At 10:34 AM 12/12/2010, Dennis Haynes wrote:
>We need to kill this myth about Mann or Mahle filters being a fix
>for the oil pressure buzzer syndrome.

Right.  The only thing they might fix is the clattering lifters
issue, if the existing filter has no anti-drainback valve or a poor
one.  *If* by chance they should cure a pressure light/buzzer problem
THEN IT MEANS THEY ARE MAKING AN EXISTING PROBLEM WORSE BY
RESTRICTING FLOW TO THE ENGINE.  I cannot emphasize this enough.

>Do you have the correct switch installed? Most parts books and ETKA are
>confusing here. Most water cooled VW use a 1.8 bar switch. This just won't
>work. Easy check! If your switch is white it is the wrong one.

Roland, did you check this?  I believe the proper sender is blue.  If
you haven't checked, you really should.  That would be very good
news, because it would mean you don't really have a problem, just an
incorrect switch.

If you have the correct sender it could be faulty.  These switches
have diaphragms that can develop pinhole leaks and behave oddly,
gradually getting worse.

Incidentally I believe a 24 mm deep socket will reach that sender.

This would be a really really good time to install an actual oil
pressure gauge.  Ultimately that's what the whole question devolves
to: do you have sufficient oil pressure, or is the buzzer lying to
you.  You can waste a lot of time trying to fix the buzzer if the
real problem is low pressure...while the engine suffers.

Yours,
David