Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2000 12:51:18 -0400
Reply-To: Dave Caston <happycampers@picusnet.com>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Caston <happycampers@picusnet.com>
Subject: Re: Oil pressure question.
In-Reply-To: <vanagon%2000081900391728@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
on 8/19/2000 12:38 AM, Peter Krogh at VW85Westy@aol.com wrote:
> Oil pressure question.
>
> Background: Zippy is taking us on a 1500 mile trip From DC to the Catskills,
> then to western North Carolina (big mountains, for us in the east), then home.
> Zippy
> is a 1985 Westy GL camper with 190,000 miles, new VW heads 9 years ago at
> 95,000. This will be its last trip (I think) before prophylactic engine
> replacement. I
> have had a head leak for 3 years, and have some leaky engine oil seals. Aside
> form the leaks, this engine is as reliable, smooth and peppy as it ever has
> been .
> The biggest cause for concern is oil light after highway driving. It has been
> doing this for several years, generally only at first idle after prolonged
> highway
> driving. Today it started coming on more than I have previously seen, during
> heinous stop and go highway driving. It stayed on sometines for a few seconds
> even
> with the van idling at 900rpm, and that seems new to me.
> The van had an oil change 500 miles ago, and in that time it only used 1/6
> quart, maybe. The mechanic put in 10W40.
> I have 4 business days before departure.
> I have read the FAQ on this on vanagon.com, but have not been able to search
> the list archives. Is something wrong with them or with me?
Pete, what type of oil filter so you run? You didn't say.
If it is lacking the proper inards then the symptom you describe will occur.
This has been talked about ad nauseum lots of times. Get genuine
replacements (Mann or Mahle) form on of the list vendors and swap out the
oil filter.
To answer your Questions:
> Should I put in 20w50?
Prolly not just yet. Try changing the oil filter to the ones above first.
(But it wouldn't hurt anything either.)
> Should I have the oil pressure checked?
Couldn't hurt.
> Does this lead to catastrophic failure in a 1.9 the way it seems to in the
> 2.1?
Don't know.
> Any advise on what preventative maintenance to do? Spare parts to bring?
Karl Bloss' preferred shops list and a AAA plus card. Don't travel without
em' !
You may be able to get even more mile out of the engine yet. Where do the
oil leaks stem from? Very common is oil bypassing the distributor shaft seal
and from under the oil breather tower. Both are very easy, cheap fixes.
Cheers,
Dave C.
Williamsburg, VA
zzzzzzzzz__
|E[__] [__]|[_]\\
| _DC&SP | _ ||
* * * =-( )---------( )--=
'85 GL Westy (His)
'91 Cabriolet (Hers)
| 
