In my experience with engines from all makes and models a drop in oil pressure as you described most likely can be the loose tolerance in the crankshaft journals. The oil pumps first job is to put most of the oil through the crankshaft galleys to feed the crank and rod bearings, when these bearings wear your oil pressure will gradually drop, not instantly but over time. Low oil pressure for this reason usually means its time for a rebuild or a new engine. But I would and have exhausted all the more cheaper fixes first like you suggest. Senders can be suspect and cheapest to change. Oil pumps do wear out but half as fast as the engine will, not likely an oil pump. If changing to a high vis oil helps for just a little while then its probably what you don't want to hear is that the engine is worn out.

 

Thank you yudysky for your input. Totally agree with what you said. Read in too many places where members had oil pump replaced and it rarely fixed the problem. An update on my progress....On the off chance that there may have been sludge restricting the oil ingest to the oil pump, I removed the oil pressure gauge off the line I had connected where the oil pressure sensor goes and connected an air line. I allowed it to blow backwards into the crank case at 15 psi for about an hour with the hope that it would clear the input screen if sludge did exist. I removed the dip stick and oil filler cap and could hear the oil bubbling. I then drained the oil and poured it through a fine paint strainer. There was no sludge evident, however, there were a few small pieces of hard black plastic(looked very much like they may have been broken off of the bottom of an old oil filter???) After several recycles/filtering of the oil, I re-attached the oil pressure gauge and started the engine. Pressure went immediately to 6 bar. I felt confident enough and ran up and down the highway for a couple hours monitoring the pressure gauge at all times and @2000 RPM it never went below 4 bar. I suspect a small piece must have gotten wedged in the check relief valve???? So the love/hate relationship with this beast is back on again.

 

Can anyone provide any insight into removing the oil pan on a V6 3.6? On one post I read, a member said he dropped the pan and changed his oil pump in an hour. Is there enough room to slide the pan out without removing the sub-frame etc? Thanks again.

 

I have a 2009 V6 petrol engine and occasionally the low pressure oil stock engine warning appears, have checked the level all Ok just serviced by VW so correct oil in, what could be the cause of this any help would be appreciated please 80,000km on the clock.

 

Oil warning alarm/ and brake experience

Just sharing some information on this topic.
I had an alarm on the dash telling me of a oil sensor alarm. No oil temperature is not registering anymore.
Hooked up the VagCom and it gave me an error code for the oil level sensor, which also gives you the oil temperature. Asked the dealer about the price of this part , then just ordered it myself on the internet for half the price not including labor.
It requires you to take off the lower air dam or shield down below the radiator , only about 6 screws. This exposes the front of the oil pan where the oil sensor is bolted into the oil pan. Slipped the connector off , removed the bolts and it comes right off. I did drain the oil first so your in for an oil change, unless you can cleanly capture the oil without any dirt falling into it, not a good risk. The oil sensor alert disappears when starting the engine now and has never come back. Engine has 97,000 miles on it at this point.
A very easy job.
I also replaced all the rotors and pads after the dealer quoted me $1400 , I did it for $700 , all new pads , sensors and rotors. Rotors could have been turned but the dealer would not do it. I measured enough left of the rotors to allow them to be turned. So I will save them, maybe next time I will turn them and just swap them out next brake job.
Dealer said he had to charge more for the rear brakes than the front because they are more difficult. Turned out the rear brakes were easier than the front, easiest brake job I have ever done. Brakes work perfectly and are very strong now.

 

I'd be VERY surprised if you can turn used Touareg rotors and stay within the minimum wear tolerances.

 

ditto - Unless you are very skilled on a lathe, you usually have to take off 2mm or more to get the rotors to 'clean up'. At the first brake pad change it is unusual to have rotors that are more than 1.5mm above the minimum (usually less). If you have to take off 2mm you are already below minimum before you get the rotors back on and you have just wasted your time machining them. Don't bother.

 

The oil pump is not in the sump. It's bolted at the back of the engine in between there and the transmission. Its chain driven.

 

Hello fredmyrtle, may I ask if and if so how you remedied your low engine oil pressure in the end ?

 

Not sure the V6 has one but I had an oil pressure warning (stop engine) on a 2L TFSI audi TT a while back and changing the PCV valve solved it. Just in case !

 

Thanks TRespect, good info and yes replacing the PCV in my 3.6 FSI solved that oil pressure warning on my Touareg that time also.

 

How would I know my PCV is bad and needs replacing? on startup my idle surges then steadies out. trying to trace this problem myself.