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[STEMO]

Happens from time to time on my X30xe. Maybe a couple of times a year. Only at idle and when the engine has been working Harder than usual. Always goes out above idle rpm. Pickup is clear and car has done almost 500.000km so havent bothered with it. I just make sure i dont keep it idling with the light on.

If the engine has been 'working hard' then the oil is probably very hot and a bit 'thinner'.

[Nick W]

With those symptoms, I would invest £5 in a new oil pressure switch. Common Vauxhall failure. You'll fix one of the designed in oil leaks while you're at it

[Andy H]

With those symptoms, I would invest £5 in a new oil pressure switch. Common Vauxhall failure. You'll fix one of the designed in oil leaks while you're at it

Or split the casting and make it 10 times worse

[Andy H]

I don't understand the reluctance to drop the oil pan and ladle the gunk out of the oil pick up (and  from the ledges around the sump where the gunk likes to accumulate)

[serek]

some times this can be a problem

[cam.in.head]

I don't understand the reluctance to drop the oil pan and ladle the gunk out of the oil pick up (and  from the ledges around the sump where the gunk likes to accumulate)

.                           Same as mine. Mine came with no service history and not much signs of anything replaced by previous owner so mine had an unknown history oil change wise. My oil light came on and as you say pick up pipe and ledges around were all gunked up. At least i know mine is now clear.someone posted earlier about how clean his was inside.that shows more than likely that his was well maintained and had regular oil changes.something that when buying a unknown quantity like mine is in doubt.!

[Kevin Wood]

I remember a mate of mine bought a chevette years ago. Took the rocker cover off and it just had a mass of jelly underneath, which wobbled around on the rockers when you started the engine. 

The breathers had also saturated the air filter with manky oil.

A couple of oil changes, adjust the tappets and a good service and it ran beautifully. The seller probably wouldn't have got shot of it if he'd bothered to service it. As it was, my mate got quite a bargain.

[cam.in.head]

You were lucky .we had a manta years sgo that had not had an oil change in 70k. It wouldnt drain out of the sump !

[Marks DTM Calib]

Try anything that belongs or used to belong to a farmer, be it automotive or machinery!

We have a number of selected pieces of steel which are regularly used to 'rod' oil drains!

[omegod]

I'd drop the sump personally, I've know two 2.6's that have expired with oil starvation to the rear of the drivers side bank.

[mantaray]

Droped the sump today, and although there was a little bit of sluge in the pan,not enough to worry about.

So looks like it is the oil pressure switch. Will get a new one and see if that sorts it.

[cam.in.head]

What was the pick up pipe like. ?  And did you check/ change the pick up pipe o ring. Sorry if you have put it all back together now.not being nosey or telling you what to do just passing on what i did to mine after reading several similar reports on here .

[Nick W]

Droped the sump today, and although there was a little bit of sluge in the pan,not enough to worry about.

So looks like it is the oil pressure switch. Will get a new one and see if that sorts it.

Hence my suggestion to spend the £5 and a minute with a 24mm spanner FIRST

[cam.in.head]

Yes the switches do tend to leak anyway so worth fitting a new one. After removing the sump at least its now piece of mind that you know its all clean in there. What i did with mine is temporarly fitted a cav/ manta 2 terminal sender unit and ran it to a guage and left it on for a few journeys. Before i took sump off and cleaned pick up the guage only barely registered even when light was out but dropped to nothing in conjuction with light. Afterwards pressure was up near 4.5 bar and two at idle

[Andy H]

Yes the switches do tend to leak anyway so worth fitting a new one. After removing the sump at least its now piece of mind that you know its all clean in there. What i did with mine is temporarly fitted a cav/ manta 2 terminal sender unit and ran it to a guage and left it on for a few journeys. Before i took sump off and cleaned pick up the guage only barely registered even when light was out but dropped to nothing in conjuction with light. Afterwards pressure was up near 4.5 bar and two at idle

This^
The only purpose of the oil pressure switch is to tell you when the engine is scrap.