VW T4 1.9D 1X engine Campervan (AKA Daenerys) Oil pressure light issue help please?

[Wisewoman]

Hi there,

Its been a while since I've posted on here, largely due to life events, but I'm pleased to report to those who may know of me and my van Daenerys, that she is still on the road and doing me proud.

Anyway, I have an annoying oil pressure sender switch issue, which I'm hoping someone may be able to cast some light on. its a VW T4 late 1990 /1991 with a 1.9D 1X engine.

I had a leaky lower (as in location on the engine) oil sender -its the one just above the oil filter. Daenerys's mechanic came out and replaced it but after that, i noticed the light pattern on the dashboard has changed and I'm not sure it is now working correctly.

Before the switch change, the oil light would come on and flash continually in pre-ignition stage (whilst the glow plugs warm up.) Upon engine start, it would immediately go out - all as it should.

Now, on pre-ignition the red oil light comes on briefly once, then goes out and *stays out* for the remaining time before I actually crank the engine.

Given this simple description - are there any mechanically minded VW lovers out there that can suggest what the issue may be given the change in illumination patterns? I'm thinking its got to be something simple - is it possible that this is indicative of a faulty or incorrect new oil pressure switch or perhaps a loose Earth?

Many thanks for any insight!

Cheers,
Melissa Daenerys van blog

How to find those wild camping sites

 

[Deleted member 5816]

It would be better to post on the VA T4 forum or the brick yard vw forum you would get a better responce

Alf

 

[Wisewoman]

It would be better to post on the VA T4 forum or the brick yard vw forum you would get a better responce

Alf

Thanks Alf! - I will try that.
Melissa

 

[mjvw]

colour options

Just replaced my oil sensor on my t4 it was leaking, purchased from just Kampers.

038-919-081/K / 038919081K - Oil Pressure Switch (Brown) VW T4 1996–2003 T5 2003–2011 - 19018, 6ZL008280-001, 108890755, 1009190042, - :: Just Kampers

I believe they are colour coded blue or brown depending on year and if wrong may cause the problem, however i am no expert so i would give them a call i have had excellent service. As mentioned the VW T4 Forum - VW T5 Forum - Powered by vBulletin is a great reference site and may shed some more light on the situation.

 

[burridge01]

The oil light is acting as mine does and mine is correct.
My engine is a 1999 1.9TD ABL with one oil sensor by the oil filter(some have another sensor on the top of the engine)
As far as I am aware the oil light/sensor are acting correctly and the fault was before you changed them.

 

[Wisewoman]

The oil light is acting as mine does and mine is correct.
My engine is a 1999 1.9TD ABL with one oil sensor by the oil filter(some have another sensor on the top of the engine)
As far as I am aware the oil light/sensor are acting correctly and the fault was before you changed them.

Hello,

Thanks for your input - heres an update on Daenerys and her oil warning light. I'm not convinced you are right in thinkign that the oil light shoudl only come on briefly and then go out *pre-ignition* and you may want to check your switches. That said, you have a different engine but here's a bit more on my Oil switch saga...

The oil warning light is now back to flashing constantly on pre-ignition and going off once the engine starts! I do believe that this is the way it *should* operate. If you look into the Dynamic oil pressure system on these sorts of engines, it would make sense. (see at the bottom of this post for the best links I found about this)

*The fix* - well it seems that Daenerys was being a bit tricksy... whilst the lower (0.9 bar) on oil flange switch, was leaking oil and thus replaced. The oil warning light issue was *actually* related to a bad switch in the upper (head ) location (0.25bar). So it seems that both switches started playing up at around the same time and me thinking that it had to do with the obviously leaking lower (location) switch was in fact a total blind!

After replacing the upper head location, lower pressure (blue) switch, the oil light returned to working correctly and all is now OK.

The ones we took off were both VW originals and chances are they are *the* originals - so have been on the engine for nearly 30 years! They don't make things like that now do they!

So - the best info I found on the VW DOP system was here:

Hope it helps someone else!

vincewaldon.com - HOWTO: Diagnose the Dynamic Oil Pressure Warning System

Oil light flashing

YouTube

For the record and in the hope that someone in the future may find this interesting - Daenerys has a 1.9D 1X engine and her switch at the upper, head location, was the lower pressure switch at 0.25 bar. the lower (location) switch, by the oil filter had the higher pressure 0.9 bar switch. I have had to replace these with ranged switches as it seems exact bar switches are harder to get these days. She now has a genuine VW 068919081c 0.75 - 1.05 bar switch and a third party 0.15 - 0.35 bar switch (upper location).

All the best,
Melissa

 

[burridge01]

Good that you resolved your issue.

My oil light operates correctly for the ABL engine��

 

[mjvw]

Sorted well done

Pleased you got it sorted don't you just love t4's

 

[Wisewoman]

Pleased you got it sorted don't you just love t4's

'Love' is an understatement! A word hasnt been invented for the amount of emotional anthropomorphisation I have for my van ! ;-) :heart::heart: