No oil pressure/dipstick tube removal

Hi guys,

Got a strange one which I'm investigating so though I'd ask for suggestions.

Had a 1.9tdi 1999 that had the worst polymerised/gunky oil I have seen in a long time, 20 years to be precise. BUT, it ran and had oil pressure. It didn't die and the cam was in good nick when I replaced the tappets. Anyhow got the top end cleaned up and flushed out the sump as best as I could 3 times then filled with flushing oil before starting the engine.

Engine starts and sounds okay but the tappets didn't pump up, then the engine warning no oil pressure came on.

Take the oil filter out - it wasn't even wet with oil, still dry and new. Oh dear.

I then removed the blanking plug by the oil pressure switch and started teh engine. A fair amout of oil pours out.

I'm thinking either a) the oil pickup is blocked, but I can't see why it would be suddenly and also that doesn't explain the oil that runs out when I remove the blanking plug by the oil pressure switch and run the engine.

Or b) that somehow the oil is draining back into the sump, by something like a wedged open pressure relief valve. I cannot remove it because it's blocked by the oil dipstick housing tube which appears to be welded into the engine block....

So any thoughts?

Any ideas how to get the dipstick out so I can check the relief valve out?

Funny thing is when I first started it, I'm sure the oil pressure came up because the tappets went quiet, then they went noisy and the light came on. So a bit of something may have 'stuck' in the oil pressure relief valve and stuck it open? Or more likely a load of crud has blocked the oil pump pickup tube...

Greg.

Could be as you have suggested the oil press valve, will be worth dropping the sump though to remove and clean the mesh strainer, if you cant take off the valve due to the dipstick tube, your going to have to cut it and sleeve it when refitting, I can't see Vdub fitting the valve though and then welding in a dipstick tube.

It could just be (most likely) the oil pump is goosed, it'll pick the oil up and lift it but without any meaningfull pressure, hence when you take out the press switch you get a leak, if you put on an old fashion pressure gauge ill bet you'd get next to nothing on a pressure check !

HTH

I am running a pressure gauge, I get a steady 0psi... but when no oil comes up the oil filter that's not surprising....

I'm off to drop the pan now, what a pain.

Will update shortly.....

Greg.

If you're lucky it will just be a mesh removal, fully cleaned and put back, oil pressure up and no damage done, hope it works out for you