Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2007 13:37:01 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: What does the oil pressure warning buzzer sound like?
In-Reply-To: <de48c0be0711170730j77c4da3cy7c9dde7cd2a64c19@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
mordo wrote:
> SO does the light always come on when the buzzer sounds? No lights come on
> when this sound occurs.
>
> Jus as an alternate theory, some on the Samba have suggested it's not the
> buzzer but instead a cold speedo cable.
>
> On Nov 17, 2007 9:51 AM, Richard Golen <rgolen@umassd.edu> wrote:
>
>
>> The tone is a continuous, annoying tone......
>>
>> At 09:14 AM 11/17/2007, mordo wrote:
>>
>>> Okay, that's good info. I don't think I'm over-full. I remembered the
>>> caveats about that. Is it possible that I've not enough oil? It shows
>>>
>> above
>>
>>> the lower notch, perhaps exactly midway between - that's what I was
>>>
>> aiming
>>
>>> for. I used a five gallon jug of oil and left a bout a 1/2 quart
>>>
>> according
>>
>>> to the marks on the side of the jug.
>>>
>>> The critical question is, if I didn't have an oil pressure problem before
>>> the oil change, should I be very concerned that I have a buzzer now?
>>>
>> Also,
>>
>>> the buzzer is not conistent. It only came on twice for a few moments each
>>> time. It occurs to me that maybe both times were during off-throttle
>>> deceleration. I've got 300 miles to drive today and I obviously don't
>>>
>> want
>>
>>> to do any damage.
>>>
>>> Thanks for the comments.
>>>
>>> On Nov 17, 2007 9:03 AM, Michael Snow <mwsnow@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> I use Mobil 1 15W-50 exclusively in my waterboxers. The brand/grade
>>>> of oil is almost certainly not the problem.
>>>>
>>>> The high RPM oil pressure alarm is a continuous tone. You can easily
>>>> cause this by overfilling the crankcase. Above the lower mark on the
>>>> dipstick is right. As you approach the upper mark, you run a great
>>>> risk of having too much oil in the engine. When this happens, the
>>>> crankshaft and associated parts can contact the oil, causing
>>>> splashing, foaming, and low oil pressure. When I change the oil, I
>>>> add oil until the level reaches the lower dipstick mark, then add an
>>>> additional 1/2 quart.
>>>>
>>>> Mike
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Nov 17, 2007 5:15 AM, mordo <helmut.blong@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Thanks, Ric. So, is it high pressure or low pressure warning? The
>>>>>
>> sound
>>
>>>> I
>>>>
>>>>> have is a continuous tone, not a beeping or pulsing.
>>>>>
>>>>> It seems to me that if it is in fact the pressure warning buzzer, it
>>>>>
>> has
>>
>>>> to
>>>>
>>>>> be related tot the change to the 15/50 Mobil 1. I wish I knew why
>>>>>
>> that
>>
>>>> might
>>>>
>>>>> be.
>>>>>
>>>>> cheers,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>>>> From: Richard Golen <rgolen@umassd.edu>
>>>>> Date: Nov 17, 2007 7:49 AM
>>>>> Subject: Re: What does the oil pressure warning buzzer sound like?
>>>>> To: mordo <helmut.blong@gmail.com>, vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>
>>>>> Sounds like the oil pressure buzzer. It is an annoying "high C"
>>>>>
>> sound
>>
>>>>> and starts when the engine hits 2500 rpm. The buzzer is located
>>>>>
>> under
>>
>>>>> the dash/instrument panel.
>>>>>
>>>>> You might want to check the connections to the oil pressure sending
>>>>> units - the one that sets off the buzzer (high pressure sender) is
>>>>> located near the crank pulley. The two sensors have a common
>>>>> connector to the main harness on the left side of the engine. To do
>>>>>
>> a
>>
>>>>> quick check on the high pressure sender, you can ground out the
>>>>> connector. If the buzzing continues, then there's a fault somewhere
>>>>> in the wiring harness. If it stops, then the problem may be with the
>>>>> sensor, or worse....
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Ric
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> At 06:55 AM 11/17/2007, mordo wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Fellows: I need some quick help because I'm leaving on a trip today
>>>>>>
>> and
>>
>>>> am
>>>>
>>>>>> concerned about a sound alien to me. I posted at the Samba too so
>>>>>>
>> I've
>>
>>>>>> pasted that below:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Last night, I drove a 8 mile errand trip, stopping once. On my
>>>>>>>
>>>> return
>>>>
>>>>>>> trip, I was baffled by a sound I have never heard. At first I
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> thought it was
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> interference on my radio as I was passing a group of television
>>>>>>>
>>>>> transmitter
>>>>>
>>>>>>> antennae. However it continued after I turned off the radio.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The sound occurred twice and both times it was a slow crescendo
>>>>>>>
>> to
>>
>>>> about
>>>>
>>>>>>> high C. I can't say what RPM it occurred at for sure but I would
>>>>>>>
>>>> guess
>>>>
>>>>>>> around 2500 RPM. The sound seemed to stop when I let off the
>>>>>>>
>>>> throttle
>>>>
>>>>> but
>>>>>
>>>>>>> maybe it didn't stop immediately. The outside temp was about
>>>>>>>
>> 40F.
>>
>>>>>> The engine
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> was well warm but not highway hot.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> A few days ago, I changed the oil from Castrol GTX 20/50 to
>>>>>>>
>> Mobil 1
>>
>>>>> 15/50.
>>>>>
>>>>>>> I always use a Mann filter.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> There was no flashing light. Is this the sound of the oil
>>>>>>>
>> pressure
>>
>>>>> warning
>>>>>
>>>>>>> buzzer? If so, it seems silly. It is too vague to be an alarm if
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> you ask me.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks in advance for the help.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> mordo
>>>>>> 1990 Carat
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> mordo
>>>>> 1990 Carat
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> mordo
>>> 1990 Carat
>>>
>>
>
>
> --
> mordo
> 1990 Carat
>
>
>
I was driving down the highway, and suddenly the lights started flashing
( all kinds of lights) and that buzzer sounded. That sound cannot be
mistaken for anything else once you relate it in your mind to the oil
pressure light. I stopped my van, thought about it a bit, got out to see
if I was leaking oil every where and everything was bone dry. I checked
the oil level - right dead on between the marks on the dip stick - right
where I like it - and seemingly the engine does too. Started the engine
- no buzzer, no oil light, but alternator light remained on, pulled out
on the highway and as soon as the engine went to 2500 rpm I got that
buzzer. I stopped again, got out, popped the hatch and had a look. The
belt on the crank pulley had broken, and I discovered that broken belt
knocked the connection loose from the high pressure sensor at the bottom
left of the pulley. I put the connector back on, fired it up, and no
more buzzer. I replaced the Alt belt and no more Alt light. All was well
once again.
My $0.02.
John Rodgers,
88 GL Driver
Chelsea, AL
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