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Date:         Wed, 13 Jul 2005 22:28:40 -0700
Reply-To:     Ben S <phlogiston420@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ben S <phlogiston420@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Fwd: Continuing saga of Oil Pressure light...
Comments: To: Taobythesea@AOL.COM
In-Reply-To:  <485c3ee605070816252ea8efe1@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

hey james

tried to send this last friday when you posted this thread, but i had just changed email address and didn't realize how long it would take my new address to get approved to post...

------ original message --------

sounds like you need to follow the route i'm going down.... the OIL PRESSURE GAUGE!!

well, seriously, if the light stays on even as you go down to idle, it is probably a problem with the dynamic warning control system which is supposed to monitor the high pressure threshold switch above ~2000 r/m and the low pressure switch below that. unless both switches failed at the same time or your oil pressure was really low enough to set off the low switch, too (in which case you would not have made it home) your problem is probably electrical in nature.

as for me, i keep getting purely random, intermittend oil pressure warnings. the light will flash on for a second or two and then go off--no correlation to engine load or engine speed or anything. so instead of doing electrical troubleshooting i decided to get a gauge. after much perusing of the archives and a dozen phone calls i came up with the ultimate solution.

i will replace the low pressure sensor (between the push rod tubes) with the hose sold by volkscafe in santa cruz. this is a professionaly made, braided stainless hose, about 5 inches long, with 10x1mm metric fittings crimped to each end. from volkscafe, i also purchased the 10mm elbow fitting, a spare engine tin, and the P clamp for a pressure sender. check their web page for a great oil pressure tutorial and pictures. All those parts cost $35 (although Peter did throw in the metal piece free, maybe because I referred to major engine overhauls to his shop!)

however, i did not want to use a crappy inaccurate, old, non-stylish vdo gauge just because it was only $30 and happened to have a metric threaded sender. instead, i bought an Autometer Cobalt series full sweep stepper motor driven gauge (part # atm-6153) for $200, an adapter to go from the 1/8" NPT threads on that guage's sender to the 10mm thread on the volks cafe hose (and on the engine block). the adapter is also made by autometer and is part # atm-2265 and was only like $12. I also got a plain sheet metal gauge mounting cup for another $15 or so.

all in all, i think this is a really good pressure monitoring solution. i will have to give up my idle low pressure warning, but with the stepper motor gauge, it is very accurate even at the low end (unlike the cheaper $70 air core 90 degree sweep version of the same gauge i got). the volks cafe hose and fittings are the best solution i have encountered for plumbing the oil out to a pressure sender (no grease gun hose for me!!) and i will still retain the stock high engine speed warning system. though if that sensor is bad (the source of my orig problem) i guess i'll still have to replace it. but it's only like $5 and i hear if you pull the water pump pulley it's a cinch to install.

good luck!!

Ben (my first post from this new email account)

> ----- Original Message ----- > From: James Benthall [mailto:Taobythesea@AOL.COM] > Sent: 7/8/2005 3:19:36 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Continuing saga of Oil Pressure light... > > > Hello folks, > > Around xmas of last year my oil pressure light and alarm started going off > > on my > > 87 Westy.

<snip>


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