Date: Fri, 3 Jun 2011 20:59:27 -0500
Reply-To: Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET>
Subject: Re: Spooked!
In-Reply-To: <0a4a01cc2257$30982c00$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
A cooler thermostat is a quick fix for a lot of ails but it rarely solves
anything.
A lower temperature thermostat will open sooner causing the engine to run
cooler & consume more gas. It will also cause the engine to wear out faster,
again because it's running cooler.
But a cooler thermostat won't help overheating the least bit. When
overheating your standard temperature thermostat will be open just as much
as a cooler thermostat and your water flow will be the same. Either way it's
just too hot.
If you have a overheating problem you need to look for restrictions in the
system, most likely the radiator, or causes for the excess heat like lean
fuel mixture or incorrect timing. Even dragging brakes can cause a engine
overheating problem.
Thanks, Tom Hargrave
www.stir-plate.com
www.towercooler.com
www.kegkits.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Scott Daniel - Turbovans
Sent: Friday, June 03, 2011 8:32 PM
To: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
Subject: Re: Spooked!
How many miles on the engine ..
or specifically the bottom end ?
I was searching for some diesel AAZ connecting rods ( anyone got a set for
sale ? ) last night and stumbled onto 'how 2.1 waterboxer rods fail.'
long report by a guy. He was driving a 2.1 wbxr with about 150K miles on it
..
and he was driving it with about 9psi oil pressure at speed, and 3 or 4 psi
at a hot idle !!
Sure blew that engine. His main point is without knowing what the actual oil
pressure is ( with an OP gague on the dash ) ..........and miles are very
high on a 2.1 wbxr bottem end, you're taking a real chance.
Oil pressure varies by the oil clearance at the bearings ( as the rod
bearings wear ) ....
and by temperature, and by weight of oil.
So hot engine, many miles on the engine, and say ...10W40 oil can result in
very low oil pressure at times ..
down to just a few psi at idle..
and at say 60mph ..it should have about 25psi at least. 20 min for sure.
2.1 rod bolts are the stretch type. You can read about that all day long on
the internet ..
which is a factor in why 2.1's with high miles can have a rod bearing
problem.
in the short term ..
it sounds like it was really hot., by your discription of how hot it seemed
by the engine.
This is cheating ..
and it's only to get you through the week...
but you can help your situation by putting in a cooler thmerostat ( 80 C )
and thicker oil.
Bear in mind that a cooler t-stat does not make it run cooler when it's
really running hot ..
it will just make it 'try' to run cooler. Like if you're cruising on the
level, and it's not a hot day ..
it might run at 170F rather than the desired 180F or a bit higher .
If it's a real hot day, long grades, big laods, or stuck in traffic, it'll
still try to run at 200 or whatever.
and put in 20W50 oil. or .....
if it's a tired old trashed waterboxer engine anyway ..and it's an emergency
..
and you're not expecting miracles......like this is for emergency use only !
..put in racing 50W oil.
Don't tell anyone I said thes though. ( joking, I know this is public )
it's not any kind of 'repair' , it's pure band-aid and hope. Extreme short
term emergency use only.
you should have an oil pressure guage so you really know what is going on.
unless there is a sensor or gauge/warning system malfunction ..
and miles are high on the engine ..
it sounds like you have a real ( and fairly common ) oil clearance/oil
pressure issue.
Some people have improved this situation with new oil pump .. I don't really
beleive in that ..might help a little.
and you might start researching new engine options.
the enhanced waterboxer I can recommend is the thecentife 2.2 better
waterboxer, by Chris Corkin ..
on thesamba.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Rodgers" <inua@CHARTER.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, June 03, 2011 5:28 PM
Subject: Spooked!
> While driving my manual tranny 88GL home this afternoon the oil
> pressure alarm sounded and the oil pressure light came on. I killed the
> ignition immediately, noted all the gages seemed normal, and being very
> close to my house just coasted on down the street, around the corner,
> and halfway up my up-slope driveway and stopped. All the while I'm
> thinking "Omigosh! What now?" ( I have an important art show to
> participate in on Sat. and have to set up by 6 am -- this is not good!)
>
> After getting stopped, I sat for a moment, the turned the ignition on.
> All the lights did their normal thing. I hit the switch, the engine
> started right up, oil pressure light went out. I noted no strange
> sounds, and the oil pressure alarm did not sound. I drove the remaining
> 100 feet up the hill to the house - all was normal.
>
> Today was extraordinarily hot - 100 plus degrees, driving was slow
> coming off the highway home, and even though the temp gauge needle was
> in the middle, nothing seemed wrong. I did note that at very slow speeds
> the fan kept coming on frequently. I was poking along about 30 mph when
> the alarm sounded and the oil pressure light came on.
>
> I opened the hatch, and noted the engine seemed really hot. The heat
> just came boiling out. I looked for oil leaking, coolant leaking, etc,
> but found nothing. Oil dip stick measures halfway between the marks, and
> the coolant level is up. I checked the rear oil pressure switch, and the
> wiring connector, but it was tight.
>
> I let the van sit a while with the hatch open to cool the engine, then
> started it up. After Idling a minute, I revved the engine up to 3000. I
> ran perfect. No lights, no alarms. I have tried several times now, but
> cannot reproduce the event. Of course the circumstances have changed as
> the atmosphere is cooling down.
>
> Anybody have any ideas? Can the engine oil get so hot under normal
> driving conditions as to cause low oil pressure. Surely that is not a
> good thing. But how can I avoid that in the common daily summer weather
> here in the South. I'm afraid this event might repeat itself at a
> tremendously inopportune time - as such events usually do.
>
> Thanks,
>
> John
>
>
> --
> John Rodgers
> Clayartist and Moldmaker
> 88'GL VW Bus Driver
> Chelsea, AL
> Http://www.moldhaus.com
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