CDTI query with oil levels...

[JJ0063]

Hi all

Done almost 5k in my car since purchasing it & havent had to touch the oil atall. It's always read full on the dipstick since taking ownership of it.

Around a month into owning it, the engine developed a ticking noise, the noise cars make when the oil hasnt circulated enough when you first start it. Comparable to the tappety sound an old fiesta makes.

I straight away checked the oil level & still it read full (Tried with a hot and cold engine)

Thought nothing of it then on the way to work today the oil low light came on the dash - Balls, I thought.

Stopped on the way home from work & got some oil, checked the level & low and behold, full.

Put some oil in regardless just to make sure I wasn't getting a false reading & the light is now off again. Ticking is still there though.


So my question is, can the dipstick give a false reading? Or is my oil level sensor knackered?

It's a 2004 Preface SRI 150, with 81k on it.

Cheers

[stevoxsi]

Oil light will light with low pressure too. That would also explain the tapping!

[AntSSSS]

Remember when checking the oil level on a cdti you need to:

get the engine to full operating temp
turn the car off on a flat surface
wait 5 mins
dip and check

That is the process for the cdti. If you check when cold etc you can get falsified readings.

[JJ0063]

Oil light will light with low pressure too. That would also explain the tapping!

Interesting, could the oil pressure be checked via vauxcoms cheaper brother?

I really don't want to spend £100's on a new oil pump!

[JJ0063]

So this is the ticking noise..

http://s1279.beta.photobucket.com/us...89406.mp4.html

I am right in thinking thats quite a bad ticking appeared, it's not just my imagination is it?

[stevoxsi]

Interesting, could the oil pressure be checked via vauxcoms cheaper brother?

I really don't want to spend £100's on a new oil pump!

Sorry, going to have to pass on that! Never tried, nor do I have either!

[JJ0063]

No worries. I'll have a go.

Can you view the vid? What do you think?

[stevoxsi]

Can't watch it on my phone. Just started nightshift, but I'll have a look in the morning!

[cont1204]

So this is the ticking noise..

http://s1279.beta.photobucket.com/us...89406.mp4.html

I am right in thinking thats quite a bad ticking appeared, it's not just my imagination is it?

These engines have hydraulic tappets - just sounds like a noisey tappet to me. I would definitely get the oil pressure checked though - wouldn't be hard for a garage to stick an analogue gauge on the pressure switch connection. Remember if the pressure switch has failed so it's reporting the incorrect pressure and bringing the light up it won't matter what scan tool you use to look at the pressure, it'll be wrong. Get a proper analogue gauge on it.