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[Jim]

Recently when I let the car idle or if I'm slowing down for a set of traffic lights etc the oil warning light flickers and when I stop the warning light stays on but as soon as I rev the engine it goes of and when I'm driving it's fine, there is plenty of oil in the car, and it only does it when the car has warmed up.

Any Ideas

[semisheen]

Change the oil & filter asap
does the bottom end sound rumbly in a moring ?

[Jim]

Change the oil & filter asap
does the bottom end sound rumbly in a moring ?

Don't know, and if it does what does it mean

[JamesV6CDX]

Check the strainer and pickup before you even start it again...

[semisheen]

Check the strainer and pickup before you even start it again...

Is it knocking or making tapping noises in a morning

[semisheen]

Sorry James That quoted in the wrong place you know more about V6's than i do never thought of the tea strainer

[cem_devecioglu]

oil light flickering means serious problem is knocking the door..I would be thinking of pump  at first sight..

[JamesV6CDX]

pop sump off and check strainer, you may be lucky...

[unlucky alf]

could it be an iffy oil switch?, i hope it is for your sake otherwise it dont sound good,,,,sorry

[Jim]

I'II check it out tomorrow, I changed the oil about a month ago but didn't use vx oil, if i take off the sump what should I be looking for on the strainer?, am I looking for abvious blockages

[Kevin Wood]

If there are no other symptoms (lifters taking a long time to quieten on startup, knocking and rumbling noises, etc.) I would be inclined to have the oil pressure checked (garages often have a gauge that they can screw in in place of the oil pressure switch).

Could just be a dodgy oil pressure switch. However, it could also be a faulty oil pump or a pressure relief valve stuck open or, as said, a clogged strainer in the sump. If the oil pressure is really low enough to light the warning light it won't be doing it any favours so it does need sorting ASAP.

What is the state of the engine? Reasonably clean internally or has it been previously neglected?

Kevin

[deviator]

I've had this before, never managed to get to the bottom of it. Engine swap time!

Tried....
Cleaned sump
Cleaned pick up pipe
New oil pump (£220 from VX  )


I think what happened on mine, last oil change the filter was put it the engine and cap screwed on. It should be filter clipped into cap and then screwed in. As such the filter folded over allowing crap to be picked up. Knackered oil pump and I suspect caused a blockage in the oil ways. I checked the individual oil ways, plenty there on both heads.

I really hope you don't go through what I went through. I would also suggest, if you get as far as having to replace the pump, look at a replacement engine. Learn from my mistakes.

[Jim]

If there are no other symptoms (lifters taking a long time to quieten on startup, knocking and rumbling noises, etc.) I would be inclined to have the oil pressure checked (garages often have a gauge that they can screw in in place of the oil pressure switch).

Could just be a dodgy oil pressure switch. However, it could also be a faulty oil pump or a pressure relief valve stuck open or, as said, a clogged strainer in the sump. If the oil pressure is really low enough to light the warning light it won't be doing it any favours so it does need sorting ASAP.

What is the state of the engine? Reasonably clean internally or has it been previously neglected?

Kevin

The car has a full service history (156,000 miles) up to when I bought it, but there is a small oil leak coming from the front of the engine, I can't see where exactly it's coming from as it's behind the cambelt cover and I am losing a bit of coolant as well

[deviator]

If there are no other symptoms (lifters taking a long time to quieten on startup, knocking and rumbling noises, etc.) I would be inclined to have the oil pressure checked (garages often have a gauge that they can screw in in place of the oil pressure switch).

Could just be a dodgy oil pressure switch. However, it could also be a faulty oil pump or a pressure relief valve stuck open or, as said, a clogged strainer in the sump. If the oil pressure is really low enough to light the warning light it won't be doing it any favours so it does need sorting ASAP.

What is the state of the engine? Reasonably clean internally or has it been previously neglected?

Kevin

The car has a full service history (156,000 miles) up to when I bought it, but there is a small oil leak coming from the front of the engine, I can't see where exactly it's coming from as it's behind the cambelt cover and I am losing a bit of coolant as well

If there is a bit of oil from the back of the camcover, can you tell if it's top or bottom? The most likely thing is the crankshaft oil seal (pence to buy, knightmare to replace). Can you see any oil next your oil cooler?

How much water and oil are you loosing?

[Jim]

If there are no other symptoms (lifters taking a long time to quieten on startup, knocking and rumbling noises, etc.) I would be inclined to have the oil pressure checked (garages often have a gauge that they can screw in in place of the oil pressure switch).

Could just be a dodgy oil pressure switch. However, it could also be a faulty oil pump or a pressure relief valve stuck open or, as said, a clogged strainer in the sump. If the oil pressure is really low enough to light the warning light it won't be doing it any favours so it does need sorting ASAP.

What is the state of the engine? Reasonably clean internally or has it been previously neglected?

Kevin

The car has a full service history (156,000 miles) up to when I bought it, but there is a small oil leak coming from the front of the engine, I can't see where exactly it's coming from as it's behind the cambelt cover and I am losing a bit of coolant as well

If there is a bit of oil from the back of the camcover, can you tell if it's top or bottom? The most likely thing is the crankshaft oil seal (pence to buy, knightmare to replace). Can you see any oil next your oil cooler?

How much water and oil are you loosing?

I've done about 100 miles this weekend and losed about a mug full of coolant, it's only started to do this recently before it was OK



The oil seems to be coming from the bottom of the cover, on the drivers side



But The oil filler is ok, no mayo



There is also a kink in the rubber pipe which goes to the plenum