Thread: oil pressure

Hi ade,
Oil light flashing is oil pressure. You can check the actual oil pressure by substituting the oil pressure switch for an oil pressure gauge so you can physically check the number, then replace the switch. Could be a faulty switch if you are an optimist, no harm in trying. Try a different oil, not necessarily a different grade just brand of oil, some oils hold their viscosities and film strength better than others. Not sure why you have an affinity with Fuchs, price or a good history, doesn't really matter.
How many klms has the engine done? 44 is quite warm, and a hill climb, plus Nameless is quite a hike. Is the idle a bit low, air con on? Air con can cause the idle to drop a bit, might just be enough.
Get the oil tested when you change it, see what the analysis come back and tells you.

fuchs is what i can get up here in tom price, did have the aircon on, will try a diiferent brand next oil change, dont have any reason to believe oil pressure is flogged out. will check with a guage, its just difficult to get the required items up here, been fine since though, engine done 243 thou easy km's used fuchs the last two changes, used penrite before that

I'd reckon it's just the high ambient/high load and the oil has copped a caning.
I also feel, but have never proven that the inbuilt oil cooler isn't big enough.
I feel they could do with a largish, external cooler, which would also take load of the radiator.

Anyway, a couple of thing with 300Tdi's.
Firstly, how many km on the engine ?

300Tdi's appear to need the big ends changed before 300,000km, most exhibiting a reasonable amount of wear on the shells.
It's easy enough to check, buy an oil pickup O ring and tube of good silicon sealant before starting and drop the sump and drop the caps to check.
IME mains will be fine.

The pump relief by-pass spring is easily checked and changed when the sump is dropped too.

[edit] which Fuchs oil ?
I rate Fuchs and doubt it would be an oil problem.

Hi Ade,
Not going to get into a brand discussion, becomes subjective rather than objective. You might want to consider a 20W-50 if you are consistently running in high temps. The klms are getting up there a little bit. Depending on how handy you are with spanners dropping the sump off can be exciting, usually if you go looking for trouble you will find it. I had a bit of a knocking in mine turned out to be the little ends not the big ends, agree with Rick mains should be OK. If you take the sump off......... and check the bypass spring this is an idea, personally never found a problem with one of these.
Use a good brand of oil, possibly consider a 20W-50 for summer, use a good quality filter. Synthetics usually hold their grade and have better film strength. Just as a side thought just make sure your oil isn't getting diluted with diesel from a leaking fuel pump, just a thought. Oil level rising is a good indicator, the new low sulphur diesel can cause the o-rings inide the pump to shrink back to normal size if initially used on the older high sulphur diesel. this is a bit out there but worth a check if you find nothing else.

high ambient temperature will contribute to "thinning" an oil ...

+ aircon on will have reduced the engine revs ...

interesting to see if it went out with aircon off (and slightly higher engine speed)

most likely nothing to worry about ~ but check if you're concerned

Originally Posted by Nomad9

Hi Ade,
Not going to get into a brand discussion, becomes subjective rather than objective. You might want to consider a 20W-50 if you are consistently running in high temps.
[snip]
Use a good brand of oil, possibly consider a 20W-50 for summer, use a good quality filter. Synthetics usually hold their grade and have better film strength. Just as a side thought just make sure your oil isn't getting diluted with diesel from a leaking fuel pump, just a thought. Oil level rising is a good indicator, the new low sulphur diesel can cause the o-rings inide the pump to shrink back to normal size if initially used on the older high sulphur diesel. this is a bit out there but worth a check if you find nothing else.

I've had the dreaded oil light flicker when running a premium synthetic diesel oil when hot too.
In that case it was big ends, unfortunately.
Yes, a syn oil will exhibit a better viscosity index (VI) than a premium mineral based oil but a good cooling system (oil/water) should keep fluid temps sane.

I still get lower than I'd really like hot idle pressure after a flogging.
Seeing as the mains were OK and no other engine knocks, worn cam bearings are a possibility (and not unusual for a Tdi) or maybe it's just wear in the oil pump housing ?


IMO a 20W-50 shouldn't be necessary regardless of ambient temps if everything else is ok, but it could give you a little up your sleeve if the cooling side of things is a little suspect.

BTW, it's impossible on a Tdi to get oil dilution from the IP, it's a VE type rotary pump, not an inline pump so doesn't share lubricant with the engine, but it's possible to get a fuel leak from the lift pump.

[QUOTE=Nomad9;1597766]Hi ade,
Not sure why you have an affinity with Fuchs, price or a good history, doesn't really matter.
QUOTE]

dont really have an affinity with it?????? just what I could get at the time
i dont mean to get into an oil debate, it just seemed to me a strange thing to post, an affinity would assume I use it all the time, love it wouldnt have anything else, its really about all you can get up here unless you buy elcheapo coles oil

Hi Rick,
Thanks for the pointers. Agree with all you say. Thanks for pointing out the impossible, I wasn't familiar with the pump design. I had this one on my old Pootrol before I learnt my lesson, now I've checked yeap different configuration.