[Vwdiesel] Oil flow problem??

[Sandy Cameron]

At 07:26 PM 1/3/2010 -0500, you wrote:

>but ran rough which is usual behavior in such temperatures.  After warming
>it up for about five minutes, I proceeded to set out onto the road.  Almost
>immediately the engine started to squeal.  Initially, I thought it was a
>loose belt and ignored the noise.  After a 1/2 mile or so, the oil light
>came on and the engine lost some power.  

Boy, you were lucky! 

The oil pump is driven by the accs'y shaft, which has a smooth faced pulley
that runs against the back (smooth) face of the timing belt.
Friction drive ONLY.

A combination of heavy oil and a not quite tight enough timing belt could
stall the oil pump long enough to cause a seize-up

I suspect ice in the vacuum pump might be the real culprit. It is co-shafted
with the oil pump, and if there are leaks in the vacuum system, enough
moisture could be drawn in to it to freeze up the V-pump, stalling the oil
pump, accy shaft, etc.

The screech was caused by the timing belt screeching over the face of the
acc'y shaft pulley.  The oil pressure light should have been on the whole
time, unless the ice that stalled the V-pump was sucked in after the engine
started. My guess is it stalled the pump at the same time as the screech
started.

Better check your V-pump, plumbing, etc. The timing belt tension is probably
OK, or the next sound you would have heard would have been bearing failure!

Sandy