d9 low oil pressure

[hammerman]

Hi to all.My car has been sat since the 23rd of Dec.Been out today & all was well.Except when i started it up at Tescos,i had the central display bleep at me telling me "engine oil pressure low",& the big red stop light flashing & red oil can light on.Engine oil level is fine,both on dipstick & start up display.When i reved the engine the warning went,then on engine idle it came on again.After a few mins the fault cleared & has been fine the rest of the day.Engine performs fine,no noises etc.
I reckon some damp has got into the sensor wires,or the sensor is playing up.
Can anyone tell me where i can find the sensor please???
Car is a 2003/53 HDI 110 est SE.
Thanks

[nigelw]

I do believe the oil pressure switch just above the oil filter on the D9 406 and just below the core plugs which are 4 small metal discs inserted in the side of the block of the engine it is a screw in plug with small electrical connector coming off it hope this helps

nigel

[mjb]

Don't presume it's just a sensor - the pump could be shot and the penalty for driving with a broken oil pump (especially in a turbocharged car) could be very severe

[hammerman]

Many thanks.I will have a check tomorrow.As i said,the warning has not come back,so hopefully its just the sensor/damp.I hope its not the oil pump!!!
On another note,i`ve noticed the last in the last week,the engine oil dipstick is coming out of its tube.As in rising up out of the tube by about 10 mm.I`m not too overly worried as my previous Xantia TD did this in later life.It would seem a common problem.Will check all engine breathers though,as in my Xantia they were a bit dirty,which after a clean up seemed to stop the dipstick problem.I hope these 2 probs are not related.

[Doggy]

I've certainly read that the HDi 90/110 acoustic cover can wobble about lifting the dipstick in the process - worth eliminating that before you try anything more serious, (leaving the cover off for a day or two should prove it one way or the other).

I've never seen the oil pressure message - even when looking for it after an oil change, (when I discovered the lack of a warning light).

Assume your oil level's OK / no puddles underneath?

Can't think of an easy way of confirming good oil pressure....

[mjb]

Can't think of an easy way of confirming good oil pressure....

Making a hole in an oil pipe would be easy and accurate... Just not very sane and a bit messy

[Doggy]

You've not thought this one through, have you Matt?

Next, you'll need to make a hole in a known, good one and compare messes, correct for ambient temperature, grade of oil miles since last oil change, vehicle mileage barometric pressure......

[mjb]

Everyone's a critic... bet you even disagree with my method of testing the HDi fuel pump by disconnecting the pipe and putting your thumb over the end while cranking?


20,000 psi isn't that much really...

[hammerman]

Well the fault came back on sat when leaving the supermarket.But has not come back since this week since i`ve been going to work,40 miles each way.So hopefully it was just a damp sensor or something.

[steve_earwig]

You should get it tested in case it's real! (I would)

[hammerman]

Well fixed this fault today.I have done around 1500 miles since it started so i knew it was`nt the oil pump.The engine would have died ages ago .The warning has been coming on & off most of the time,so i got a new oil pressure switch from Euro C.P`s for £4.29 inc vat.Fitted it today & all is well.The old sensor did`nt look its best,& there was quite a bit of damp in the plug.
It took around an hour to do.The sensor is just above the oil filter on the front of the block(hdi)Needed to disconect & remove the fuel filter housing,& remove the filter bracket that bolts to the engine block.Unplug the sensor wire & undo the switch with a 22mm deep socket.Access is`nt too great,so wobble extention bars are best to undo it.
End result is now more erratic warning

[nigelw]

just where i told you then

nigel

[Littlelad]

In caveman days the idiots used to plug a pressure gauge in - can't image why when you could just take the switch out and watch it squirt all over

[jasper5]

In caveman days the idiots used to plug a pressure gauge in - can't image why when you could just take the switch out and watch it squirt all over

Yes, but did it squirt out at 20lbs per square inch or 40lbs per square inch?

[steve_earwig]

When you do an oil/filter change on my TDM you have to take a screw out the end of an oil gallery on the head, start it and wait for oil to dribble out, it has no oil pressure gauge or light.