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Date:         Tue, 1 Oct 2002 11:58:48 -0600
Reply-To:     "John S. Klun" <jklun@GJ.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "John S. Klun" <jklun@GJ.NET>
Organization: Daeo Net
Subject:      Re: Oil pressure mystery, resolved???
Comments: To: Ben McCafferty <ben@KBMC.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Ben-

I don't have this problem with my '84GL, 1.9l. I run 20w-50w dino in the summer and 10w-40w dino in the winter with a WIX oil filter from a local flaps that my mechanic buys from.

However, when I lived in N.H. I had a similar problem with my '86 Jetta GL. I used to run Mobile 1, 10w-40w in it with a regular American oil filter. When making a hard right up a switch back curve, the red light and a buzzer would come on and continue until I straightened out and the grade leveled off a little. When I kept the Mobile 1 but used a VW Jetta filter, I didn't have that problem. It seems that the VW filter had a flap in it to keep the oil from draining down into the bottom of the filter (or something like that- a VW mech. in N.H. told me.)

Since I've moved out here, I've been using 20w-50w dino in the Jetta with a regular WIX filter in it (my mechanic again) and I haven't had a single problem with the oil light and buzzer coming on, and the mountains are much higher and steeper than in N.H.

Hope this gives you some food for thought...

John

Ben McCafferty wrote: > > Well, as you know I've been trying to chase down the oil light/buzzer issue > for a while. Mine occurs when exiting the highway, coasting in gear down to > lower rpms; or when climbing hills at low rpms (i.e. approaching 2000 from > above). > > I installed the VDO 80psi gauge from egauges.com, and got the dual terminal > sending unit. I used Bill Davidson's great article from vanagon.com, with a > couple of minor modifications--wanted to be able to remove the engine tin > without removing the sender, so I notched the tin instead of just making a > hole, and used a 5" hose instead of 3.5". It works great, and no leaks. > > Now then, just took a trip through western CO, and had lots of opportunities > to pull mountain passes and load up the engine. I am running Mobil 1 15W50 > synthetic (2.1L WBX). I did get the light/buzzer to come on several times > while climbing passes. Every time it happened, the gauge read 20 PSI on the > nose. No fluctuation. So I'm confused. If there was a sudden drop in > pressure (to activate the idiot light), wouldn't there be a corresponding > drop in pressure on the gauge??? Is 20 PSI a threshold for the idiot light, > i.e. the engine should never drop below that? If that's the case, why can I > idle at 8PSI with no idiot light? > > Anyway, I was glad to see that I did in fact have pressure, but I would be > glad to hear theories about what's really going on. > > tx, > bmc :) > "Faith will move mountains, but you'd better bring a shovel...."


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