Oil Pressure Warning Light

[Brady93]

Hi folks,

I've tried searching this but can't seem to find a solid answer.

I have a 2003 1.4 Petrol Ibiza and occasionally when I corner tightly (usually off an island) my oil pressure lamp will flash three times and then disappear, accompanied by the audible warning.

The first time this happened was a few weeks ago when the heat/sun started arriving in the midlands! Kacked myself when it went off as there's nothing more disconcerting than loud alarms and red lights going off when you're trying to drive.

I subsequently pulled over and checked everything looked okay under the bonnet, oil levels fine and no leaks I can see anywhere.

Also checked the oil level at home while engine was cold and it sits just on the top of the max marker on the dipstick.

It's happened maybe 5/6 times since?

So I ask the wise folk of SeatCupra; is my engine going to blow up or is it just having a hissy fit?

Cheers!

 

[RUM4MO]

I've read some postings about these engines having trouble with their oil pumps, I can't say on which forum that was. My wife has a late 2002 Polo 1.4 16V BBY engine and it is over 100K miles, with annual oil changes using VAG filter and VAG or FUCHS oil and so far have never had any oil pressure issues.

 

[Brady93]

Seems I've forgotten to reply, hmm okay that doesn't sound too good on the oil pump front.

This is still happening, almost on every roundabout now.

Maybe it's my imagination but it appears to happen less on a cold engine?

Hope it's something cheap, new oil pump is £85 :O

Does anyone else have any input/expertise to point me in the right direction?

 

[cheshire cat]

it sounds like oil surge in the sump --unlikely if it's full but I would be inclined to drop the sump and look at the strainer and check it's all clean doesn't this engine have aplastic labyrinth type oil/ fume separator on the rear ? that may be worth investigation if there's a lot of blow by and it's slow draining back to the sump

 

[Brady93]

It's coming around to new oil and filter time now, so while I'm draining the oil away I guess I can have a nosey around. I assume you mean remove the sump? Is this just a case of unscrewing it?

I have no idea in regards to the oil/fume separator. It's the BBY engine if that helps.

 

[cheshire cat]

I haven't been into one myself but sump off should be simple enough-the oil pump is at the cam belt end and so the strainer may be at that side of the sump rather than in the centre --it may be that the oil is washing to the left in your more enthusiastic moments and so sucking air -as a long shot it would be interesting to see if there is a baffle in the sump which should have at least one small hole to allow the oil to find a common level if so it may be blocked and acting as a weir and depending on dipstick position a false reading -maybe "getting into the realms of fantasy here Jones" you'll just have to suck it and see best of luck --keep us posted cheers Nic

 

[RUM4MO]

"a plastic labyrinth type oil/ fume separator" - yes they do, in my experience, all that happens to that spearator is that it becomes ineffective and that leads to higher oil consumption. I replaced the one of wifes Polo 9N with BBY, but should really open the old one up to work out what went wrong, replaced it at about 85+K miles.

These sumps are alloy and will only have a thin bead of sealant round the joint area to seal them.

I have always replaced the oil in that car at 12 monthly intervals and used fully synthetic 10W-30 VAG approved oil, also used Comma Petrol flush for the past 8 years, added during the final week before oil change.

Has that car had a known history of poor oil servicing that would lead you to think that the sump is curding up?

 

[cheshire cat]

I gather these engines are prone to blow by (bore wash?) and consumption at higher mileage but from limited experience with my nephew's polo I am sure part of the oil drinking was because of the separator the style of which was changed (to canister type?) on later models --sad to say it got rolled before investigations were complete- climbed out thro' window and the constabulary gave him a lift home-which was nice--said he was the third that week !!!

 

[RUM4MO]

Sorry, I probably should have said that these engines are fitted with a canister vortex style oil separator, I just thought your description sounded close enough until you posted again. The separator has a motor on it so is a bit pricey, maybe about £90, but replacing it reduced the oil usage dramatically. The later engines had problems with this separator leaking oil, I think it was the large O-ring, my daughter's 6J Ibiza with the later 1.4 85PS engine looks like it has this problem, so I've bought a new seal, but not fitted it yet, that later engine's separator also has water pipes fixed to it!

I thought that it was the older "A" series engines that had an oil drinking problem which was due to premature bore or ring wear, and not the "B" series ones.

Edit:- changed from 6L to 6J !

 

[cheshire cat]

we seem to have hijacked this while waiting for Brady to come back, didn't realise the later ones were powered -would be very interested as to how you get on--keep us posted - may have confused my A& B's

 

[TDiPat]

Just to go back to an earlier post. I noticed that you said the oil was on the max mark when the engine was cold. Is it possible that the oil level increases slightly as the engine heats up? Therefore while it's at the perfect level when cold, it becomes over-full when it heats up due to it expanding slightly. Might be worth filling to somewhere in the middle of the max/min lines and see if you have the same problem before replacing things that could prove expensive.

 

[RUM4MO]

Just to go back to an earlier post. I noticed that you said the oil was on the max mark when the engine was cold. Is it possible that the oil level increases slightly as the engine heats up? Therefore while it's at the perfect level when cold, it becomes over-full when it heats up due to it expanding slightly. Might be worth filling to somewhere in the middle of the max/min lines and see if you have the same problem before replacing things that could prove expensive.

The oil level checking on these 1.4 16V engines, and it seems also the 1.2 is a proper pain in the bum to check, leave it overnight and the oil rises a long way up the dipstick, you need to wipe and refit, wait 10 minutes and check again - that is after stopping a fully warmed up engine. Every other car I've owned, including my 2011 S4, you can just remove and read if the engine has been left overnight. TDiPat, I'm guessing you are hinting at over filling with oil to the point where the crankshaft etc is causing the oil to get airiated(sp!).

 

[TDiPat]

Aye, overfilling is easily done, I've been guilty of it myself. It may well be that there is more to this problem than simply over-filling, but as a starting point I'd say it'd be worth doing as you say and leave it over night etc. I hadn't realised that it was such a pain to check the oil on these engines, so thanks for the info RUM4MO, you've saved me from a potential head scratching session in the future haha.

 

[Brady93]

I'm back folks! Have had a busy few days so haven't been able to do the oil stuff yet or check back onto here.

Though it seems you've come up with some potential leads which I appreciate, mind you I don't understand half the words that have been used haha.

I'll do the oil level checking tomorrow. RUM4MO, could you just clarify if I'm checking oil level (wipe and refit) on a warm (but not running obviously!) engine?


I've noticed the pressure light seems to be coming on more often, seems guaranteed to happen on an uphill corner regardless of how tight the corner is. Also more likely to come on when I've been driving for longer periods (45 mins +).

I'm hoping the uphill part will help narrow down the problem?

Worth mentioning the oil has been at the same level since I bought the car seven months ago, but I've only had the oil issues for the past month? I haven't touched the oil since I've owned it.

 

[RUM4MO]

After stopping a warmed up engine, wait 15>30 minutes, withdraw the dipstick, wipe it clean, refit, wait 10 minutes, withdraw the dipstick and read the level. Now this might sound like a lot of bother, but it will give repeatable results or at least results that you can believe.

 

[Brady93]

Hmm just drove back from work and faffed about with the oil, after wiping and waiting 10 mins I pulled the dipstick out and it's all dry... Maybe a smidgeon on the very tip of the stick if you're counting that. Just checked again after 25 mins and it's the same story.

Guess I'm off to buy more oil eh!

Dunno how there was oil on it all the other times I checked? Residue oil maybe?

I'll see what the crack is once I've filled oil and driven to Shropshire this afternoon.

 

[RUM4MO]

Ah well, that fits in nicely with what you have been seeing happening, hopefully things will change after you have added some oil, maybe a litre.

 

[Brady93]

It would seem that I was down roughly a litre and a half of oil. Drove 100 miles on nice windy roads without a problem.

Let's hope it's not a leak!

Cheers for the input folks

 

[RUM4MO]

Good, now to check it weekly and find out what its oil usage is. Half a litre every 1500 miles can be typical for some of these 1.4 BBY engines, maybe more if the oil separator is causing problems. One thing that you can check is the end of the exhaust pipe, they tend to be sooty, but is it oily as well, that would indicate that the engine is getting oil drawn through it.

One other thing, I tend to add a container of Comma Petrol Flush to the oil about 100 miles/week before replacing the oil, really just to help clean out the internals - a container is about half a litre.