Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (January 2001, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Sun, 21 Jan 2001 22:27:51 -0800
Reply-To:     Brian Cochran <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Brian Cochran <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      any guesses on oil light woes
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

So I have a real problem with my 2.1L this time. I’ve known someday I will have to confront the noisy AT which doesn’t like to downshift with the petal to the floor. And I have been gearing up for the proverbial head gaskets. That little pool of antifreeze collecting on the casting stamp just below the spark plug has been welling for a year ( so it’s either a crack or spilling from one of the external head nuts?)......

But now I will really worry with that oil pressure light. The light has been flickering after the engine gets warm. Mostly at stops, sometimes out on the highway there’s some flickering. Yesterday, at a stop light, the light came on nice and solid. A sickening feeling came over me. I put it in neutral and the light went out. (sounds bad huh?)

Here’s the stats that are driving me crazy: I’m the seventh owner of an 84 westy. Through research, I’ve discovered the engine is a 2.1L (MV block #) and I’ve tracked down the VW dealership who installed it. They said it was a “new rebuilt with new crank, bearings....” I didn’t ask for any additional info--maybe I should have?? There’s less than 70,000 miles on this rebuild.

The previous owner installed a new oil pressure sender about a year ago, two months before I bought it. I found the wire off this sender was shorting out on the engine tin and replaced it last spring.

My starting points are an oil change (just over 2,000miles). I was going to change the oil pressure sender (i think I only have the low pressure--digijet), but since it’s only a year old???

My last hope is to do the five minute engine flush thing. That scares me, but I guess it’s a last hope move. It just hate the thought of what’s left over in the engine after I drain that stuff back out. There’s got to be residue and I’m not about to waste oil by doing a third oil change am I? Is that flush stuff TOO hard on a engine.

Any thoughts on the situation would be helpful. I’m only hoping the wire is shorting out again.

My gripe section: The thought that the problem is bearing wear(=new engine) is a very big bummer. What’s the point of these rebuilt engines if the bearings can’t go some real distance! I am just going to buy another car to start with, since I can’t be without a car. Then I guess the obvious choice is the Tiico, since I’m not about to put another rebuilt weakling in there. (and I was looking forward to the gasket job--I'm not a really in the club without doing one of those!!)

Thanks, Brian Cochran, 84 westy Carnation WA _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.