low oil pressure 1989 type 44 turbo

[Jim Green]

--- Graham Thackrah <graham at gthack.uklinux.net> wrote:
> Hi List,
>
> Driving about last night and on first start up oil
> pressure gauge flicks
> round to 5 bar as usual when cold. As it got warm
> though the pressure at
> 3k rpm was only about 3 bar. Not very normal. Oil
> level is fine. No
> warning buzzers went off as it still just about made
> 2 bar by 2k rpm.
> So, when cold, oil pressure hits 5 bar. When warm it
> struggles to 3 bar,
> even when revved.
>
> First thoughts are an oil and filter change (last
> done about 2.5k miles
> ago, it usually has the VAG synta gold oil and Audi
> filter) accompanied
> by a strip and clean of the pressure relief valve.
> Any other
> suggestions? There were no preceeding symptoms.
>
> Can a sticking pressure relief valve cause low oil
> pressure? What foxed
> me was it does hit 5 bar when cold but as things
> warm up max pressure
> drops to c. 3 bar. I suppose it could be the valve
> sticking `open' when
> warm?? Does the pressure relief valve actively
> control max oil pressure,
> or is it just there in case of a blockage somewhere
> to stop something
> blowing?
>
> TIA.
>
> Graham

Graham,

As Phil once said, if those are bad numbers, than we
are all screwed!  The pressure goes to 5bar when it's
cold because the oil is so thick, and depending on
what weight you're running, it will hover just above
or below three bar when warm.  That's been my
experience.

HTH,

=====
Jim Green
'89 90tq EFI
http://www.geocities.com/jeg1976/car_home.html

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