Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2011 08:49:15 -0500
Reply-To: Joe Luther <jluther@ALFONS-HAAR.US>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joe Luther <jluther@ALFONS-HAAR.US>
Subject: Re: Oil light flickering
In-Reply-To: <1E6C6AB50F5E422682D7BAA3D7756D55@alfonshaar.local>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I've been informed that plenty of reading on this topic should be available
in the list archives and I can find what I need there. I'll have a look
there rather than restart an old conversation.
thanks
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Joe Luther
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 8:08 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Oil light flickering
Oh boy, I hate to be a noob and go there already but here goes - I have a
Haynes manual from the UK that appears to be almost as old as my van and I
have been reading it while waiting for warmer weather. In there, the
recommended oil is 15w or 20w50 for my 2.0 aircooled FI engine. I was
thinking that recommendations may have changed since the Haynes manual was
printed, since oils have changed a lot in the meantime.
Are the heavier oils are still recommended? I would never think to put a
15w or 20w oil in a typical engine because of cold start starvation, I use
5w40 Rotella T6 synthetic in everything (Volvos, Subaru, VW watercooled).
Since the Cummins takes 3 gallons of it, I always have it around. I was
thinking of using that or 5w50 synthetic in the van once the engine was back
together. It should get moving quicker at cold start versus the 15 or 20w
and help reduce bearing wear.
Is there a reason that the flat 4 in the VW configuration likes the heavier
oils? I've read a lot about the Subaru cold start noise issues since I have
it on my Forester and some say it is tied to oil getting to the end of the
galleries slowly and starving cylinder 4. I don't know enough about the
oiling system in either engine to make a detailed comparison but they both
are flat 4's....
TIA
Joe
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Matt Thyer
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 11:57 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Oil light flickering
This happens on my diesel as well, it's a really dull kind of flicker.
MT
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Paul
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 7:26 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Oil light flickering
Lately at low idle my oil light has been flickering. Rev up the RPM's and it
goes away. I have plenty of oil, you know the usual 1/2 full on the dip
stick. Should I be replacing the oil pressure sensor's? Anybody else have
this happen?
TIA,
Paul
