flashing light on dash, buzzer

My wife recently bought a used 1984 Rabbit, water-cooled transverse 4, convertible. I haven't had much time to check it out, but she is complaining about the Oil warning light (and buzzer) in the dash. The car has gauges in the center console as well and these appear to show the temp and pressure A-OK. Tonight while running to a friend's house I had her stop while the buzzer was going and I checked the cooling fan (which is electric)... the temp gauge was high, but the fan wasn't running... what is that wired into and can I just hot wire it to the same lug as the fuel pump? Any Ideas would help since the Chilton's manual doesn't seem to show that part of the wiring diagram.

Reply to
The Wizard
Loading thread data ...

make sure there is enough oil in your crankcase.

check your fuses. this could be the problem with your radiator fan.

i'd advise picking up a bently manual for your vehicle. the wiring diagrams are very detailed and fairly easy to understand.

Reply to
Agingric37

And check the ground strap to the engine. A bad ground will make the oil light and buzzer go off even with good pressure.

Reply to
Erik Dillenkofer

You would do well to do a search on "oil buzzer" or some such on this group. This is a common problem, and one I experience myself as well. The oil warning electronics are behind the speedo. There's a relay and some other stuff back there on a small circuit board. It goes funky after many years of basically doing nothing. The usual recommendation is to hook up a mechanical pressure sensor and check the oil pressure under driving conditions to see if the oil pump is really doing its job. In my experience it is. Then you can take the speedo out of the dash and either repair (I sanded the relay contacts and cleaned all electrical contacts and now only have to slam the side of the instrument panel every other month to shut the buzzer off instead of several times a drive), replace, or bypass the sender. Here's a thorough reply on the problem:

Search Result 8 From: SELECT TRA ( snipped-for-privacy@aol.com) Subject: Re: recent oil buzzer probs-- THE ANSWER This is the only article in this thread View: Original Format Newsgroups: rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled Date: 2001-02-17 23:25:46 PST

If you get oil warning lamp, first pressure must be checked at rear of head. Purchase a mechanical pressure gauge at your local autoparts/kmart/walmart wherever. The 1/8" brass male pipe thread adaptor can be chased with a 10x1 die and wrapped with teflon tape. The gauge and hose can be run through Left rear hood corner and around door pillar without crimping. Drive car hard until engine is HOT ie higher rpms--third gear at 50mph type driving. Minimum spec is 1.8bar (one bar aprox 14psi) or about 25psi @ 2200 rpm. If lower pressure experienced, turn around for home/garage. If pressure is still up there after 1/2 hour hard drive, allow to idle for 1/2 hour. Minimum spec @ idle is .3 bar or 4.5psi and if pressure drops lower stop engine.

The factory oil pump in 1.8ltr motors has 26-28-30mm gears and many produce insufficient volume/pressure after X miles. X varies, we can't curse any one pump manufacturer and have even sent LASO and FEBI/Bilstein of Germany and Shadek of Mexico, OE suppliers several samples and all claim NO PROBLEM FOUND. The 36mm replacement used as OEM on the 2.0 ltr motors, starting with Audi 80/90 and all the new Golf III/Jetta III often eliminate this problem on older motors as per European Car magazine article "Inside the 2.0" of 2/95. We stock these pumps and they are available through your local dealer as

027 115 105E retailing for $185.--a lot cheaper than a new car or motor.

If pressures check out ok, defective sensorscan be identified. Drive vehicle with head sensor unplugged and insulated from ground. If warning is eliminated, replace sensor 056 919 081C. If warning continues, reconnect sensor at head and disconnect at filter flange. GROUND this wire and drive vehicle and if warning dissappears, replace 068 919 081E is stock

1.8bar on gas motors and 068 919 081 is stock 1.3bar on diesels. Many circumvent pump replacement by switching to this (lower) high pressure sensor. Doing so will only accelerate undesired engine wear!

If warning continues after sensor check, problem is defective warning relay on USA Rabbit, Audi 4000/80/90. Part number is something like 813 919

082

-Oildruck Stompdamper (sp) and if unplugged and discarded, system returns to the old standby....if the warning goes off--light flashes--STOP! The early warning system is gone, don't wait for the no longer present buzzer.

On Golf/Jetta/Quantum, others, the warning relay is on circuit board behind speedometer inside instrument cluster. Remove cluster and carefully remove clips which retain plug for cluster harness. Remove two upper bulbs by twisting 90 degrees and plan on changing these before reassembly--pulling the cluster for a blown bulb is a bummer. Unsrew all eight screws from cluster and instuments. Wiggle speedo as lifted off vinyl circuit board to unplug buzzer connector. Depress tabs and remove circuit board behind speedo and discard. Reassemble cluster. Then take a small 1/2 watt resistor and solder (using heat sink--a paper clip will do) to fourth terminal facing rear of cluster positioned upright and counting left to right (You can verify second led is that oil lamp). Then cut blue with black tracer wire at cluster plug which comes from sensor in back of head--verify correct by disconecting from sensor at head and checking with ohmmeter with a few inch pigtail. We then use insulated bullet or tab male/female connectors after adding a pigtail at far end of resistor we soldered on. Vefify oil lamp functions by grounding/ disconnecting sensor wire at head and start engine 1x to verify light goes out. Same warning apply if the light ever comes on again STOP! Pressure may be below 4psi, doom is near.

Check out our website @

formatting link
Joel Osserman, proprietor Select Transportation-#4 buyer VW/Audi off-lease USA-1993 (315)-789-9368 tel (315)-789-9018 fax

Joel Osserman, proprietor Select Transportation-#4 buyer VW/Audi off-lease USA-1993

0685 Waterloo-Geneva Rd. Waterloo, NY 13165 (315)-789-9368 phone (315)-789-9018 fax Always a choice of, 1995+ off-lease VW/Audi See us @
formatting link
Reply to
Michael Davis

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.