Date:         Wed, 30 Aug 2000 08:51:33 -0700
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <macmillan@HOME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <macmillan@HOME.COM>
Subject:      Re: '86 up vanagon owners....you still need an oil gauge!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Congrats to all of you high mileage 2.1 owners, I hope to do the same
with my new engine, but I can't stress enough the need for an oil
pressure gauge!

These engines can, and probably will, run strong right up to the time of
disaster, giving you no warning of immanent catastrophic failure if you
don't know the status of your oil pressure!

My situation:

1990 used engine, 140,000 miles at failure, heads done at 90,000.
Compression: 132-136 psi.
High volume oil pump.
Normal oil consumption (1 qt./1500 miles.
Ran perfectly and was very strong, no smoke, no noises, not even valve
lifters.
Cruised effortlessly for 3000 miles in six days on last trip, mostly at
75 mph in 85-98 degree temps
Cooling system perfect, 20w-50 Castrol, factory filters.

OIL PRESSURE: 8 psi at idle, 24 psi cruising when installed at 130,000
miles.  Over the next 10,000 miles pressure steadily dropped to 4 psi
idle, 12-15 psi cruising.  At the end of the 3000 mile trip idle
pressure was zero (red light came on), cruising 8 psi.  Blew up at 65
mph 65 miles from home, still running strong!

My new 2.1 engine (with high volume oil pump):  8-12 psi idle, 38-42 psi
cruising at 65 mph, depending on temp.  I have also installed the Trasko
oil filter system, although I will continue to change the oil every 5000
miles.  Having worked in the micro filtration business (Millipore Corp)
their system of combining a large depth-type filter and a mircon
filtration screen makes sense to me: http://trasko-usa.com.  I'll keep
you posted on this, I am installing them on all my cars.

Once a rod bearing starts to go, it goes fast (3000 miles!), and without
warning (except oil pressure).

I knew I was pushing it, and I pushed too far.  Ignorance is not bliss
with these engines!
--
Stuart MacMillan
Seattle

'84 Vanagon Westfalia
'65 MGB (Driven since 1969)
'74 MGB GT (Restoring)

Assisting on Restoration:
'72 MGB GT (Daughter's)
'64 MGB (Son's)

Parts cars:
'68 & '73 MGB, '67 MGB GT