Date:         Fri, 9 Apr 2010 23:37:35 -0400
Reply-To:     Mark A Kippert <vanagon@KIPPERT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark A Kippert <vanagon@KIPPERT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Engine replaced but still the same symptoms???--Someone stick
              me in the eye with a dirty spark plug
In-Reply-To:  <s2t989ea5a21004081420w60a3ce67q52e9c84a29924bfb@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

On Apr 8, 2010, at 5:20 PM, TJ Hemrick wrote:

> I finally finished up my engine swap (took a long time as I only have one
> day off a week).  After a couple twists of the key, she came to life and oh,
> what a relief.  Unfortunately, that quickly turned to misery.  The EXACT
> same symptoms that plagued me on the previous motor were still present!  It
> has a constant surge in the idle. 

While I don't have first hand experience with you symptom, I've heard that a surging idle can also be due to an improperly timed engine (ie. adjusting by ear). As I understand it, the Digifant struggles to adjust idle causing the surge, or loping. I understand there's a very specific procedure to do it correctly. Not sure what it is though.

>  To throw salt in the wound, I've got the oil low pressure light on.  Oil
> level checked good even after a new Mahle filter and a few quarts of Mobil
> 1.  Oil pressure gauge reads good but I don't have new sensors in stock so
> how do I turn that damn buzzer off?  I practically ripped the instrument pod
> off the dash getting the cover off.  I blipped the throttle and the second
> the buzzer came on I shut it down and after a few minutes, checked the oil
> level.  It was still good.

As far as silencing the low pressure alarm, I believe you can ground it temporarily to silence it. I found an interesting article on troubleshooting oil pressure switch issues (courtesy Ken Wilford). <http://www.vanagain.com/buzzer2.htm>
  
Hopefully someone will chime in if I'm off base.

Mark K
1986 GL/2WD/4SPD "Old Gold"
1990 Carat/2WD/Auto "Carol"