Low oil pressure after Engine Recondition

[KiwiT6CFCA]

Hi All,
Greetings to you all!

I have had ongoing problems on my T6 Multivan CFCA. When I purchased this van from a dealer, it was drinking lots of oil. It was found to be the EGR issue that we all now know about and since then, my engine was removed, reconditioned (by an engine reconditioner, as a long block - not Volkswagen) and reinstalled by my local mechanic.

2016 180PS Bi-TDi CFCA engine failure

Hi Loz, thank you for that. I've decided to have the engine rebuilt. My indi gave me a price for the engine to be removed and all ancillaries taken off and the put back on and engine put back in. A company near whare I live will rebuild the engine, just waiting for a price, they've got an...

www.t6forum.com

I drove the van and the turbo failed while out of town - this should have been done during the recondition but wasn't.
A new turbo was fitted and the van seemed to be running fine.

On a long drive, the engine pressure alarm came on. I pulled over - checked the oil, it was fine. Drove off and it was cleared.

Taking the van out on 10km + drives the alarm would return.
I took the van into our local Volkswagen dealership.

They replaced the oil level switch.
This was a waste of time as I told them it was pressure related not level related. The low oil level alarm issue kept coming up usually when the engine was hot and the engine RPM's were low.

The re-booked me in to have the oil pump replaced.
They replaced this.

During the next 8000kms, i continue to get the low oil pressure alarm. If I shift the DSG to manual and drop down a gear, the oil pressure boosts and the alarm goes away.

I rebooked the van in with our local Volkswagen again.

They have called me today to say that they cannot find the cause. They don't think its the pump as they changed it 8000kms ago. After the service manager consulted with 2 x Volkswagen Trained Master Mechanics, they tell me that my best option is to get a new engine!

My engine now has approximately 15,000kms on a recondition and this is what I am presented with...
I know there are some really talented T6 owners on this forum.

Does this sound right to you all?

When I get the report, I will post it here but surely in the times we live in, oil pressure can be tested in a way where faults can be found and rectified.
I cannot afford a new - or good 2nd hand engine. Even with my 3rd party warranty as this only covers up to NZ$3700.

Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thank you very much for reading this far!
Karl

 

[Dellmassive]

jeez, . . .

we going to need to see scan data.

can you get hold of a VCDS scan?

 

[KiwiT6CFCA]

No I haven't. Should I ask the Volkswagen dealership to show me their results?

 

[Dellmassive]

I doubt they will offer you any of the diagnostic data.

The low pressure alarm will be caused by a sensor input somewhere.

Without data logging you have next to no chance of finding out what data the engine computer is seeing.

I'd look at getting vcds or a local VW Indy to get a few data scans.

 

[Dellmassive]

Example.

VCDS / VagCom - How I Done It -

VCDS / VAGCOM - How I Done It - *********************************************** The current software version is : VCDS FULL Release V19.6 VCDS-Lite Release V1.2 VCDS-Beta V19.6.1 Click HERE for More Details Ross-Tech: VCDS: Downloads: Current Release and Manual...

www.t6forum.com

.

 

[KiwiT6CFCA]

I doubt they will offer you any of the diagnostic data.

The low pressure alarm will be caused by a sensor input somewhere.

Without data logging you have next to no chance of finding out what data the engine computer is seeing.

I'd look at getting vcds or a local VW Indy to get a few data scans.

Thanks for that. I know that they tested it and the pressure is actually low.

 

[CarreraRSR]

Need to know the actual bar/psi on a hot engine through the rev range to determine the pressure issues. Given the pump and sensor have been replaced, if the hot oil at low revs cannot get above the lowest sensor pressure figure, then this could be onset of bearing/crank wear causing the oil to pass too easily. Cold oil will hold pressure as being less fluid. High revs will hold pressure as pump is working harder. Old oil can lower pressures. Diesel contaminated oil can lower pressures. Bearings and crank being too loose at rebuild can hold less pressures. Assume EGR cooler was replaced? Was it blanked off? Have you done an oil analysis to check for wear metals? What was the warranty of reconditioned engine. For 15,000kms, that's a really low distance for a failure that was potentially inherent during the rebuild. Especially that you have had to return for turbo and oil pump work. Can you reject the engine under warranty?

 

[B.different]

I had oil pressure light come on mine. Did all the checks and replaced the sensor, but the light kept coming on.Turns out I put the wrong grade oil in when I was talking to my mechanic. Swapped the oil and filter for the correct grade oil and all has been good since. Think I put 5w40 instead of 5w30 and that was enough to put the light on. But I think my engine is abit of a picky bugger as It doesn't like quantum (drained the lot in 500 miles) she only likes the expensive stuff, abit like the wife

 

[CarreraRSR]

I had oil pressure light come on mine. Did all the checks and replaced the sensor, but the light kept coming on.Turns out I put the wrong grade oil in when I was talking to my mechanic. Swapped the oil and filter for the correct grade oil and all has been good since. Think I put 5w40 instead of 5w30 and that was enough to put the light on. But I think my engine is abit of a picky bugger as It doesn't like quantum (drained the lot in 500 miles) she only likes the expensive stuff, abit like the wife

Not sure how 40 hot would cause a lower pressure than 30. Should hold pressure better when hot. Unless there's a sensor warning for too high a pressure?

 

[B.different]

I don't know but he's an ex vag tech and said vag engine's don't really like being messed with. But since I changed the oil it's been fine no issues. I wouldn't have thought it was the oil as it was Millers who recommended me to use the 5w40 but I didn't have the problem before I used it and I haven't got it now after going back to 5w30. If everything is fine gotta be worth a try as a cheap option.

 

[noggin]

Do you know if the oil pressure relief valve spring was renewed on the reconditioned engine? A weak spring could also be the reason for low oil pressure.

 

[KiwiT6CFCA]

Do you know if the oil pressure relief valve spring was renewed on the reconditioned engine? A weak spring could also be the reason for low oil pressure.

Thats interesting, my neighbour is a retired mechanic and said that when he worked on cars many years ago the spring you mentioned could cause this but he wasnt sure modern cars still had this. I'll look into it thank you!

 

[KiwiT6CFCA]

Need to know the actual bar/psi on a hot engine through the rev range to determine the pressure issues. Given the pump and sensor have been replaced, if the hot oil at low revs cannot get above the lowest sensor pressure figure, then this could be onset of bearing/crank wear causing the oil to pass too easily. Cold oil will hold pressure as being less fluid. High revs will hold pressure as pump is working harder. Old oil can lower pressures. Diesel contaminated oil can lower pressures. Bearings and crank being too loose at rebuild can hold less pressures. Assume EGR cooler was replaced? Was it blanked off? Have you done an oil analysis to check for wear metals? What was the warranty of reconditioned engine. For 15,000kms, that's a really low distance for a failure that was potentially inherent during the rebuild. Especially that you have had to return for turbo and oil pump work. Can you reject the engine under warranty?

Hi there and thanks for you comments! The EGR system was blanked off by my local mechanic when the reconditioned engine was shipped back to me. He refitted it, blanked it off and mapped it out. Attached are the details of the engine overhaul.

 

[KiwiT6CFCA]

Thank you all for chipping in on this one.

Update:

I changed the oil and filter.
Previously I was running the genuine VW 5w-30 oil and the genuine VW filter.

I have changed the oil to:

Penrite Enviro+ 5W-40 (Fully Synthetic, DPF friendly)​

I have taken the van out on similar drives where the pressure alarm would sound. It has been silent since the oil change. No alarms yet...

What i did find however were metal filings in the old oil.... I don't know if these are run in type filings or warning of a bigger issue.

 

[CarreraRSR]

Thank you all for chipping in on this one.

Update:

I changed the oil and filter.
Previously I was running the genuine VW 5w-30 oil and the genuine VW filter.

I have changed the oil to:

Penrite Enviro+ 5W-40 (Fully Synthetic, DPF friendly)​

I have taken the van out on similar drives where the pressure alarm would sound. It has been silent since the oil change. No alarms yet...

What i did find however were metal filings in the old oil.... I don't know if these are run in type filings or warning of a bigger issue.

Absolutely must get that old oil tested to know exactly what metal is in that oil and the overall health of the engine. Bearing metals. Piston and ring metals. Cylinder surface metals. Could there be diesel diluting it. Soot levels.

Assume you had a running in oil for first 500-1000kms and that was changed? Has the last oil been in the engine for the full 15kms?

 

[KiwiT6CFCA]

Hi there, I still have the old oil. There was a strainer on my funnel so that's how I discovered all of the metal.
I didn't get the run in oil checked as this was done prematurely when the turbo was replaced and then (supposedly) during the change of the pressure switch and then also (supposedly) during the oil pump change.
I will get it analyzed though.

 

[peterramsden]

Hi All,
Greetings to you all!

I have had ongoing problems on my T6 Multivan CFCA. When I purchased this van from a dealer, it was drinking lots of oil. It was found to be the EGR issue that we all now know about and since then, my engine was removed, reconditioned (by an engine reconditioner, as a long block - not Volkswagen) and reinstalled by my local mechanic.

2016 180PS Bi-TDi CFCA engine failure

Hi Loz, thank you for that. I've decided to have the engine rebuilt. My indi gave me a price for the engine to be removed and all ancillaries taken off and the put back on and engine put back in. A company near whare I live will rebuild the engine, just waiting for a price, they've got an...

www.t6forum.com

I drove the van and the turbo failed while out of town - this should have been done during the recondition but wasn't.
A new turbo was fitted and the van seemed to be running fine.

On a long drive, the engine pressure alarm came on. I pulled over - checked the oil, it was fine. Drove off and it was cleared.

Taking the van out on 10km + drives the alarm would return.
I took the van into our local Volkswagen dealership.

They replaced the oil level switch.
This was a waste of time as I told them it was pressure related not level related. The low oil level alarm issue kept coming up usually when the engine was hot and the engine RPM's were low.

The re-booked me in to have the oil pump replaced.
They replaced this.

During the next 8000kms, i continue to get the low oil pressure alarm. If I shift the DSG to manual and drop down a gear, the oil pressure boosts and the alarm goes away.

I rebooked the van in with our local Volkswagen again.

They have called me today to say that they cannot find the cause. They don't think its the pump as they changed it 8000kms ago. After the service manager consulted with 2 x Volkswagen Trained Master Mechanics, they tell me that my best option is to get a new engine!

My engine now has approximately 15,000kms on a recondition and this is what I am presented with...
I know there are some really talented T6 owners on this forum.

Does this sound right to you all?

When I get the report, I will post it here but surely in the times we live in, oil pressure can be tested in a way where faults can be found and rectified.
I cannot afford a new - or good 2nd hand engine. Even with my 3rd party warranty as this only covers up to NZ$3700.

Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thank you very much for reading this far!
Karl

Hi
Roughly how much did your engine rebuild cost?
Peter