Oil Pump Problem ???

[s4simon]

The last few hot days I've been having a few oil pressure issues at idle.

After a decent run, if I then get stuck in traffic the oil pressure needle falls to pretty much zero (er - in the red), and when you first start off the oil light flickers. Once up to speed pressure returns to normal.

Got back home and oil level reads full - so I'm not losing anything.

Is this the start of a Oil Pump problem, or is this standard practise on hot days ???

Started this morning and the pressure goes straight to around 5 on the meter. Problem only appears once hot.

Your thoughts and ideas appreciated.

[TimRdLotus]

before you start into the engine, first start with are you sure the pressure is correct. Hook up a manual guage and check it out. It could be something as simple as a sending unit going bad.

[The_Del]

Check the front pods to make sure the vents to the oil coolers haven't got blocked up. You should be able to easily see the oil cooler fins. This can have a big effect on cooling performance on the oil.

Did you service car yourself, or if by a garage do you know what grade oil they used, possibly too low ?

as stated above check pressure using another gauge but genrally this isn't an oil pump failure issue initally as your still getting good cold oil pressure. I would think that oil pump wear would show reduced pressure at all tempratures but just more so at hot. Not impossible for it to be so though.

Engine isn't especually rattly at the moment that you can notice. An amount at startup is normal but should disappear after a couple of minutes idle.

Bearing wear can reduce hot oil presure reading due to wider clearance allowing a higher flow of the thined hot oil through.

This isn't likely unless car has had seriously hard life or I would say in the 70K+ mark.

[ozontour]

FYI

I live in a semi tropical environment and take the car out in 35c heat and do not have an Oil Pressure issue...

[DanR]

Hi Simon. I notice in summer, once my oil temp is at 180deg. my pressure guage drops to just on/above the red at idle, a bit above 2 bars at 2k and a little below 3 bars at 3k. First start on the day also takes a few seconds for the pressure guage to register. Strangely there's no change in the sound of the engine that would indicative of an initial lack of oil.

I use Valvoline Durablend 15-50. I met and had a lengthy discussion with the chemist who "designed" this oil. He recommended it as the highest performing synthetic blend, 30%, for local (Oz) conditions. He added that their tests found no advantage in full synthetics unless the oil wasn't being changed for a year or more due to low usage. Interestingly, in both the Esprit and the 944 Turbo, after a couple of oil changes with Durablend, my oil top-ups were significantly reduced too.

Does this correlate with your symptoms?

How's your move back coming along?

[s4simon]

Yep - I suppose that's pretty much what I see. Weird

I'll take it for a few more warm drives this week just to see if anything changes.

Started her up yesterday and it went straight to just under 5 - so as has been stated it does not look like a pump problem.

Re: the moving bit - we're pretty much stagnant at the moment. I keep dropping the price every few weeks, so it's gonna sell one of these days.

Last year 4 bedroom houses in my street would sell for 325,000 within a couple of weeks of going on the market. I've now dropped mine to 279,000.

[s4simon]

I spent last night reading all the different Esprit forums around the world, and after 3 hours, came to the following conclusion.

The flickereing low pressure oil light is a common fault amongst steven's owners.

This is due to a number of different issues. The gauges used are not that accurate. The sender (on my car) is 0-10 bar and the gauge is 0-7 bar. The type of oil used will alter the pressure showing on the gauge. Also the manual states that the minimum pressure allowed at idle is 0.35 bar. Anything below 1.0 bar is red line on the gauge

So - my cars oil pressure is within spec, it's just that the silly 'Idiot light' keeps flicking on for a sec when you raise the revs from idle.

I'm going to replace my oil with a 15-50 type synthetic and see if that solves the problem - since the problem only started after the last service. If that does not fix the problem I'll replace the sender with a new VDO type, which does not have the idiot light output.

Does anybody know where I can buy VDO stuff from in the UK (internet shop somewhere). Buggered if I could find any retailer last night. I have the correct VDO part number for the new sender (Esprit compatible).

Alternatively I could just pull the wire off the sender that causes the red light to flicker.

[s4simon]

Well I changed the oil today to 15-50, so we'll see if that makes any difference to my low oil pressure issue on the next long run.

I was surprised at how icky the oil was that came out. It's only done a 1000 miles since the last service.

Oh - and if anyone's going to be changing their oil in the near future, just remember that you'll need a 12mm hex driver for the sump plug. I think these were fitted for the S4 / S4s models. Not sure on the GT3.

[DAVES_GT3]

Well I changed the oil today to 15-50, so we'll see if that makes any difference to my low oil pressure issue on the next long run.

I was surprised at how icky the oil was that came out.

Edited October 4, 2005 by DAVES_GT3

[s4simon]

I had to pop around to Halfrauds this morning just for the Hex bit (lucky only a 5 minute walk). I noticed that they a had a variety of special bits (including square sockets) for removing sump / gearbox bolts. From memory only around

[DAVES_GT3]

I had to pop around to Halfrauds this morning just for the Hex bit (lucky only a 5 minute walk).  I noticed that they a had a variety of special bits (including square sockets) for removing sump / gearbox bolts.  From memory only around

[s4simon]

Well - Went for a long run today and never once did it go into the red.

Oil pressure starts higher when cold, and after the long run when at idle, pressure was down to 1.2 on the gauge. So no more flickering light at turn on and no illumination when hot (oil temp was around 80 deg).

Makes me feel a little better.

[DAVES_GT3]

Well - Went for a long run today and never once did it go into the red.

Oil pressure starts higher when cold, and after the long run when at idle, pressure was down to 1.2 on the gauge.  So no more flickering light at turn on and no illumination when hot (oil temp was around 80 deg). 

Makes me feel a little better. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

just to let you know simon the short cut to your garage doesnt work as you have to be signed into your user name.

heres the link from using my user name going into your garage that might work.

think im making sense

http://www.glcforum.com/ukesprit/forums/in...e&CODE=12&CID=3

dave

[s4simon]

Thanks for that Dave.

I thought I had it sussed - obviously not.

Hope it works now...

[DAVES_GT3]

Thanks for that Dave.

I thought I had it sussed - obviously not.

Hope it works now...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yep all working fine

dave