Help! Oil pressure

[rebel2cv]

Took the polo for a good run to Woodbridge and back, around 100miles doing 30, 50, 60. It ran fine until I got around 10 miles from home, oil pressure light flashed and beeped 3 times. Luckily I was popping into a mates for a cuppa so let it cool and checked the oil before I left, all was good until I did another 5 miles, and it flashed again, 2miles later as I pull into the drive it does it again, tad concerned here as its had a service before I got it, mot the day before I picked it up so that should have spotted any leaks. If I'm honest I've not looked under the engine until tonight..

Here's the 'direct link' as photo bucket doesn't work
i751.photobucket.com/albums/xx152/rebel2cv/4D96D648-8E18-414B-880C-C4068F42547B-1080-000001736BFA987A_zps851cad4a.jpg

I could hear dripping, though couldn't see anything other than this :/ am I screwed?

[rebel2cv]

Also, when I pull up to a junction and stop it keeps dropping to around 500rpm before picking up again, it does it 2-3 times before settling again..?

[bl1300]

Ok that leak looks to be coming from the sump seal which is on the low pressure side of the system. Unless its almost completely run out of oil it shouldn't have much effect on the oil pressure. Your best bet is to put a pressure testing kit on to it and see what the oil pressure is actually doing it could just be an electrical fault.

[notsoswift]

Hot at all?


OEM warning lights generally don;t come on until 7 PSI or so that isn't good
If you just bought it maybe they through some thick oil in...

[rebel2cv]

I've just chucked 2 litres of 10w40 in it as its all I had in the shed, level was fine in Beccles (5miles away) so it's 'dropped' or used the lot in the final drive last night. No drips on the pavement, no oil in the water. What does the pressure test consist of? Is it something I can DIY?

[rebel2cv]

*'cause I'm not paying £100+

[bl1300]

The testing kit is basically just a capillary type pressure gauge with a selection of different threaded adapters. You fit it in the place of the pressure sender to get a reading. You should be able to DIY it if you have a gauge and the right fitting to attach it to your car.

[jrevillug]

VW. Oil pressure warning. Losing oil rapidly. That'll probably be a pressure switch then - have fun finding it, they have a nasty habit of hiding them under the manifolds. And there tend to be two switches - one to warn of low pressure, and one to warn of high pressure. They are identified by the colour of the plastic body.

[damageandy]

surely if it was leaking the oil out, it would at least leave a few drips and plenty of spotable oil on the engine.

The oil in the pic just looks like a very very minor leak, generally if your leaking oil its pretty obvious just looking at the engine bay and underneath the car, and it will always leave oil stains where its parked.

Were you sure it had the correct amount of oil in it to start with? just cant see it been an oil leak and not be in your face noticable if its lost that much oil.

[rebel2cv]

I will have to have a proper look at the weekend (the missus will be dead chuffed) to see if I can find the switch(s). I can't see how that leak would drain that quick, I can't even see if its possible to burn it all off that quick?! Oil was deffinatly correct level, I think this is the first car I've so far checked every other day!

[Deleted]

how are you checking the oil level? could have the wrong dipstick in it
if you have a sump gasket leaking get it changed,then fill with the recommeded amount of oil VW specify
then check where that shows on the dipstick

[RobinJI]

My guess is the oil pressure switch failing like jrevillug suggests. If it's anything like the older polo engine (which it probably is, VW don't change things ofted ) then there's a pressure switch on the back of the head above the inlet manifold, towards the cambelt end. They fail and oil pours out of them. The leak in that picture could easily be coming from the back of the block, not the sump gasket, which would fit in with it being the oil pressure switch as well. Plus it wouldn't leak with the engine off, as there's no oil up-top, so may well not have left any massive puddles where you park, the oil will all be 'on route'.

[mat91]

Yep we see a lot of failed oil pressure gauges on old vags, dead easy to spot as they just poor oil out

[rebel2cv]

The only place I can see oil is a very mild moist patch on the sump and I've clocked there's oil sitting in the recess of one of the plugs (not the one that had the valves done) possible valve stem seal? I hope not.. I didn't twig until I serviced it(runs a bit better, still not brill) its an overhead cam engine :/