URGENT URGENT URGENT !!!!!!!

[Old Mac Rocco]

I am in severe need of assistance.
My car has been laid up over winter and oil filter gauze in sump has got blocked up.
I noticed my oil warning light coming on last tuesday but as I was getting an oil and filter change wasn't too worried.
Had the change done and it is STILL coming on ???????????
I left at 14:00 hrs to go to Leeds today for the meet on Sunday at Harewood House and arrived back home at 17:00 hrs after having to call out the RAC.
The reason I had to call them out was my IGNITION light came on and wouldn't go off.
Top class mechanic cannibalised alternator I had in the boot to fix mine by swapping the brush pack over and it was charging at 13.67 amps.
While talking to him I mentioned the oil problem and he had come across it before, his solution was soak it in thinners for two days to break up the sludge.
Unfortunately I don't have two days til Harewood House so has anyone an alternative solution ?????????
Is there any oil additives that will cure it or any other solutions PLEASE ????????
I have spent over £400 on the car over the last few weeks and now it looks as if Harewood House is a no-no.
I have a spare 1.8 engine lying in the lockup but it is likely to be the same and I don't think I have enough time.
I drove all the way back from Hamilton (35 miles) and the light never came on once till I started climbing up all the hills one mile from home.
Would you chance a 500mile round trip under these conditions ???????????
PLEASE ANY HELP, GUIDES, SUGGESTIONS ETC WILL BE APPRECIATED.

[bensspares]

No dont chance it unless you fancy an engine swop...........are you sure the connection to the pressure sender is ok.......sometimes the ignition switch can cause the light to come on even though the oil pressure remains good.....the best indecation of a blockage is...when started the light goes off and stays off, then you suddenly have pressure failure on the road...pull over, shut engine down and wait a few mins..restart, if the oil light goes out and stays off you have a lump of crap in the sump..it is ok to drive like this be be warned, shut the engine down asap after the light comes on...hope this throws a little light on it for you.

[Old Mac Rocco]

Thanks for the quick reply bensspares.
Symptoms are exactly as you described, driving along - light comes on - pull over - restart one minute later and lights out and away we go.
Has anyone got any pics of the sump and what I need to look for and can I remove it to clean it ?????
I've heard that the sump is a barsteward to take off thanks to two bolts at the gearbox side.

[go-for-it1]

OMR, Just forget Harewood and fix the problem. If you risk going cos you don't want to miss it and the engine seizes on the way you will miss it anyway, and have a whole load of problems far bigger than the one you have just now! You risk it when you have a dodgy number plate lamp or vent fan but not when the oil light keeps coming on!! It might just be the switch but if it's not you are lucky you have a warning, some engines blow seconds after the oil light comes on and before you get chance to stop the engine so my advice for what it's worth is heed the warning matey. Harewood will come around next year
Rob

[DT1]

I was under the impression that you'd seen the guaze, but your comments about taking the sump off made me wonder.

Have you seen the guaze?

This might help http://www.clubgtinorfolk.com/downloads ... change.pdf

Needless to say it's a golf, someone that's removed the sump may be better placed to vouch for the accuracy of the pictures.

[bensspares]

Easy but messy, drain oil...
remove the 22 10 mm bolts (3 by gearbox housing are a bitch) remove sump....
remove oil pump( 2 times 13mm bolts)....
soak gauze and remove offending crap and silt in sump....
prime oil pump..
re fit said pump.......
replace gasket and refit sump and those arse pain 3 bolts...
refill oil to correct level...
remove centre ignition lead and turn engine on starter till oil light goes out..
refit ignition lead and start,
check oil light goes out...
run for a few minutes.
stop engine and check oil level
add oil to correct level if required...
Robert is your relative

[Old Mac Rocco]

Cheers Rob I should really put the sensible head on and forget it.
After going to Biggar and meeting some great guys it was my target to have my operation and get the car ready for Harewood House.
I have spent a lot of money to try and acheive it and to actually be on the road south and have to turn back is a bit of a ball buster and I feel totally gutted.
If I thought it was possible to fix it in 24 hours I'd have a bloody good go at it.
Thanks Rob

No DT1 I havent seen the gauze I am going on the discussion I had today with the RAC man and the mechanic (ex scirocco driver) that fitted my exhaust who warned me before it actually happened.
Both said that if the car is left over a period of time the oil "reacts " and clogs the gauze.
I find it strange that the three times it has happened near home is when I am climbing up hills ?????

Thanks again ben, sounds a bit messy to me.

[bensspares]

Nah....only if you dont take your time, if your were in leicestershire Id do it for you tomorrow, takes about an hour and a half

[DT1]

I've added a link since my last reply.

[MacColl]

Can't believe this , I've just been speaking to OMR on the phone there and if I hadn't been working a 14hr shift I might well have been able to help get things turned around, help get a gasket, drop the sump etc. We were actually talking about potential oil pick up issues just a few weeks back, I even posted something up about it

Gutted for you mate. Anyway I wish you well on your trip down to Harewood in alternative transport. Chin up, hope you can get the Rocco to another show soon

[go-for-it1]

I find it strange that the three times it has happened near home is when I am climbing up hills ?????

OMR, the "climbing the hills" may be a clue I am mulling over as this suggests the pump loses suction when the car is facing uphill. These might seem stupid questions but
1. Is the oil level correct? and if it is then:
2. Is the dipstick the correct one for your engine.
If the dipstick is too long, then what appears to be a correct level may actually be a low level on the correct dipstick. I had a vauxhall astra which had similar symptoms and found it had a dipstick fitted for a longer engine!!
I am at work so can't check if the correct dipstick has any numbers on it, but maybe somebody else here can have a look?
Rob

[bensspares]

I had the same thoughts re the oil level and dip stick

[Nate]

either measure another one (can't help you there - not got a mk2 here anymore) or drain all the oil and change the filter, then pour in the exact amount of oil (including filter!) that the engine takes - around 4.5litres from memory

[Old Mac Rocco]

Just a quick update.
Sump off and oil pump out and cleaned.










Sump was covered in "jelly" as was pump and filter.
Also found small granule like bits in the pump which would have appeared to come from the degrading gasket as they were soft and broke up when squashed.
Oil that came out was black considering it had only done 70 miles.
Getting new gasket and oil today so I have decided to paint sump while waiting and that has been done.
Paint won't be dry til tomorrow so probably wait til Monday to refit everything.
Many thanks to all who replied with advice and instructions without this I would never have done this myself.
CHEERS 's are on me.

[mazellann]

Hi OMR

I had a similar problem with my Scala, oil buzzer sounding and oil light coming on, turned out the pump had jammed, took it off stripped and cleaned it, it all looked fine but it still jammed up, put a new pump in and problem solved!

For what they cost if you've any doubts about the pump i'd put a new one in, i've changed quite a few sumps and i've never seen one gunged up like that, they've all been pretty clean inside. Also i often have cars laid up for 6-12months and have never had any problems!

cheers
Tony