Help - Oil Buzzer keeps going off

[dig776 0]

Just took c out for a bit of a drive just now and the oil buzzer keeps beeping.

 

Checked oil level and it seems ok but when I had car put on rolling road recently (142.2bhp :) ) the garage mentioned that dipstick casing/tube looked like it had snapped. Obviously if the casing is too short then that could mean that the oil level is too low but appears fine which could explain the beeping.

 

Anyone got a pic of one to for reference or know where I can get another please? I have a 1990 valver.

 

Any help appreciated.

[h100vw 0]

Just buy a new one, they are about a quid from GSF.

Gavin

[dig776 0]

Cheers h100vw, will get one tomorrow although I think it is probably more to do with the oil pressure as I just topped the level up a bit and it still comes on.

 

Using my very limited mechanical knowledge I am guessing it is one of the following:

 

a) Cam cover gasket

b) Head gasket

c) oil pump

 

I don't think I am losing oil so a) and c) seem most likely (I really hope it is not b!). Any suggestions/corrections or ideas how to check appreciated.

[Supercharged 2]

Get the dipstick tube first and check the oil level!

[dazzyvr6 0]

could just be a dodgy oil pressure sender

[dig776 0]

OK so bought dipstick holder and fitted it. Took a while but realised the two cuts in the bottom of the piece fit onto the top of the metal dipstick holder. Some of the plastic from the old one got stuck in the tube but managed to get them out with a key :brickwall:

 

Pics below........

 

Can't check oil level as car on hill and camber but suspect it will need topping up given the difference in height. Does it look right?

[bix 0]

No there is a bit of old red funnel left on the dipstick!

[Supercharged 2]

Yep - I think your right Bix!

[dig776 0]

Cheers bix, Supercharged, will have another look tomorrow morning :roll:

[mistrall 0]

sory to but in - just a quickie - what does the buzzer sound like and do i have one on the 2ltr , thanks justin

[chrishill 0]

you'll have one, and as for what it sounds like... 'buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz'

[Jim 2]

Yeah.. you'll know when it happens seeing as there aren't buzzers for anything else on the Corrado ;)

[bix 0]

you'll have one, and as for what it sounds like... 'buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz'

 

:? Why is it called a buzzer then? :)

[dig776 0]

Mine seems to be more beeeeeeeeeeeeeep, beep, beeeeeeeeeeeep, beep, beep, beep, beep sound :roll: very annoying!

 

Right! now removed the old bit of tubing from the dipstick it became apparent that I had fitted it upsidedown :oops: as it is now obvious that the dipstick can only fit into one end.

 

Problem is now that the other end doesn't seem to want to fit onto the sump pipe :roll: is it just a case of using some brute force to get it on? There doesn't seem to be anything in the way and it all looks like it should fit.

[Riley 0]

you have to push them pretty hard/evenly as they can break easily again!

 

if i were you m8 id be having the oil pressure checked at a local garage!

 

its either low oil pressure,not good-dead engine soon!

 

or an electrical fault,pretty common,check that all wires to the senders around the engine are clean and good.

 

check the earths too,to the head/gearbox etc.

 

i did a how to,on changing an oil pump here

 

is it doing it all the time or just above 2k rpm?

[Henny 0]

With the 2 bits shown in your pics, your dipstick was about an inch too low in the sump meaning that you've been running about 1.5 to 2 litres short on oil - hence the low oil pressure warning!

 

DO NOT RUN THIS ENGINE UNTIL YOU'VE SORTED THE OIL LEVEL! :crazyeyes:

 

Fitting the dipstick guide is (as Riley says) just simply putting it onto the tube and pushing down hard on it... I've found that adding a little oil to the top of the guide tube helps in the past, and also make sure that the new plastic bit is quite warm too as it's less likely to break again. Frankly, it's a crap design and I reckon it's been the death of quite a few engines over the years... :roll:

[dig776 0]

Ta Riley, will give it a push on lunch break.

 

It seems to be very erratic with the beeping and has occured at over 2k rpm and when the engine is idling. But saying that nothing this morning or nothing during a brisk run over Dartmoor recently?

 

Will take it to the local garage this week to get pressure test done and check the other stuff you mentioned.

 

When had it on rolling road (Alan Jefferies tuning) the guy mentioned there may have been some oil on the plugs and that this may have been the rocker cover gasket but it also had been overfilled with oil so that could have explained that.

 

I am hoping it is somthing as simple as the pressure escaping via the broken dipstick plug but suspect it is something rather more expensive! Just all part of the fun of owing an older car I guess :roll:

[Riley 0]

aye,firstly id make sure the dipstick top is on correctly and check the oil level as henny suggests.

 

i thought looking at your 2 pics that 1 showed the old snapped one and the other showed the newly fitted one which looks ok,or has it pushed on too far?

 

the 2 slots on the dipstick top should be at the bottom,and you will feel it click on.

 

any pressure in the crankcase wont be anything to do with low oil pressure,its about the pressure in the oil ways and crank journals etc... :(

 

after checking the above,double check all the wiring is clean and still attatched.

 

if its intermittent,it could possibly be a dodgy sender as someone else said or a break in the wiring/or dodgy clocks.

 

the way to test this is to,put the wire for 1 sender at a time to earth,if the flashing continues then theres a wiring fault somewhere.

 

henny or someone can hopefully confirm which wires are which.

 

worth a pressure test just for piece of mind too.

[dig776 0]

Cheers Riley, Henny, just managed to get the ****** thing on and it clicked in nicely. The levels are correct which is probably bad news :(

 

Will check the wiring and probably take it down to the garage tomorrow (After a succession of older gtis I am quite well known to them) to be safe but sounds like it could be time for some engine work in the near future.

[Henny 0]

ah, the 1.8 16V is a doddle to work on and is reasonably bomb proof... If the pump has gone weak, they're not expensive to do and a full set of bottom end shells won't cost more than about £40 + an hours labour while they're in there to change it... 8)

[mistrall 0]

IM GETTING BEEP BEEP BEEP - NO OIL - 3 cans later and no beep :)

[dig776 0]

Hopefully this as been cured by the £1.10 part. Since fitting it (correctly :oops: ) the buzzer has stopped going off.

 

First proper run tomorrow as driving up to Exeter so hopefully I havn't spoken too soon.

 

Ta to all for help

[Veearrhsix 0]

I'm in the sh*t from reading this since purchasing the following on ebay - VR6 guide tube (053103663). The original is part no. 049103663. Looked like a snug fit on the original (Discontinued?), so it looks like I'm going to have "press down really hard" on this new one to fit (hammer please), as since starting the engine the idling speed's gone above 750 rpm range (1000+ rpm). In the five months of owning the car, it seems I've been running on a false oil level reading. Like some of you say, just a piece of plastic can be the death of yer car. :? ...resting a bit high at the mo wouldn't you say?!

[Veearrhsix 0]

Well got it on in the end - used the base of my hammer and pushed down - went in easier than I thought this way... from pressing the damn plastic guide a few times it flew off into the hard to reach areas of the engine bay countless times... thought I'd lost it for good at one point. :shock: Truer oil reading revealed under a centimeter of oil remaining... Topped it up double that - gonna need more tho but is enough for a trip to H*lfords... and everywhere else I've been driving for the past 5 bloomin' months...