The previous owner, while driving one night, had the oil light come on... He shut it off and coasted to the side of the road. The car sat parked for 3-1/2 years in a heated shop. I picked it up from him for a great price. I tore into the motor and found it in relatively good condition. Replaced bearings, seals, chain tensioner and chain, rod and main bearings, oil pump and pick up, oil lines and PCV system. I did the timing belt, water pump and tensioner while I was in there. Put it back together and it's been runining strong for the past two years.

 

So I got my car back together yesterday with no major problems other than rain and cold.. Thankful for a garage and wishing for a heater

After I got everything put back together, I filled her up with oil and one quart of trans fluid. Pulled the plugs and spun the motor over a few times to hopefully prime the engine a bit then fired it up and let it run for about 10 minutes. Ran fine and the lifter clicking seemed to settle down a bit as it ran.

Shut it off and checked for leaks (none thankfully) and it was about out of gas so I drove it about 2 miles to put some in and back home.

Then drained it, pulled the filter and filled it back up with full synthetic and a new filter.

Started it back up and the lifter noise is all but gone!

BUT, after it starts, about 10 seconds with it running I hear the beep, then the oil flashing light comes on. Just a slow steady pulse and not more beeps at all..

Did some more reading online, anyone think it "could" be a plugged oil pressure sensor like this one?
Audi B5 A4 Quattro 1.8T > Search > Oil Pressure > ES#279800 Oil Pressure Sender - 06A919081J

Or possibly the low oil level sending unit from the bottom of the pan like this one?
Audi B5 A4 Quattro 1.8T > Search > Oil > ES#2618895 Oil Level Sensor - 1J0907660B

I've heard of some people pulling the pressure sensor and putting a manual guage on there to see what the pressure reading is at but I honestly haven't gotten to the point of locating where that sending unit is yet

 

Use a guage and determine what the oil pressrue is before you continue. Did you replace both the oil pump and pick-up?

 

I'll see if I can find a guage to put in there and find out.

I haven't replaced either of them yet, that was next on my list of things to try. At least the uber loud clacking of the lifters is gone. But I'm thinking I am not completley out of the woods yet.

Anyone have an idea of where on the engine the pressure sender is located?

 

the oil pressure sender is located on the oil filter housing. its the plug with one wire coming out of it. to test pressure, you need to take out the test plug on the filter housing and use the proper adapters to hook up the gauge.

 

Cool thanks Redline! I'll look into getting one hooked up!