Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 17:17:19 -0800
Reply-To: Brian Cochran <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Brian Cochran <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: home engine repair happenings: Say it isn't so.......
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
Okay, up until my drive to work in the vanagon this morning, I was feeling
pretty good about the project I spent so much time and money on. I even
received an email from someone saying the VDO dual sender puts the idiot
light on at 7-10 psi. That meant the light at warm idle was okay. I would
like more, but it's alright since I have a strong psi while moving about.
Well, today's 12 mile drive each way told a tale. The oil pressure is
still low! It's not just at idle, but turning corners at 10-15 mph I see
the light, and my hwy pressure is right around twenty after a good, real
warm-up. I paid close attention on the way home tonight. On a steep hill,
3rd gear, petal to the floor, I'll be at 20 psi (30 mph), when I drop it
into 2nd gear, the pressure barely rises despite the increased rpm. Slow
through town at 30 mph I'm *gulp* showing a pressure of 10 maybe fifteen!!!
Now, is that "idle", after all, I'm barely on the gas? Maybe that's okay
and I'm reading into all this.
For Folks who have recently wrote me about the lifter bore theories, I would
like to say that the subject hasn't ever come up before, to my knowledge, on
this list, nor with Boston Bob. I did have copper showing on the
bearings,,,, and those should have reached Bob today or yesterday for
analysis.. The replacement bearings should have at least brought the overall
pressure up a little. I guess it has, since it is now doing with 15w-30
what it was doing with a 20w-50 oil.
I change the oil to a 10w-40 as soon as I got the van home.
Also, I thought I pushed all the air out of the coolant system yesterday,
But a mile or two down the road today, I could hear bubbling in the heater.
Upon inspection this evening, I could see the expansion tank is short about
two cups worth.
I'm counting on a new oil pressure relief valve miracle. It's a lot to ask
though. I'm really surprised that the Haynes manual has more on this
subjuct that the bentley...[.Ya know, the bentley isn't all that! Aside
from the errors, it's flimsy and relies too much on pictures. For anyone
doing basic work, the $22 haynes is plenty.] Anyone think I should replace
the plunger as well as the spring?
If the oil, coolant burping, the relief spring and valve adjust do not get
things working properly, then I'm going to get a lobotomy.
Brian Cochran
84 westy that hates me.
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