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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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