Just installed an oil pressure gauge

[Goat]

Finished installing a vdo oil pressure gauge (150psi) from an audi into my 1.6td.

 Dead Cold:
 Idle - just below 60psi

 Warmed up:
 Idle - ~15psi
 2k - ~30psi
 3k - ~45psi
 4k + - ~60psi

Are these readings acceptable? If my oil pump is shot, is a 1.9td pump an upgrade for my car?

p.s. - I tried using the search feature, but I can't get relevant threads by searching 'oil pump'??

[Goat]

:shock: I was measuring it from the flange via a vdo pressure sender. That's  sadddening if those numbers aren't measuring up. I love driving this car!

[jimfoo]

Not too hard to replace the bearings, though the intermediate shaft bearings are a bit harder.

[Vincent Waldon]

VW min spec is 2 bar (29psi) at the flange at 2000 RPM, so you're on the bubble... although you're reading off a 10 bar gauge so there's a margin of error as well.

Got an OEM filter ??  50 weight oil (XXW50) ??  How many miles on your bearings ??

[jimfoo]

Yeah, thicker oil will help a lot as it starts getting warmer out.

[Goat]

Honestly, the car has 219,000 miles on it, and I doubt it's ever been rebuilt as the whole car looks original. Doing the bottom end isnt an option for me right now.. I already have a 16v I'm in the middle of building!

I'm wondering if I should replace the pump, or if I should just let the engine go until it throws a rod out the side? Where's a  good place to get a 1.6td oil pump new/ reman'd?

[jimfoo]

I haven't ordered an oil pump, but you should make sure you get a 36mm one. Do a search and you should find a part number if not distributors also.

[Vincent Waldon]

Your oil pressure is on the low side of normal... many have driven for a long long time on less.... carry on, and rebuild when you can.

A good filter, xxW50 oil, and a 36mm oil pump will probably help lots.

[Otis2]

Finished installing a vdo oil pressure gauge (150psi) from an audi into my 1.6td.

 Dead Cold:
 Idle - just below 60psi

 Warmed up:
 Idle - ~15psi
 2k - ~30psi
 3k - ~45psi
 4k + - ~60psi

Are these readings acceptable? If my oil pump is shot, is a 1.9td pump an upgrade for my car?

p.s. - I tried using the search feature, but I can't get relevant threads by searching 'oil pump'??

You will get lots of relevant threads searching "oil pressure".  Rat409 posted the saddest story.  Complete rebuild and yet he could not meet the factory spec (oil must be 29 psi at 2000 rpm at 176 F).

My oil pressure reads the same as yours, using the same 150 psi gauge, and the engine has been totally rebuilt, top & bottom, including new intermediate shaft bearings.

I think 15 psi per 1000 rpms is fine.  It's the factory spec.  Keep running it as is, until you're actually under that factory spec.

(By the way, does your gauge lose 3 - 5 psi when you turn on the headlights, like mine does?  High VDO quality there, yup.)

[Gearhead]

If your electric  gauge shows a pressure drop when you turn on your headlights, you might check all of your grounds.  I'm not saying that's the cause, but if these items all ground to the same wire, and it doesn't have a good connection, it would affect the gauge.  An easy test would be to put your pos. probe of a DMM on the gauge ground and the black probe on the bat.  Turn it to volts.  Start the car and see if there is any voltage.  Then, turn on the headlights.  The number on the DMM should be 0 at the start and stay 0.  If it goes up, you have a bad ground.  

You probably already know this, but I thought I'd post if for those that don't.

Sorry for straying off topic.

[Baselyne]

yah good call thanks for that little number

an another problem bites the dust... thanks

[Vincent Waldon]

If your electric  gauge shows a pressure drop when you turn on your headlights, you might check all of your grounds.

Good catch !

In fact, if it's an Audi or VW Cabby style VDO gauge it is supposed to be supplied with a regulated 10V (like your existing fuel and temp gauges)  rather than the generic 13.5 straight from the battery.  This 3.5V difference actually causes a difference in the reading... can't remember if it's up or down.. but I do know the Audi temp gauge goes in the opposite direction just to confuse the issue.

I say "supposed to be" because I've seen some OEM harnesses that were wired that way, and others that weren't.  In my mind it makes sense to supply measuring equipment with a regulated voltage, if changes in that voltage impact the reading. I usually rob the cluster voltage regulator from old clusters and use that to supply gauge power.

So again, before taking definitive action you might want to check your reading with a mechanical gauge.