Date:         Mon, 11 Aug 2003 19:58:35 -0700
Reply-To:     Joel Cort <joel_cort@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Cort <joel_cort@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Oil Pressure Advice
Comments: To: "Mike D." <md03@XOCHI.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <p06001a0dbb5d87294d88@[10.0.1.202]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Mike!
Do not run 40W or 50W oil in your Vanagon.  Stick with the 20W50 (and the MANN or Mahle oil filter)
I tried to make that blinking red light go away by running thicker oil 50W in my 89 Syncro Westy.  I have 92K miles and the light blinks at idle after a long run on the freeway.  At 70 I'm running at 25psi of oil pressure when warm.  0-3 psi at idle.  When cold It idles at 45psi and revs up to 55psi.

Back in the aircooled days I would run 50W in my 69 stroked Westy to travel through Utah and Nevada.  I tried the same trick on the WBX.  THIS DOES NOT WORK.

I ended up plugging the lifter and getting a clacketing diesel sounding engine.  To the point that I thought I threw a rod bearing.  I talked with a few folks and told be that the hydraulic lifters need the lubrication and will stiffen or plug up with thicker oil.

I replaced the oil with 20W50 and allowed the engine to warm up and lubricate.  The noise went away.

Unfortunately this oil experiment cost us the trip to Les Iles de La Madeleine for the Westfalia camping and Guinness record in Quebec this week.

I'm thinking that the oil pump is not operating at full capacity and when the oil is hot it no longer pumps enough pressure.  I'm trying to convince myself that the main bearings are still OK with only 92K miles on them.  The oil has been changed religiously on this van since the first owner so I'm betting that its the oil pump rather than the bearings.

Peace

Joel
89 Syncro Westy
Rochester NY.

"Mike D." <md03@XOCHI.COM> wrote:
On my 85 westy, I just replaced the low pressure sensor with a new
one (the 0.25 bar model). Now, the oil pressure is on when idling at
900 rpm (when hot), but goes off at about 1100 rpm. (with the old
sensor it took 1400 rpm to get it to turn off).

I'm running 20w50 with stock VW filter. Engine has 144K miles. I
assume this means the lower end of my engine is wearing out.

Questions:

(1) Should I worry about this?

(2) Short of a rebuild, should I do anything? Any additives to
thicken the oil? Run straight 40-weight or perhaps a mix of 20w50
and 40w?

thx!

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