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Date:         Sat, 11 Dec 2010 13:32:06 -0800
Reply-To:     Roland <syncronicity1@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Roland <syncronicity1@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Oil pressure light comes on after about 7 minutes.
In-Reply-To:  <4CF8623D.604@charter.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Well, this is follow up from my post a few days ago (below).

So, last weekend I drained and refilled with 20W50. I thought all was going to be good, went a good long distance on the test drive (to where my son is working at the christmas tree "store" in the mall parking lot). All was well, but then suddenly on the way home the oil light/buzzer came on again. But this time it took much longer, maybe 10-15 minutes. Once it was on, it behaved like before, kind of on-and-off depending on driving conditions.

So I got a Mann filter, haven't installed it yet.

And then an urgent trip came up today, we have to get a tree, now! "Ok honey, I'll risk it with the van". (What we do for our babes is just amazing isn't it.) So I just took the exact same trip as I mentioned above to the Xmas tree store at the mall and back again. No oil light / buzzer at all. Van just sat in the driveway between these 2 trips, maybe the oil rested and matured and is now ready to behave. Kinda like putting your kid in "timeout".

So this is getting puzzling. I will still put the Mann filter on today and then more extensive test drives tomorrow.

Roland

On Thu, Dec 2, 2010 at 7:21 PM, John Rodgers <inua@charter.net> wrote:

> I would drain the oil, install a Mahle or Mann oil filter, refill with a > good brand of 20W50 or 15W50 Mobil One or good diesel 15W40. If that doesn't > fix it, you may have an internal problem, but if things were good before the > oil change, this should probably fix it. > > John Rodgers > Clayartist and Moldmaker > 88'GL VW Bus Driver > Chelsea, ALHttp://www.moldhaus.com > > > On 12/2/2010 6:48 PM, Roland wrote: > > Hello folks, > > Very odd, the oil pressure light comes on after about 7 minutes of driving. > 1989, 2.1 WBX. It happens every time. If I let it sit, and get half-way > cool, then it takes about 2-3 minutes for the pressure light/buzzer to come > on. I think the timing is associated with the oil warming up. This has > never happened before. I recently did an oil change, so maybe... And I > have been doing some studying in the archives. So, I had bought one of > those package deals at Autozone, you know for about $0.43 you get 5 quarts > of oil and a filter. > > So, first, I took some oil out, it was near the high mark (in the past I > have suffered the oil pressure light on long uphills, so I am familiar with > this problem). The oil level is now close to the minimum mark. Problem > remained. > > So it was a Bosch filter, and in the archives this oil filter is > questionable. So today I replaced it with a Napa Gold, which is really a > Wix, which was recommended, and the problem remains. > > The oil is still golden in color and clear,no sign of chocolate mousse or > contamination. > > When I go downhill, at idle in neutral, the light/buzzer go out after about > 7-10 seconds. > > The next step I am considering is to get some different oil. I know I am > being a bad vanagon owner, but I can't even recall what oil or weight I > used, pretty sure it was 40W or close to that. Probably Castrol or > Pennzoil, just can't recall. So I am thinking of putting some 20W-50 in. > Am in San Diego, really never drive it below 40 degrees, but this is not a > high temp / high stress problem, we are in the 50s-60s each day. > > I think I have a "frothing oil" problem of some type. Another post said > that "Castrol GTX 20w-50 is only $13 for 5 quarts at Wally World", maybe not > anymore, but I haven't been there is a while. > > Any comments? Thank you! > > Roland > > > >


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