Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 18:23:10 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject: Re: Oil light buzzer/archives
In-Reply-To: <20050128173742.51199.qmail@web81202.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Assuming you have the proper high pressure oil switch installed (.8
bar), the symptoms you describe indicate a true oil pressure problem is
developing. .8 bar = 11.28 psi. If your engine can't hold that pressure
over 2,000 rpm, something is wrong. Let's check the basics.
Oil Viscosity- is it proper? Should be 15w-40 or 20w-50 for most any
high speed/load use. This is a conflict in extremely cold weather, but
after warm-up, outside temp has little effect on oil temps. This is one
advantage of synthetics. The Mobil-1 0w-40 is good to about 30 below and
the oil analysis I've been doing on my fox shows it still meets sae 40
specs at 212 even after 10k miles.
Oil level- over filling increases agitation and cylinder wall contact.
The added pumping action and aeration increases temperatures and lowers
viscosity. The proper level is between the marks on the dip stick. The
top mark is not the full mark. It is actually the maximum, do not ever
get here or exceed mark.
Coolant temp- is it really normal? Don't rely on the gauge without
checking it against a known value such as an infrared thermometer. Also,
make sure coolant is flowing through the oil cooler.
Hope this helps.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Sharon Mendonca
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 12:38 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Oil light buzzer/archives
Is it just me, or is there trouble retrieving information from the
archives? I was unable to get into them at all, other than the first
page.
We have usually had problems with the oil light buzzer on our 88 Vanagon
GL after we drive quite a ways up a mountain/hill. We have always just
stopped, turned the engine off, and then restarted with no problem.
Now, whenever we drive on the freeway about 20 miles or so (flat, level
area), at normal freeway speeds of about 65, it always starts buzzing
about 1 block off the freeway - going and coming home. Any ideas on why
this happens? This has happened quite a few times in exactly the same
areas and distances.
Bob & Sharon Mendonca
88 Vanagon GL
88 Westy