5 replies to this topic

[eddywestby1275]

Answers on a post card as to why my needy madam of a A+ 998 Mk4 decided to make last night’s journey home needlessly stressful.

Oil pressure light started flickering shortly after setting off, only to then stop. Started again later on and I realised that it was flickering with bumps in the road. Put the offside wheels onto the catseyes and the light flickered with every one.

Stopped to jiggle the wiring to the switch, worked out it extinguishes if unplugged (GREAT), but after that, I couldn’t get the light to flicker again. Acted normally.

Entirely unrelated to engine revs and load. Engine has oil in it. Before going down the rabbit hole of relief valves, oil pumps, etc. has anyone seen this exact symptom before? A friend is lending me his pressure gauge so I can see what it’s really doing, but that won’t be for a few days yet.

[Spider]

Could just be the switch itself.

Put a test gauge in it so you can see what's going on and go from there.

[eddywestby1275]

Could just be the switch itself.

Put a test gauge in it so you can see what's going on and go from there.

Yeah, the switch is the first guess I’d have as well. A friend is lending me his gauge so I can see what it’s really doing. Thought I’d ask anyway though just in case anyone’s seen the same symptom before.

[cal844]

My switch done that for a mile before it failed, then engine had oil in it so ran it home (roughly 3 miles) I tested the pressure with a mechanical guage a friend had. Fitted new switch and cleaned the wiring up, all is fine

[lsto]

Hi Edd,(twincam?) love your Chanel. Change the sensor, it's probably old and failing, I see the same issue on vehicles at work. You'll probably find your oil pressure will be fine and nothing to worry about.
I used the mini spares oil on my daily and it's fine. If you test your oil pressure do it hot and cold and post the results.
Good luck

[tarnofsky]

I'd put my money on a faulty switch and/or a corroded connector to the switch. Changing the switch is easy, low cost item, too.

Would change that first and clean up the connector very thoroughly with contact cleaner and a fine wired brass brush. 

 

If you're seeing the pressure light after changing the switch and with a clean contact, try the pressure regulator: undo the screw and check the spring and ball inside. They can get stuck sometime or even break. Minispares has standard, uprated and adjustable variants. Low cost, too.