Date:         Tue, 6 Jul 2004 05:38:04 -0500
Reply-To:     Aerowolf <aerowolf@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Aerowolf <aerowolf@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Next step in the drama (1985 wasserbosser)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Well, I /almost/ got from Chicago to Madison.  I believe I ran out of
gas (I was paying too much attention to how it was behaving and not
enough to the gas gauge.)  Then it wouldn't start after I got 2
gallons of gas into it, and I think that was my fault for trying to
crank it too much and wearing the battery down.  (I'm also at fault,
here, for not checking the spark plugs like I should have.)

Anyway.  I'm starting to think that there might be something wrong
with the engine itself -- either the oil pump's not pumping as well as
it should, or something.  When I'm at freeway speeds, and then slow
down (this is with 20W50 plus an oil conditioner, mind), when the
engine speed hits 1100 or so the oil pressure light goes on.  After I
rev it, the pressure light goes out until the engine hits 1050, then
1025, then 1000, then 950, and so on until it doesn't come back on at
all.  Is this something related to oil temperature (getting more
viscous as it cools down)?  I have an 85 Digijet, it doesn't have an
oil cooler on it.  Should I look into getting one?

The engine isn't eating any oil at all as far as I can tell -- but I
changed it yesterday, and even at the end of the trip it hadn't
darkened much (the trip is 170 miles on the route I was taking).  I'm
wondering if this is symptomatic of insufficient oil flow, or if I'm
barking up the wrong tree here?

-Kyle
...who hereby solemnly swears that he will not put off any of the
general vanagon-health checks and maintenance ever again. :P