Date:         Tue, 8 Oct 2002 08:59:53 -0500
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Low Oil Pressure
Comments: To: craig@ODA-INC.NET
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

This flashing light is going to drive you crazy until you find out for
sure.
Here is what I'd do:
#1) Be sure you have the right oil sender, they come in .4 Bar, .7 Bar
and possibly others I've never seen.
#2) The oil bypass plunger needs to be removed again and buffed with
400/600 sandpaper enough to get the burs off. The plunger installs with
the hollow part down.
#3) I'd install an oil pressure gauge. Waser Boxers turn about 4600 Rpms
at highway speeds so everything happens pretty fast if you starve for
oil. (It is rumored that you can run 70 mph safely on 18 psi oil
pressure, I don't know. That is hearsay to me.)
#4) Set your idle your to about 800/900 Rpms. If you have a gauge it
should read at least 4 psi. If you have less than 10 psi at 2500 rpms you
should start saving for a rebuild and drive carefully because engine
cases with rods sticking through are not re buildable. (Something to
remember ......... my Air Cooled engine sometimes races to 1300 rpms (yes
I know you got a Water Cooled) after a good hard highway run but shortly
drops back to 450/600 before it once again settles in at the 800/900
range. If you don't have a tach it you think you're at normal Rpms.)
#5)"The problem only occurs when the engine is hot." how hot is very
important. If the engine is still in normal operating temperatures you
should not be getting this flickering light.
#6) This might have needed to be #1, check the condition of the push on
connector and wire at the sender unit.

With cooler weather coming on you may want to be going to straight 40 wt
oil and this needs to be addressed while you still have the 20/50 oil.

Stan Wilder

On Mon, 7 Oct 2002 23:41:29 -0700 Craig Oda's Personal email
<craig@ODA-INC.NET> writes:
> I have been in a love-hate battle with my 83.5 Westy for about a
> year.
> Right now my oil pressure light is flickering red at low idle and
> when
> I'm driving.  BTW, please respond to craig@oda-inc.net as my other
> email doesn't appear to work.
>
> I'm using 20W-50 and using black german filters that come in the
> yellow
> and green box.  I think these are Mahles. I've replaced the oil
> pressure switch and the wiring that connects it to the wiring
> harness.
> I've cleaned out my oil pressure relief valve.  I've noticed that
> there
> is some rough edges if I stick my fingers in there and also, only a
> trickle of oil came out when I removed the plunger.  However, it
> appears to slide in and out easily.  I've got some oil leaking
> under
> the van, but not so much that I have to put new oil in all the
> time.
>
> I haven't put an oil pressure gauge on it, so I don't know what the
> actual pressure is.  The problem only occurs when the engine is
> hot.
>
> Should I be thinking of an overhaul, or is there some other things
> I
> should be thinking about?  I just replaced the transmission at a
> shop
> and did the cylinder heads myself.  So, I don't particularly want to
> do
> an engine overhaul.  I just want to drive the beast.
>
> thanks for any advice.
>
> Craig
>
> =====
>
>

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