Rattly Engine

Picked up my 84 gti cab a few weeks back. The car had a new recon engine about 4 years ago and has done very few miles since. The car sometimes when starting sounds a bit rattly from the top end, other times it sounds absolutely sweet. Is it likely to be anything of concern, it could do with a service as the oil doesn't look very clean, but any thoughts appreciated.

Cheers

84 may have hydraulic tappets and if the oil is old they can be noisy when cold, try changing the oil and filter and see if it's any better.

10w 40 semi synthetic and a good quality oil filter like MANN.

I get mine from Euro car parts and been using there Triple QX oil for many years.

Don't forget to change the copper 14mm sump plug washer as well.

Thanks. I ran it out on Saturday and started rattly then oil light on, this cleared about 2-3 mins later and it sounded great. Had to move it Sunday and no light and sounded fine.

Will change the oil at the weekend and see if that improves it thanks.

Bizarely pil pressure gauge just sits at 5 bar so I'm going to need to sus out what is going on with that too..

Cheers

Oil changed for some 10/40 magnatec and first impressions are it sounds better. Certainly sounded better from cold.

Next job is to sort the vdo oil pressure guage that is permanently pegged at 5 bar..

Cheers

Haves1979 said

Oil changed for some 10/40 magnatec and first impressions are it sounds better. Certainly sounded better from cold.

Next job is to sort the vdo oil pressure guage that is permanently pegged at 5 bar..

Cheers

Reverse the wires on the sender, as that is a sign that the wires are reversed.

If your sender has the same profile here is how the sender should be wired.

Thanks. I don't think my car has the normal sender or at least it looks different to the guides I've seen?

No that is the typical oil pressure sender that is for the oil pressure at low rpm Flickers the dash light.  The white one on the oil filter flange is low pressure at high RPM which causes the Buzzer and light to alert you that oil pressure failed at above 2000 rpm…

The typical Oil pressure sender for a car equipped with a oil pressure gauge is a can type.

My 93 Cabriolet 1.8



Don't use the "cheap" cans that you buy off the internet, use a good quality one.  

There are 2 wires on the can,  The yellow is for the low pressure at idle warning going to the dash, it would be the wrong lead for the Oil pressure gauge on the center cluster or lower console. (flickering oil light at idle).

The Oil Pressure part is operated by the blue/yellow striped wire.

Thanks, so I just swap what I have for one of those? The car has a guage that just pegs on ignition so assume its wired to be there. That said the oil temp guage doesn't work either…

The car had a recon engine about 1k ago so it could be they just fitted the wrong part.

Cheers

Oil temperature sender is on top of the oil filter.

mark1gls said

Oil temperature sender is on top of the oil filter.

And is black.  

Thanks mark1gls Briano1234 .  

I need to buy the right oil pressure sender, but the black one on the old filter looks to be in place.