So today after 3 weeks on holiday I went to drive my car. After maybe 20mins or so, as I was approaching home the red oil pressure light started flashing and I noticed a change in the engine tone. I turned off the engine ASAP and left it to cool down. Been back to the car and checked the oil level and all is fine. I've plugged in my basic scanner and no codes have been brought up. Turned the ignition on and light comes on then goes out after a few seconds. Started the engine and everything is normal however within a minute or so the oil pressure light begins to flash and once again the engine tone changes.

Service history of the car is up to date with all invoices etc since I purchased the car in December 2014. Since I've owned it I did a complete service changing all maintainable parts with genuine products from TPS. Oil level is checked regularly and topped up if necessary.

Before I left to go on holiday at the beginning of the month the car had been absolutely fine with no indication of any possible pending problems.

Can anyone help with any advice?

after first suspect being a dodgy switch,         but the change in tone makes me think I wouldn't want to drive.  without first tapping in an oil guage to see what's really happening happening   was it some early 170's had a pump problem?

i had this on an audi a4 1.8T some time ago, it was a faulty oil pump, which knackered the turbo and caused quite a bit of damage.

I would not drive it. I drove mine on advice from AA who said "probably faulty sensor", and leasing company tried to pass repair costs of £4k back to me, but then backed down.

Think the oil pressure is low? Get the oil pressure checked, it's a fairly simple test with the right equipment.

The car is parked up and won't be driven.

Been doing some searching and reading up and I noticed a thread

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/227951-07-octavia-vrs-low-oil-pressure/

Would it be worth changing the pick up pipe in the meantime?

Haven't got any equipment to check the oil pressure so that will have to wait till I can get a mechanic out to do this.

You could do, but it's always better to diagnose something rather than just throwing parts at it.

Tech1e - very true.

is there anyway of diagnosing the oil pick up pipe?

An oil pressure test would be a start.

Today I replaced the oil pick up pipe. Been working 16hr days recently so have had no time to get the car to a garage for an oil pressure test.

The old pick up pipe was blocked up

Replaced the pipe, cleaned up the sump, mating surfaces etc and went about refitting everything. Allowed some time before I filled up with oil and then started the car. Had no signs of low oil pressure and once the engine was warm I took the car for a test drive. This went well and the oil pressure warning light failed to come on at all. However towards the end of the test drive I thought I'd see what happens through some more vigorous cornering and suddenly the oil pressure warning light came on. Stopped the car, and took a look under the bonnet, and left it a moment. Restarted the car and once again everything was fine until I once again cornered more vigorously and the light would come on. This time before I pulled over in a safe area the light would go out and everything would be fine again.

Anyone got any suggestions for things I could look into? Its been suggested to me it could be the oil pressure switch that's got a dodgy contact. Has anyone had this?

Two Octavia's with the same issue on the same day!?

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/376840-octavia-vrs-mk2-pre-fl-oil-mobil-1-esp-5w-30/

 

I know you mentioned the oil level is fine but is it on the MAX mark?

Today I replaced the oil pick up pipe. Been working 16hr days recently so have had no time to get the car to a garage for an oil pressure test.

The old pick up pipe was blocked up

image.jpeg

Replaced the pipe, cleaned up the sump, mating surfaces etc and went about refitting everything. Allowed some time before I filled up with oil and then started the car. Had no signs of low oil pressure and once the engine was warm I took the car for a test drive. This went well and the oil pressure warning light failed to come on at all. However towards the end of the test drive I thought I'd see what happens through some more vigorous cornering and suddenly the oil pressure warning light came on. Stopped the car, and took a look under the bonnet, and left it a moment. Restarted the car and once again everything was fine until I once again cornered more vigorously and the light would come on. This time before I pulled over in a safe area the light would go out and everything would be fine again.

Anyone got any suggestions for things I could look into? Its been suggested to me it could be the oil pressure switch that's got a dodgy contact. Has anyone had this?

Usually when oil pressure switches start to fail, they show visible signs of it. Namely, oil emerging from either the body of the switch, or around the pin of the connector.

Find the switch (often the only single-wire sensor on your engine), unplug the electrical connector and see whether it's oily.

Two Octavia's with the same issue on the same day!?

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/376840-octavia-vrs-mk2-pre-fl-oil-mobil-1-esp-5w-30/

 

I know you mentioned the oil level is fine but is it on the MAX mark?

And we're both from Milton Keynes! Unbelievable it's the same issue.

Yes oil is up to the max level on the dipstick. I rechecked the level once the engine was cold after the test drive and it's still reading 'max'.

Is this green connector part of the oil pressure sensor?

Latest update.

Everything appeared fine this morning and I rechecked the levels.

Started the car, it idled and again everything appeared fine.

Took it for a test drive and during normal driving all is well. On the way back home I cornered a bit more vigorously and this time the oil pressure warning light came on, however as I was approaching a stop the battery light came on followed by the engine cutting out.

For circa 10mins I checked under the bonnet, plugged in a code reader in case anything had been logged and nothing. In that time I did try to start the engine however the engine would not idle yet die instead.

After 10mins or so I started the car and everything worked and sounded fine. Got the car home and once again checked levels and attempted to read any codes. Nothing found.

This issue is now really confusing me. I can't understand how up until 4 weeks ago the car was perfect. I leave it whilst I go on holiday and suddenly I have this issue with no warning whatsoever.

Tomorrow I will arrange to have the car towed to a garage whilst I'm at work. I'm hoping it's a sensor or connector that's at fault as the engine appears to be holding oil and before I refitted the sump I cleaned this out but there was no pieces in it that would cause a worry or suggest parts on the engine were failing.

Today I replaced the oil pick up pipe. Been working 16hr days recently so have had no time to get the car to a garage for an oil pressure test.

The old pick up pipe was blocked up

image.jpeg

Replaced the pipe, cleaned up the sump, mating surfaces etc and went about refitting everything. Allowed some time before I filled up with oil and then started the car. Had no signs of low oil pressure and once the engine was warm I took the car for a test drive. This went well and the oil pressure warning light failed to come on at all. However towards the end of the test drive I thought I'd see what happens through some more vigorous cornering and suddenly the oil pressure warning light came on. Stopped the car, and took a look under the bonnet, and left it a moment. Restarted the car and once again everything was fine until I once again cornered more vigorously and the light would come on. This time before I pulled over in a safe area the light would go out and everything would be fine again.

Anyone got any suggestions for things I could look into? Its been suggested to me it could be the oil pressure switch that's got a dodgy contact. Has anyone had this?

Do you maybe use castrol long life?

Hmmm, I'm actually starting to wonder if it's a battery issue, this can cause some odd issues. Personally I'd be metering the battery just to make sure.

Do you maybe use castrol long life?

I use VAG long life purchased from TPS.

Hmmm, I'm actually starting to wonder if it's a battery issue, this can cause some odd issues. Personally I'd be metering the battery just to make sure.

I can understand the battery cutting out the engine, but surely it wouldn't affect the oil pressure light? Or would it?

Voltage reads 12v when engine not running, 14.2v with engine running.

Edited 1 November, 201510 yr by vala

My mate who is maniac of tuning cars, taking a part in a lot of races, currently he does his project which is skyline 1000hp said a lot about oils.

He said that longlife intervals is harmful as oil can't perform that Long also it can't absorb so much deposits from burning processes.

That is why specially famous castrol 5w30 leave a lot of s*it in the engine.

The same think told me my cousin who works for vw.

If you look at the vuantum or castrol parameters compering to premium ones are very poor.

I do an oil change once a year which is roughly 8-10k miles for myself.

Do you think even with this service schedule it would be harmful?

When I cleaned the sump there wasn't as much debris/deposits in it that would suggest an issue. Maybe this is due to the more frequent service schedule?

As long as you are using the correct spec oil then once a year (8-10k) is fine,i change my oil once a year (10k). I wouldnt leave it any longer though,im not a fan of these longlife 2 year/20k oil change intervals.

Two Octavia's with the same issue on the same day!?

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/376840-octavia-vrs-mk2-pre-fl-oil-mobil-1-esp-5w-30/

 

I know you mentioned the oil level is fine but is it on the MAX mark?

 

 

And we're both from Milton Keynes! Unbelievable it's the same issue.

Yes oil is up to the max level on the dipstick. I rechecked the level once the engine was cold after the test drive and it's still reading 'max'.

 

Must be all the roundabouts :-)

Edited 2 November, 201510 yr by DoctorT

As long as you are using the correct spec oil then once a year (8-10k) is fine,i change my oil once a year (10k). I wouldnt leave it any longer though,im not a fan of these longlife 2 year/20k oil change intervals.

The problem with "spec"oils is that there are made to be more Eco frendly instead of be better for engines.

All new oils are very thin and have quite low viscosity only to improve mpg and that effect the NOACK which is very high.

They reduced or stopped using some very good elements such as zink, phosphate, calcium, nickel, chrome etc. Only becouse there are killing cats and dpf.

Low level of them also decrease TBN level which is ability to clean and hold all deposits.

That's why servicing car with long intervals is harmful.

Today it was looked at by my local garage as they couldn't do anything yesterday.

The mechanic got the oil pressure warning light to come on under the same driving conditions as myself (hard cornering). He had a check through various items and later called me in the day to say they replaced the oil filter (I've replaced this twice since December '14), taken the car for a test drive under the same conditions on the same stretch of road and no oil pressure warning light.

I've got the old oil filter and it has sucked itself together.

He mentioned that there is a valve on the cylinder inside the oil filter housing which was full of gunk and potentially the cause of the issue. This has now been cleaned out and hopefully was the cause of that filter failing.

Thought I'd mention this as I didn't come across any oil change guides which mention this valve in the build up to its first yearly service with myself. Car is due another full yearly service in December so I'll be able to see for myself this valve.

I'm changing the cam follower this Saturday and will also be checking which revision cam I have as I've been told revision 'A' can cause problems.

Glad you have got it sorted,ive only ever seen a oil filter collapse once & that was because the lad had bought a cheap unknown brand off ebay.