Oil Light Nightmare - 2007 GU CRD

[Antznz]

Hi there trollies. Just thought I'd post this to maybe help out some others if they experience the same issue.

So the old girl overheated a few weeks ago when the wife was taking it up a ski field road as the radiator overflow pressure cap came off. Now how that occurred is beyond me but it did so never mind. Vehicle went into limp mode but after being towed to the garage, new radiator cap fitted head pressure tested to make sure a head gasket didn't blow it was all back on the road...no worries.

it was due for a service so I thought Id treat the girl to an engine flush followed by some fresh oil. I use Penrite for every thing and its served me well over the years.

four little 8km drives around town over the week and then the oil light came on - was it low on oil. checked and it was all good

Scanned the codes and it threw up the oil pressure code....

So dropped it to the local garage.

So they checked the oil pickup as this was the likyl problem given the recent oil flush- pretty good but a few bits of crap.

Checked the left hand sensor - all good. Checked the right hand sensor - all good (I know one is a sensor and one is a switch but cant recalll which is which. All i know is the right hand one in front of the driver is bloody expensive)

Replaced the filter (was brand new) sill throwing a code.

So they took the sensor off (can't recall which one but think it was left) and there was no oil pressure at all - no oil coming out of the sensor port when idling. Thus it was decided there was a block somewhere. They checked the oil galleries and then decided to check the oil cooler that is mounted basically where the filter is.....and low and behold was full of sludge.

Ended up also having to get the right hand sensor replaced as it turned out that this was also clogged with crap.....apparently.

So the moral of the story is, if its been a long time since you've flushed the engine don't do it yourself. take it to a garage and that way if it does such a good job (as it did int his case by loosening all the crud) you'll have some sort of comeback when it clogs the engine.

If your getting an intermittent oil light then its possible you have some minor blockages which clog and clear as pressure goes up. Check the oil cooler. Its a really bugger to remove, you end up taking quite a bit of stuff off, but it could be the source of your problems.

So my dilemma now is what else did it stuff and when is that going to pack up. Its running very nice now, purrs away but haven't taken it on a long drive which Ill do in a week or so.

$2200 in labour, $800 parts. Should have just pulled it to pieces myself. They also put in a new factory thermostat and radiator flush and coolant (green coolant...I always used Blue?)

Anyway my three bottles of silicon oil have arrived to re-do my viscous fan hub so fingers crossed on that one.

Happy travels

[pollenface]

I flush it every change (4000ish), but thanks for the heads up!

I think it would be unfortunate if a bit of sludge got stuck in the turbo oil line.