Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002 16:00:12 -0700
Reply-To: Mark Dorm <mark_hb@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Dorm <mark_hb@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Oil light flicker
Content-Type: text/html
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<P>Boy you are good. It only flickers at high RPM's with no buzzer, idle isn't a problem, I used 20 50 Mobile One and didn't notice any worsening of the oil leak (if thats what it is, could be trannie oil I guess) as judged by build up on the hatch (which isn't that bad really, takes a while before it looks real bad, see more on the ground after parking so I think at high rpms the leak is minimal), the engine heat wise is running just fine -- hey thanks for your answer -- it reinforces what I read in the archives<BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: Dennis Haynes <DHAYNES@OPTONLINE.NET>
<DIV></DIV>>To: 'Mark Dorm' <MARK_HB@HOTMAIL.COM>, vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: RE: Oil light flicker
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002 18:50:24 -0400
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>You need to determine weather you have an electrical or actual oil
<DIV></DIV>>pressure problem. Answer the following questions:
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>1) Does the light flicker at idle/low speed or at higher engine
<DIV></DIV>>speeds? If at low speed only, you may have low pressure, a bad switch,
<DIV></DIV>>or the wire is shorting to ground some where.
<DIV></DIV>>2) If it flickers at higher RPM, do you also get the buzzer? Light
<DIV></DIV>>flickering above 2500 rpm without buzzer indicates a shorted wire or bad
<DIV></DIV>>switch. If the pressure is below .9 bar at 2500 rpm, the second switch
<DIV></DIV>>will cause the buzzer to sound unless some one defeated that switch.
<DIV></DIV>>3) What viscosity Mobil-1 did you use? Should be the 15w-50.
<DIV></DIV>>4) Are you willing to pay $500 to replace the main seal? It won't
<DIV></DIV>>raise the oil pressure anyway.
<DIV></DIV>>5) If the oil pump is worn, the rest of the engine is also, would
<DIV></DIV>>only be temporary fix.
<DIV></DIV>>6) Is the engine running hotter than usual? This will lower oil
<DIV></DIV>>pressure.
<DIV></DIV>>7) Is the engine filled to the proper level? I get a little
<DIV></DIV>>worried when oil is added for an oil pressure problem. The oil level
<DIV></DIV>>must be between the marks. The full mark is actually the extreme upper
<DIV></DIV>>limit and going above the mark will cause the oil to get hotter and
<DIV></DIV>>further reduce viscosity and oil pressure.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>I hope some of this helps.
<DIV></DIV>>Dennis
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>-----Original Message-----
<DIV></DIV>>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
<DIV></DIV>>Of Mark Dorm
<DIV></DIV>>Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2002 4:12 PM
<DIV></DIV>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Oil light flicker
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Okay, I've got 160K miles on my 1991 Vanagon Carat.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>I've had a slow oil leak between the engine and transmission
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>I go to the dealer to get my oil filter and they don't give me Mann nor
<DIV></DIV>>Mahle but its what ekta has for them and it says VW on the filter (I'll
<DIV></DIV>>repost with the number)
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>I changed the oil less than 2000 miles ago and opted for Mobile One
<DIV></DIV>>Synthetic whereas previously I used just Kendal 20 50 or a mix of Kendal
<DIV></DIV>>and a synthetic oil (redline or mobile).
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Last night the oil light started flickering. I checked the oil, added
<DIV></DIV>>some.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Today it flickers, I added something to thicken the oil. No real change.
<DIV></DIV>>I flashes once or twice and then nothing, or it pitters just a little,
<DIV></DIV>>or patters, and then its out.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>It seems to drive just fine.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Called a guy and he wants 70 dollars. But if its due to the oil filter
<DIV></DIV>>then what good does it do to check?
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>I know it could be electrical, the oil filter, the slow leak getting
<DIV></DIV>>worse, or bearings going bad, or the oil pump getting weak.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>If its the main seal he said its 500 dollars. He said the oil pump would
<DIV></DIV>>be expensive too cause its inside the casing.... (is this true....)
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>So does flicker mean one thing as opposed to another? It doesn't buzz
<DIV></DIV>>nor stay on for anything more than a flash.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Also, I'm in Columbus Ohio. I've driven from California to Miami to
<DIV></DIV>>Philadelphia to New York to Ohio to New York again and now again to
<DIV></DIV>>Columbus. It was my goal to go to California. Now I don't know. Anyone
<DIV></DIV>>need a body for an engine conversion (if I'm looking at the worse case
<DIV></DIV>>scenario)? Its white color is a nice white cause I had it painted two
<DIV></DIV>>years ago.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> _____
<DIV></DIV>>
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