Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 14:03:55 -0500
Reply-To: "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Organization: Bulley-Hewlett
Subject: Re: oil light and buzzer
In-Reply-To: <005601c1b4b6$94685e80$a17ba8c0@elcjn1.sdca.home.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
DC--
This is fairly typical on air-cooled VW's when the oil viscosity is too
light, or you are using after-market filters, or your motor has a fair
amount of wear, or some combination of all three.
The manual for the T2 (and I think the T3) Type 4's speak reassuringly
about the oil light coming on under the circumstances you describe.
Since you were decelerating on an exit ramp, and had assumedly throttled
down, slowing the oil pump, it is not a surprise (if your Vanagon is
air-cooled).
HOWEVER... I would urge you to check the viscosity of your oil, and
make sure it falls within the range noted in your manual for the weather
conditions you are experiencing. Also, many folks on this list (air and
water) feel VERY strongly about using only OEM or MANN oil filters.
Though I don't share their zeal, it is a widespread conviction worth
noting.
Finally, if your oil viscosity is correct, and it bothers you to see the
oil light flicker at idle after highway speeds, consider mounting an oil
pressure gauge. A decent VDO gauge with sender will run you about $150
installed, and you can keep an eye on the actual pressure. Pressure at
idle is not as critical as at speed; I seem to recall that pressure at
idle can be as low as 4-5 psi without cause for alarm. If your pressure
at speed is not up to specs, a new high-volume oil pump can be a
moderate-cost band-aid, but the only real solution is a proper rebuild.
From historic, walkable Mount Olive, NC,
G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Corporate Communications
Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
Alliance: www.ntara.com
Home: www.MountOliveNC.info
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Debra Clark
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2002 12:48 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: oil light and buzzer
My, my......I'm learning a lot. Yesterday, as my husband was driving
the van home the oil pressure light and buzzer came on for about 10
seconds and then stopped. The rest of the drive home was fine. It
happened after about 30 minutes on the freeway at about 60 miles per
hour. He was slowing down on an exit ramp. By the time he turned off,
it had stopped. He made a couple of stops on the way home and nothing
else happened. The heads were just replaced and it was tuned and the
oil and filter were changed. The car drives very well except that it
does seem to eat gas. After I warm it up today, I'll check the oil
level just to make sure. Is this just an idiosyncrasy that may come and
go? I checked the archives and, so far, haven't found any circumstances
like this.
Debra Clark
Santee, California
debra_clark@yahoo.com
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