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Date:         Thu, 24 Jan 2002 18:00:28 -0600
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: 2.1 l oil pressure gauge install
Comments: To: harald_nancy@EMAIL.MSN.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I present this, not as an argument but just general information: After I rebuilt my current 2000 cc Type IV Air Cooled engine I experienced very high oil pressure (over 80 psi at 40 mph, the gauge stayed pegged out). I considered it might be the upgraded Porsche gears I installed in the oil pump housing. Not So. I continued to drive the vehicle through the break in period of 2000 miles at under 2000 rpm. I took a 278 mile round trip on the highway and experienced the same pressures. Ultimately after inquiring of Jake Rabe and some others I discovered a bur on my oil bypass plunger that was locking it and not allowing the spring to operate to bypass oil back to the sump. After I filed the bur off, the whole scenario changed; 22 psi at 800 idle, 45 psi at 2400 rpm, 50-60 at 3300 rpm. If I hadn't had a gauge to alert me to this problem I would have blown an oil cooler, washed out the bearings, exploded an oil filter or other catastrophic event. I thought it was rather strange that every new stock oil sender unit leaked around the crimp at the meeting of the steel / plastic parts. I'd highly recommend installing an oil pressure gauge with any engine rebuild even if you just use it for 30 days and then remove it.

Stan Wilder 83 Air Cooled Westfalia

On Thu, 24 Jan 2002 14:59:13 -0800 harald_nancy <harald_nancy@EMAIL.MSN.COM> writes: > William, > Interesting that you arrived at that conclusion. > I went through the same decision making process about > whether to install a oil pressure gauge in my '90 westy. > I realized that the oil pressure gauge installation would > be the weakest part of the system. More prone to > failure or leaks than any other part in the wasserboxer. > So I decided to do without a oil pressure gauge. > As long as the factory installed oil light doesn't flicker at idle > after a hot freeway run, there should be no need to worry. > The bottom end of my engine has 140,000 on it now, > and it runs beautiful. At 200,000 I will rebuild the bottom end. > Harald > '90 westy > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "developtrust" <developtrust@HOME.COM> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2002 2:22 PM > Subject: Re: 2.1 l oil pressure gauge install > > > > I've done quite a bit of research into this and my recommendation > is to > use > > VDO gauges and senders, and the "vision" series gauges. However I > am > > re-evaluating installing mine and I may just NOT do it. I'm of the > opinion > > now that careful driving and good preventative maintenance will > work just > as > > good (for me.) > > > > Good luck to you. > > > > William Polowniak > > 1989 Vanagon GL > > 1988 Mercedes 300 SE > > > ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.


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