Date:         Thu, 7 Sep 2000 13:52:27 -0700
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <macmillan@HOME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <macmillan@HOME.COM>
Subject:      Re: Help ..
Comments: To: Van A Man <vanaman99@HOTMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Sorry Van A Man, but you need a new engine.

Vanaman99 wrote:

On my first long trip  with the van the oil  pressure light came on
after about 90 minutes of highway driving , again the
      the van wasn't overheating ,I just had an oil change 3 days prior
to this trip , I checked the oil level everything was o.k.
      It didn't do the problem the next day in city driving , but when I
drove back home about 2 hours it did this again .
It seems  to happen when I take the cruise control off, ex: I cruise at
60 miles/hour everything is o.k. I hit the bakes the rpm goes  down and
the oil temp seems to turn on at around 2000 rpm. I've had the
compression checked and everything is o.k..

You most likely have a worn rod bearing. As the engine gets hotter the
oil thins and the bearing tolerances open up, causing a massive drop in
oil pressure, even 0 at idle.  Keep driving and you will destroy this
engine and be looking for a used one to rebuild.  Check the August
archives for my "how to throw a rod posts for more info.

Trust me on this one, it doesn't matter how well this engine is running,
it has a fatal defect. Have a shop measure the real oil pressure and
there will be no doubt.

--
Stuart MacMillan
Seattle

'84 Vanagon Westfalia w/2.1
'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