Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2001 13:41:47 -0800
Reply-To: Brian Cochran <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Brian Cochran <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: more home engine repair adventures: new oil pressure valve
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
Hello,
I've installed a new oilpressure relief valve and spring. When it arrived
in the mail, I realized that the new , "said to be VW" valve was different
from what was in my van. I was and still am hoping that this is the answer
to my many, many weeks of oil pressure woes! I'm going to try and "draw"
them out for you all to see (and NO, I do not have a digital camera)
the old ____________ the new: _____________
l l l
l
""" """ """
"""
l l "l
l"
/ \ """
"""
/ \ l
l
l l l
l
l l l
l
l l
----------------------
l l
"""""""""""""""""""
It's important to say, obviously, this isn't to scale. These are cross
sectional shapes of the round piston. The old was longer than the new, but
not as proportionally as much the drawing here. The new valve's narrow area
did have a raised "bump" in the middle shown as "
The results:
hard to say if it's a cure or not. There's not oil pressure light at
idle.....*yet*. I just did a 30 mile drive. I think I would have got a
light with the old valve, but that's a hunch. The test will be a lot of
hard driving up a pass or such where the oil gets nice and HOT. I'm not
sure if it will pass or not by the oil pressure gauge activity.
I do know for a fact that the cold start-up pressure is noticably lower. In
the upper fifties now instead of the 68-70 zone. I heard from one gauge
owner who said the start up should be 90psi! I never had that for a
pressure, any thoughts?
Oh, the spring is a touch longer than the spring it replaced (which I had
stretched out more that 1/4"), but the strength of the two seemed similar.
I was hoping for all my cruising around, "easy on the petal" to have an
indicated pressure of 26 or more showing. I'm still in the 15-20 psi there,
but I have no idea what my engine rpm EVER is! So ....??? When put the
gas to the floor or drop it into 2nd and can hear the engine, my pressure is
about 21-24 psi. Now, even though the motor only has 400 miles on the
rings, I have pushed her to 60-62 mph today and the pressure does rise to
the 30 psi zone. But I do NOT know if I trust the gauge, let alone the rest
of it. I am still running 10w-40 mostly. List members: Please do not
respond about the oil. It's not THAT hot here in seattleland. YEs, thinker
oil= better pressure, but 10w-40 should still be okay for maintaining the
required pressure.
For the record, my bet for now, given that the start-up pressure and valve
info given is kosher, is that the gauge is off by 4-5 psi and/OR the VDO
rubber adapter hose (12") is expanding from exhaust heat, thus lowering the
indicated pressure. I would like to get around to hard plumbing the sender
unit, but I have no time right now. I welcome any thoughts on my
crackerjack theory.
More later....
Brian cochran
84 westy, AT
seattle, WA
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