Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2002 18:08:33 -0800
Reply-To: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject: Re: Summer Oil pressure drop + higher temperatures with oil error
(Was: Is 20w50 Oil OK in the winter?)
In-Reply-To: <CAEOIPKOOCKNBBDDDMBPIEEICHAA.jeff@tssgi.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
The list of bad filters includes Bosch - Bosch is the OEM filter for VW
Canada and more than likely the same for the USA. Mann is the OEM filter
for VW Europe. I have used Bosch oil filters and Castrol 15W40 oil
(gasoline) or PetroCanada's CH-4 15W40 (Diesel) for years and have never had
a problem using any of them. During our extreme January cold snaps of -30
to -40 I switch over to Mobile 1 10W40.
The thing that bothers me about these 'how to fix' the oil light flickering
problems is there is very few write ups tell you see if there REALLY is a
problem. You should connect a oil pressure gauge to the engine and see what
the pressure is. It should be, at operating temp, AT LEAST 0.3 BAR at idle
and 1.8BAR at 2000 RPM. If it is even close to those numbers you have a
worn engine and a problem with the oil system. A good filter is a definite
must for any engine, but before running around.
My Turbo Diesel Vanagon runs about 2.2 to 2.3BAR at 2000 RPM with 130C oil
temps. My mega mile Golf Turbo Diesel (667,000km) is about 2.0BAR at
highways speeds - it is loose engine that consumes about 1.5 to 2.0L per
5000km.
David Marshall
Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3
http://www.fastforward.ca mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160
- Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions
- Vanagon, Transporter and Iltis Sales and Importation
- European Lighting for most Volkswagen models
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Jeffrey Schwaia
Sent: December 26, 2002 2:52 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Summer Oil pressure drop + higher temperatures with oil
error (Was: Is 20w50 Oil OK in the winter?)
I've fixed more blinking oil lights with the correct oil filters than with
higher oil viscosity. Usually it's an issue in the hotter summer months,
but if you're using low weight oil I could see it happenning during colder
weather as well. There's plenty of information
(http://www.vanagain.com/flicker1.htm) out there about why using crappy oil
filters like Fram, Purolator, etc. (PLEASE DON'T TAKE OFFENSE) in a Vanagon
cause oil pressure problems. That's why this is a good (read cheap) place
to start.
The second most common fix I've run into was a bad oil pressure switch.
The last Vanagon I fixed with a flickering oil pressure warning light had
completely worn out cam bearings. Thicker oil wasn't going to fix that
problem.
Cheers,
Jeff
-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Haynes [mailto:dhaynes@optonline.net]
Sent: Tuesday, December 24, 2002 3:31 PM
To: 'Jeffrey Schwaia'; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: RE: Summer Oil pressure drop + higher temperatures with oil
error (Was: Is 20w50 Oil OK in the winter?)
Te 10W-30 is more of a problem than the brand of oil filter. It is
common for the oil to get hot and the oil pressure to drop when the
engine is operated at high speeds for long time periods. When used in
this fashion, 20w-50 or synthetic equivalents are the only way to go.
Also, if the water temp is raising excessively during these periods, it
is a sigh that the cooling system is not keeping up. Possibly a clogged
radiator or the internal separators are cracked allowing some coolant to
bypass the radiator core. To help the oil temps, reduce the oil level
(between the marks, not full) and occasionally reduce speed to allow the
oil cooler to "catch up".
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Jeffrey Schwaia
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2002 2:58 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Summer Oil pressure drop + higher temperatures with oil
error (Was: Is 20w50 Oil OK in the winter?)
Did they put in a Mann or Mahle oil filter?? Any other brand could
cause
the symptoms you described.
Cheers,
Jeff
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of 80 Westy Pokey
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2002 8:16 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Summer Oil pressure drop + higher temperatures with oil error
(Was: Is 20w50 Oil OK in the winter?)
This new learning amazes me.
Here is something interesting. Last summer I brought Pokey in
for an oil change (yes I know I should be doing it myself but
oil changes are cheap and I find myself too busy sometimes)
and they inadvertently used 10w30. All of a sudden I saw a
drop in oil pressure (maybe to 20 psi on the highway), and
much higher operating themperatures. Hence I went out and
bought an auxillary oil cooler (as yet to be installed).
The season was ending, it got colder out and my temperatures
fell back into acceptable levels. The pressure did not come
back and I was going to look into this over the witer. I was
going to get the oil changed again (hence my original
question - If you did not read my previous post, I was
wondering about using 20w50 in the winter as that is what I
normally run.).
Now forgive me, my mechanical incompetance is surely
showing... but could the change in oil from 20w50 to 10w30
account for this drop in pressure and higher temperatures?
Thanks,
Chris
---- Original message ----
>Date: Sun, 22 Dec 2002 15:20:06 -0500
>From: 80 Westy Pokey <pokey@vanagon.org>
>Subject: Is 20w50 Oil OK in the winter
>To: The_Bug_Pack@yahoogroups.com, vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com,
type2@type2.com
>
>Is 20w5 Oil OK in Winter? I drive my van almost exclusively
>in the summer and have always used Castrol GTX 20w50 Oil.
>Now it is December, temperature is just below freezing, but
>the roads in Toronto are free of snow and salt. I was
>thinking of using the van to help in my move. I have to
>change the oil nyway so I was wondering what weight I should
>use in the winter months. In my Chevy I always use 10w30 in
>summer and 5w30 in Winter.
>
>Thanks,
>Chris
