parts, so if the parts were worn out then the gaps between them would be bigger and so the oil pressure would drop.
Yep - all checked.
Took the car up and down the motorway last night. This must've been a long time coming, the car glides along so smoothly and effortlessly now. Smoother than it has in a months. I hadn't noticed any difference but seeing the results, it's night and day.
So, looks like the money was a complete waste.
The thermostat is clearly broken (as stated earlier in the thread) because the temperature shows around the 50-60 mark...not a big issue, I was going to wait until next month to get it replaced. However, sitting in the traffic the engine temperature rises and today managed to hit 90... The oil pressure light came on again.
So, when the engine temperature rises, the light comes on? Absolute nightmare. I pulled over for 15 minutes to let the engine settle, turned the engine back on and it was gone again. However, I had to get home through traffic and the engine hit 90 again...no pressure light this time .
It's looking like new engine time.
I just don't understand this. They checked the engine, had the sump off, checked the pick-up(right name?) and not a sign of fault! Could this be a faulty valve or something??
The thermostat is clearly broken (as stated earlier in the thread) because the temperature shows around the 50-60 mark...not a big issue, I was going to wait until next month to get it replaced. However, sitting in the traffic the engine temperature rises and today managed to hit 90... The oil pressure light came on again.
So, when the engine temperature rises, the light comes on? Absolute nightmare. I pulled over for 15 minutes to let the engine settle, turned the engine back on and it was gone again. However, I had to get home through traffic and the engine hit 90 again...no pressure light this time .It's looking like new engine time.
I just don't understand this. They checked the engine, had the sump off, checked the pick-up(right name?) and not a sign of fault! Could this be a faulty valve or something??
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90 is indeed normal but strange that when the engine got to operating temperature...the oil pressure light came on It's never risen above 90.
The thermostat can't cause pressure problems, can it?
The pressure has been checked by two garages now and said to be fine.
It's never risen above 90. The thermostat can't cause pressure problems, can it?
The pressure has been checked by two garages now and said to be fine.
The oil pressure light will come on when you hit a certain pressure threshold, perhaps the oil pump is a little knackered.
Oil pressure will drop across temperature when the oil warms up, so nice warm oil is easy to pump around but it's really low pressure versus cold oil.
I reckon your oil pump could be knackered. When the garages did checks on the oil pump - did they do it at full operating temperature? You might have a dodgy pressure relief valve in the pump, or it could just be leaking past seals at high temperatures.
Oil pressure will drop across temperature when the oil warms up, so nice warm oil is easy to pump around but it's really low pressure versus cold oil.
I reckon your oil pump could be knackered. When the garages did checks on the oil pump - did they do it at full operating temperature? You might have a dodgy pressure relief valve in the pump, or it could just be leaking past seals at high temperatures.