Date:         Wed, 4 Oct 2006 11:59:08 +0000
Reply-To:     dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject:      Re: Oil Light flashing
Comments: To: RAlanen@AOL.COM
In-Reply-To:  <bf2.6198827.3254f55f@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

'85 doesn;t have the high pressure sensor or the dynamic oil pressure warning system. Just the low sensor. Since the ligh is only coming on during slow dwn, I'm thinking chaffed insulation rubing on the protective tin. Yes, it has to be evaluated right away. Learning to gnore the warning light is not a good thing.

 Dennis

----- Original Message -----
From: Frank Condelli
Date: Wednesday, October 4, 2006 7:34 am
Subject: Re: Oil Light flashing
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM

> In a message dated 03/10/2006 11:03:12 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>
> Hi Volks,
>
> Dad called from tonight from near Salamanca NY, he's headed down
> rt
> 219 on the way to John Brown's Buses for the weekend.
>
> Apparently his 85 Auto westy has started to exhibit a new
> behaviour... the oil light is now flickering during 45MPH-ish down
> hills.
>
> Details: The oil level is good (perhaps an eight-inch high, actually,
> and the oil clean enough to be almost invisible.,The oil light does
> not come on at idle, and he is running 20W50 with the engine temp
> right in the middle of the scale. Just a heart-stopping flicker on
> trailing throttle at near-highway speed.
>
> Our best guess at the moment is a wonky sensor. What sayeth the
> list???
> If helpful emails could be cc'd to gord@pottsfamily.ca it would be
> appreciated, as the motel they're in tonight does have internet
> access.
>
>
> This is critical to diagnose immediately. It is possible that
> the high
> pressure sensor is bad. It is however possible that the oil
> pressure is low for
> the high pressure sender which is indicating worn rod bearings
> and if that's
> the case the next thing that happens is the number three rod
> will come out of
> the case right on top with a loud bang. The only true way to
> know what's
> going on is to connect up a real oil pressure gauge to the port
> between the
> push rod tubes and get a true oil pressure reading of the oil
> when hot at
> running temperatures. PITA I know but unless you want to see
> that number three rod
> in your engine compartment it's the only right way. This is
> why it is
> highly recommended to have a "REAL" oil pressure gauge mounted
> on the dash board,
> instead of a bobble head, to keep an eye on the "REAL" oil
> pressure of these
> old high mileage waterboxer engines
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg (Forsale) & Lionel Trains
> Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
> _Frank Condelli & Associates_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)_Vanagon Stainless
> Steel Exhaust Systems_
> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
> _BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper
> camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10, 2007
>