Oil dilemma

[Suschef]

Oil light popped on litterally as I got home today, checked there's no leak and it looks like it's low oil judging by the dip stick (only had the car 1000miles didn't expect it to burn the oil, no smoke/leak etc) cars booked in for a service and a few bits tomo ironically question is should I cold start the car as is and drive the 1 mile to my garage or bang a litre of the 15w40 oil I have here which isn't the right oil I know which will be flushed tomorrow anyway...

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[alpersakirmetin]

Hi! Never run your engine without oil.. even 15w40 any oil better than that..

 

[chriswales6]

The MK1's (well I know the TDI does and I would guess the petrol also) have the standard VW oil warning system. When the level gets low it'll flash the oil light. This is reset when you open the bonnet. It then assumes you've put some more oil in. If you haven't then the oil light will come on again in a few hundred miles.

My TDI has started doing this just before the 10,000 mile service if I don't top it up. If the oil is around minimum level on the dipstick then it'll be fine to drive a mile to the garage. I'd only be worried if I had to drive on the motorway like that.

But throwing in a litre of other oil won't hurt the engine if it gives you piece of mind.

 

[Muttley]

Flashing or solid, red or amber?

Flashing or steady red plus three beeps: low oil pressure.
Steady amber: low oil level. Stop and refill. Opening bonnet resets the oil level trip.
Flashing amber + beeps: oil level indicator fault

If it's low oil pressure, don't start the car again.

Not all cars have the oil level sensor, located in the bottom of the sump. I think it was only put in for cars that could be run on the extended service interval system. In any case, if the sensor thinks it's low, you are much better off putting some in. One question: is this a PD TDI? If so, be sure they drain all the old oil out (which a good garage will do anyway).

When did you last check the oil, and how low was it then?

 

[Suschef]

Flashing or solid, red or amber?

Flashing or steady red plus three beeps: low oil pressure.
Steady amber: low oil level. Stop and refill. Opening bonnet resets the oil level trip.
Flashing amber + beeps: oil level indicator fault

If it's low oil pressure, don't start the car again.

Not all cars have the oil level sensor, located in the bottom of the sump. I think it was only put in for cars that could be run on the extended service interval system. In any case, if the sensor thinks it's low, you are much better off putting some in. One question: is this a PD TDI? If so, be sure they drain all the old oil out (which a good garage will do anyway).

When did you last check the oil, and how low was it then?

It's solid amber on the dash light, it's a 20vt, was about half way up the stick when I bought it, about 1k miles ago now it's at the bottom, I knew it was due a service, but it also needed a cambelt, a new maf, and a couple of vacuum leaks fixing so funds were prioritised to that first

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[Muttley]

20VT's do have the level sensor, genereally speaking, and you've confirmed on the dipstick that it's low. Sounds like you have a leak somewhere then. See if you can get a look at the engine while they are servicing it (very much depends on the garage staff and how well you know them) to look for evidence of leaking oil, or ask them to look for you. Also check for oil in the coolant - one place leaks can occur is in the oil cooler, which is a heat exchanger between the oil and the coolant system, situated below the oil filter.

 

[Suschef]

20VT's do have the level sensor, genereally speaking, and you've confirmed on the dipstick that it's low. Sounds like you have a leak somewhere then. See if you can get a look at the engine while they are servicing it (very much depends on the garage staff and how well you know them) to look for evidence of leaking oil, or ask them to look for you. Also check for oil in the coolant - one place leaks can occur is in the oil cooler, which is a heat exchanger between the oil and the coolant system, situated below the oil filter.

The coolant was changed with the Cambelt/waterpump so if there was oil the guys would have said for sure, there doing lower arms and some exhaust work tomo Aswell so I'll get them to give it the once over

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[Suschef]

There's apparently a very small oil leak behind the turbo any ideas?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[mty12345]

There's apparently a very small oil leak behind the turbo any ideas?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Possibly the oil inlet/outlet on the turbo.

 

[Suschef]

Possibly the oil inlet/outlet on the turbo.

New seals? Difficult job?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[mty12345]

New seals? Difficult job?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Sorry mate, that wasn't the most helpful answer was it,lol.

Yeah there is an o-ring fitted to the banjo bolt, easy enough to change, just a case of getting access.

Number 16 in the diagram here http://www.oemepc.com/seat/part_sin...145/subcategory/145050/part_id/1395338/lang/e

Also there is a seal on the outlet, number 10 in the diagram, could be either i guess.

 

[Muttley]

Turbo feed is at high pressure, for the very good reason that the turbo bearing is going very fast and gets very hot. Access can be a bit difficult. But best to get that fixed.