Polo Classic 1.9 TDI oil light flashes

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sanelenanti
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Polo Classic 1.9 TDI oil light flashes

Post by sanelenanti »

Hi everyone, your expertise is needed and appreciated. I just bought a Polo Classic 1.9 TDI, 2010 with 150 000 kms. When I start the car it starts fine and sounds fine but as soon as I accelerate and the revs are between 15 and 20 I hear a buzzer warning and the oil light starts flashing slowly. No noticeable noise or sounds from the engine and performance is not affected. The light will flash slowly so until the engine is switched off. Once it starts flashing, it doesn't switch off even on idle until completely switching off. Please take note that the oil levels are fine.
Any ideas or pointers are appreciated.
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panic-mechanic
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Re: Polo Classic 1.9 TDI oil light flashes

Post by panic-mechanic »

Change the oil pressure sender
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10

Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
sanelenanti
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Re: Polo Classic 1.9 TDI oil light flashes

Post by sanelenanti »

Thanks Stephan, let's hope that will make the problem go away. I will keep you guys posted.
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panic-mechanic
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Re: Polo Classic 1.9 TDI oil light flashes

Post by panic-mechanic »

Well if it doesn't you are in for an engine rebuild.
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10

Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
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Re: Polo Classic 1.9 TDI oil light flashes

Post by missioner »

panic-mechanic wrote:Well if it doesn't you are in for an engine rebuild.
I second that.

If you need some certainty of whether your engine is ok or not, get a cheap (+/-R200) mechanical oil pressure gauge and plug it in where the oil pressure switch goes. Start the engine and monitor the pressures.

It should give you about 5-6 bar at start-up when cold and drop to about 1.5 bar minimum when hot at idle speed. Above that is fine as oil grade and viscosity can be a factor. Below 1 bar when hot is bad for the engine and could indicate failing bearings, as oil clearances are out of spec the pressure is low.

If the news is bad and the pressures are low, then feel lucky that you caught it on time and that the engine is still cost effective to repair. If you had destroyed the engine it can get really expensive very fast.
'87 Golf 1 Olde Skewl OEM+
sanelenanti
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Re: Polo Classic 1.9 TDI oil light flashes

Post by sanelenanti »

Thanks everyone, it turned out that it was the oil switch. Replaced it and problem solved.
Lugger
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Re: Polo Classic 1.9 TDI oil light flashes

Post by Lugger »

Where can I buy the oil pressure switch from? The oil light use to flash only when I turned the ignition on then it goes away if i start the car. So i changed it with a sensor I bought from a local parts shop now it flashes non stop.
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Re: Polo Classic 1.9 TDI oil light flashes

Post by panic-mechanic »

Vw dealer or goldwagen.
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10

Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
Lugger
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Re: Polo Classic 1.9 TDI oil light flashes

Post by Lugger »

Ok guys,

I give up. I bought another oil pressure switch and the light continues to flash. I tested the oil pressure and it is fine. I tried the original oil pressure switch and the light still flashes. When I ground the cable to the switch the light stays off. PLEASE HELP!!! I honestly don't know what the problem is.
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panic-mechanic
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Re: Polo Classic 1.9 TDI oil light flashes

Post by panic-mechanic »

check with an ohm meter what the switch does. So if your testing makes the light go away on ground then the switch must do the saem. IE go to ground when it goes on pressure. if it does not then either the switch is faulty or it's the wrong one.
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10

Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
Lugger
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Re: Polo Classic 1.9 TDI oil light flashes

Post by Lugger »

Thanks a million Panic-Mechanic!!!
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