Low oil pressure
 

I own a 1988 VW Rabbit Cabriolet convertible. Lately my low pressure oil
warning light has been flashing after the car has been driven a few miles
and the oil thins out. The oil pressure gage on the center console verifies
that the oil pressure is low, because when the oil is still cold the
pressure is normal at idle (around 1 on the gage), but after it warms up the
pressure gage reads less than 0.5 at idle and the warning light begins
flashing. While driving along with the oil cold, the gage reads almost 5,
but after warm-up it is less than 2 while driving and the warning light does
not flash until I come to a stop.

I tried using a thicker oil (SAE 40), but it made no difference.

The car has over 270,000 miles on it, but it still has plenty of pep and
there is no unusual engine noises (I can easily get it up past 70 MPH and
there is no visible smoke coming out the exhaust pipe). This makes me think
that the problem may just be a bad oil pump rather than bad crankshaft
bearings. What do you think?

Anyway, I am having a new oil pump installed today, along with new oil
pressure sensors. Hopefully that will fix the problem. I'll post the
results.

what were u using. i use 20/50 in mine during the summer but then i
also unplugged the flashing light 4 years ago too.

mike
85 cabriolet

As I said, SAE 40.

"vwtopdown" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> what were u using. i use 20/50 in mine during the summer but then i
> also unplugged the flashing light 4 years ago too.
>
> mike
> 85 cabriolet
>

Hey smartass, I said what were you using not what did you put in it.

as you said "I tried using a thicker oil (SAE 40), but it made no
difference. "

If you are going to do the oil pump then we use to put the G60 Corrado pump
in them. It has bigger flow which helps a lot.
But sounds like the mains and rod bearings are also needed.


"Papa" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>I own a 1988 VW Rabbit Cabriolet convertible. Lately my low pressure oil
>warning light has been flashing after the car has been driven a few miles
>and the oil thins out. The oil pressure gage on the center console verifies
>that the oil pressure is low, because when the oil is still cold the
>pressure is normal at idle (around 1 on the gage), but after it warms up
>the pressure gage reads less than 0.5 at idle and the warning light begins
>flashing. While driving along with the oil cold, the gage reads almost 5,
>but after warm-up it is less than 2 while driving and the warning light
>does not flash until I come to a stop.
>
> I tried using a thicker oil (SAE 40), but it made no difference.
>
> The car has over 270,000 miles on it, but it still has plenty of pep and
> there is no unusual engine noises (I can easily get it up past 70 MPH and
> there is no visible smoke coming out the exhaust pipe). This makes me
> think that the problem may just be a bad oil pump rather than bad
> crankshaft bearings. What do you think?
>
> Anyway, I am having a new oil pump installed today, along with new oil
> pressure sensors. Hopefully that will fix the problem. I'll post the
> results.
>

Is that a straight fit? and how long to swap that part out? any idea on
price for that?

thanks
mike

Thanks for your comments. As to needing mains and rod bearings, I hope that
is not the case. I'll post the results of my new oil pump installation soon.
I already purchased the pump, a German OEM.

Isn't there a later pump that's a straight bolt in that has even higher
volume? I think it's for a 2.0 16V or maybe the newer 2.0 8V... anyway
I remember it being discussed on the Corrado list, I think you have to
have the shaft necked down for clearance for something but it's much
cheaper than the Corrado pump and better.

nate

Woodchuck wrote:
> If you are going to do the oil pump then we use to put the G60 Corrado pump
> in them. It has bigger flow which helps a lot.
> But sounds like the mains and rod bearings are also needed.
>
>
> "Papa" > wrote in message
> ink.net...
> >I own a 1988 VW Rabbit Cabriolet convertible. Lately my low pressure oil
> >warning light has been flashing after the car has been driven a few miles
> >and the oil thins out. The oil pressure gage on the center console verifies
> >that the oil pressure is low, because when the oil is still cold the
> >pressure is normal at idle (around 1 on the gage), but after it warms up
> >the pressure gage reads less than 0.5 at idle and the warning light begins
> >flashing. While driving along with the oil cold, the gage reads almost 5,
> >but after warm-up it is less than 2 while driving and the warning light
> >does not flash until I come to a stop.
> >
> > I tried using a thicker oil (SAE 40), but it made no difference.
> >
> > The car has over 270,000 miles on it, but it still has plenty of pep and
> > there is no unusual engine noises (I can easily get it up past 70 MPH and
> > there is no visible smoke coming out the exhaust pipe). This makes me
> > think that the problem may just be a bad oil pump rather than bad
> > crankshaft bearings. What do you think?
> >
> > Anyway, I am having a new oil pump installed today, along with new oil
> > pressure sensors. Hopefully that will fix the problem. I'll post the
> > results.
> >

Follow-up: The replacement oil pump German part number is 027115105.

"Papa" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> Thanks for your comments. As to needing mains and rod bearings, I hope
> that is not the case. I'll post the results of my new oil pump
> installation soon. I already purchased the pump, a German OEM.
>
>

My new pump is installed. I used 10W40 oil.

So far, so good. No longer getting a blinking oil warning light, but I will
not feel completely confident about the repair until I have driven it for a
couple of weeks. Here is how my oil pressure gage read, warm engine,
transmission in neutral, various RPMs:

Idle, 950 RPM, 0.9 Bar
1000 RPM, 1.0 Bar
1500 RPM, 1.1 Bar
2000 RPM, 1.5 Bar
2500 RPM, 1.9 Bar
3000 RPM, 2.2 Bar
3500 RPM, 2.4 Bar
4000 RPM, 2.5 Bar

Engine cold, 2000 RPM, Bar > 4