oil light/buzzer comes on intermittently - IDI Engine - VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.

• oil light/buzzer comes on intermittently by 78sharpshooter on 18 Jul, 2010 18:16
• 86 Jetta GL turbo (odometer stopped at 213K), Sometimes uphill, sometimes on hard right turn onramps. I constantly check the oil level and it is always at the top of the crisscross. Do the oil pumps in these go out? If so, do you pull the oil pan to R&R?
• #1 by Vincent Waldon on 18 Jul, 2010 18:30
• Some troubleshooting info here:
  
  http://vincewaldon.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=28
  
  Pump etc accessible by pulling the pan.  Having said that, it's extremely rare for the issue to be the oil pump itself... they are a very simple design and the best lubricated part of the engine.  
• #2 by OM617 on 18 Jul, 2010 19:16
• Your sump pickup tube may be damaged, causing it to be exposed from the oil surface at times and suck air.
• #3 by 78sharpshooter on 18 Jul, 2010 21:06
• thanks for the info. In your experience how often is it the case that this is due to a faulty sensor circuit?
• #4 by Smokey Eddy on 18 Jul, 2010 22:28
• Never blame the electronics and brush it off. The oil pressure warning system is the BIGGEST and most IMPORTANT warning system on your car.
  
  If it becomes more and more frequent you need to do something about it, not when you have time but NOW. This is coming from experience sadly.