Date:         Tue, 29 Jul 2003 19:17:20 -0700
Reply-To:     "Mike D." <md03@XOCHI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Mike D." <md03@XOCHI.COM>
Subject:      Re: Where to buy 0.25 bar oil pressure sender?
In-Reply-To:  <20030730012454.949D75B867@smaug.dreamhost.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

>Date:    Tue, 29 Jul 2003 19:59:39 -0400
>From:    The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
>Subject: Re: Where to buy 0.25 bar oil pressure sender?
>
>>  I've got the "oil light flicker at idle" problem and would
>  > like to try the 0.25 bar pressure sender, but I can't find an
>  > online retailer that has them
>  >
>  > Anyone bought one online?
>
>
>Is this what you're looking for?  (0.3 bar)
>http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=056919081C
>
>- Ron Salmon
>   The Bus Depot, Inc.

No, I'm looking for the 0.25 bar switch (which according to this page
is sold to replace the 0.3 bar switch)...

<http://www3.sympatico.ca/huotx/oil_pressure_sender.htm>

The plot thickens...I've noticed after more test driving that the oil
light flickers ever so slightly at high rpm.

So my symptoms are:

When Cold -
   oil light on when ignition is on
   goes off promptly when engine started

When Warm -
   oil light on when idling below 1400
   oil light off during normal driving.
   oil light flickers (barely visible) when going up hill about 3500 rpm
       at freeway speeds

I'm running 20w50 with a VW (black) filter.

I'm hoping that the 0.25 bar switch would fix the low idle idiot
light problem.  The engine has 145k on it so I suppose it's not
impossible the oil pressure actually is a bit on the low side, but
i'm inclined to believe it's not dangerous (the PO of this vehicle
had the 0.3 bar switch disconnected for 1000s of miles, and my
mechanic checked the pressure with a gauge and pump and said all was
fine).

Question:   With the 0.3 bar switch disconnected, I didn't see the
light flicker at high RPM at all.  This confuses me because I thought
that the computer ignored the 0.3 bar switch above 2000 rpm.  Maybe
my oil pressure circuit is faulty?