Oil Pressure - 1.8 VVT

[Drax]

Hi,

Oil pressure is slow to rise when starting after the engine has been off for a few hours.

The symptoms are that the oil pressure light takes a few seconds to go out. Depending on how long the car has been idle, there is a low pitch knocking/rumble. When starting after a few days standing idle, the noise is louder.

Alongside this, I have noticed that the oil level when checked after 15 minutes from switch off is on the 3/4 mark, but after a few hours on the full mark, indicating oil has drained back to the sump.

My question is - Is the normal for the 1.8 VVT - it was not on the previous 1.8 ?

I had a Victor FD for years and its oil pressure always took up to 5 seconds to rise, accompanied by the drumming of the big ends!

Drax

[Drax]

An explantory note may be useful -


the 1.8 VVT 16 valve engine has been fitted in the Vectra C's since about March 2006, and for a year previously in the Zafira.

[Gsi3.2]

it wasn't like that on the loan car i had, also a VVti..

i would suggest there is a problem with the drain back valve in the engine.. as the car is obviously running short of oil during startup.. get it back to the dealers and leave it with them overnight, so they can experience the noise's on a coldstart..

the dull deep rumbling is prob the mains/bigends protesting about oil starvation and not a good thing at all long term..

How long have you had the car?? i wonder if it's some machining swarf lodging the valve open?