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Date:         Tue, 3 Jan 2012 18:25:17 -0800
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: 1.9l with 23psi @ 4000 rpm
Comments: To: J Stewart <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="UTF-8"; reply-type=original

hi.... re You can keep an eye on the pressure and see if it gets much lower > and get your head in the engine compartment and check for knocking > noises at various speeds from time to time. Keep using the good oil.

I'd say if you hear any knocking noises, it's too late.

I have a fine 1.9 smooth running engine just like this on ... I just run it in 20W50 and it's quite happy.

I also recommend not using fancy synthetics in very high mile engines. for starters.. put 20W50 in it ..keep an eye on things.

I have one 1.9 wvxr engine has the oil light on solidly, once warmed up, any time rpm is below 1,500. It never did anything other than that. It's retired now . and is one of Six 1.9 wxbr core engines I have for sale. none are seized, no knocking, no rods through the case or anything like that.

and 2 more botten ends. I suggest get one to rebuild gradually while you drive the current one on thicker oil. I havn't found any harm in operating a very high miles engine that way , at all.

located Southern Oregon. Scott www.turbovans.com

----- Original Message ----- From: "J Stewart" <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 3:43 PM Subject: Re: 1.9l with 23psi @ 4000 rpm

>I think I'd have to agree. Though not quite the same, my '85 Weekender came >with receipts from a respected VW shop going back 10 years and 30K miles >stating "Heads leaking BADLY" and dire warnings about what would happen if >not fixed. I've found "leaking badly" means on really cold mornings a >tablespoon or two of coolant can be found under the right head. I keep an >eye on the coolant level and don't worry about it. (then again, I'm kinda >secretly hoping that a catastrophic engine failure will help me convince >the wife I need to do an engine conversion!) Jeff Stewart ----- Original >Message ----- >> Mr. Pickle: (is that you Wes?) >> I'd just go on and drive it. It seems to me that a flickering oil >> light when warm at idle is considered rather normal in these engines >> as they age. >> You can keep an eye on the pressure and see if it gets much lower >> and get your head in the engine compartment and check for knocking >> noises at various speeds from time to time. Keep using the good oil. >> Larry A. >> On Tue, Jan 3, 2012 at 2:17 PM, pickle vanagon >> <greenvanagon@gmail.com> wrote: >> > Just to follow up on this earlier message: >> > Faced with the fact that I have oil pressure well below "good >> > pressure", is >> > the only prudent thing to do to replace the engine? >> > (There are no symptoms of problems other than the reading on the >> > gauge.) >> > >> > While I've read numerous tales of woe regarding 2.1l with low >> > pressure >> > failing spectacularly, I haven't really come across accounts of how >> > the >> > 1.9ls fail. Is it likely to strand us on the side of the road >> > without >> > warning, or get looser first (which would be easily seen on the >> > pressure >> > gauge, presumably)? >> > >> > It seems it would be a shame to give up on this engine if its likely >> > to >> > have a year or two left on it, regardless of whether its below spec. >> > For >> > example, considering that the least expensive route to replacement >> > would be >> > to replace it with a "good used 1.9l engine removed from a running >> > van", is >> > it really likely that such a replacement would be in significantly >> > better >> > shape? >> > >> > -Wes >> > >> > >> > On Mon, Jan 2, 2012 at 8:49 PM, pickle vanagon >> > <greenvanagon@gmail.com>wrote: >> > >> >> A little while ago I sent the below email to list regarding a >> >> flickering >> >> oil light after extended highway driving on 5w50 oil. After this >> >> email and >> >> the replies I got, I switched the oil back to Mobil 1 15w50 oil and >> >> then we >> >> haven't driven since. I finally got around to installing a VDO oil >> >> pressure gauge and just got back from a test drive. >> >> >> >> >> >> It's funny how high the pressure starts out in the cold weather. >> >> Easily >> >> 3.5-4 bar. Anyways, after 20 minutes or so of driving so that the >> >> engine >> >> has been warm for a long time, I take t up to 4000 rpms (48mph in >> >> 3rd gear, >> >> I don't have a tach) and I get ~1.9bar, so around 28psi. But after >> >> a >> >> minute or two of this (which is how long it takes the oil to get up >> >> to >> >> temperature, I guess) it drops to ~1.6 bar, say 23psi, where it >> >> settles. >> >> >> >> So I guess this is pretty bad! (I guess I could check the accuracy >> >> with a >> >> mechanical gauges, but I'm not holding out any hope for this >> >> changing >> >> things...) >> >> >> >> So I guess these are my questions: >> >> How long do I have before breakdown? My understanding is that, >> >> unlike the >> >> 2.1l, the 1.9l is unlikely to fail catastrophically, right? >> >> Is further driving severely reducing the rebuildability of this >> >> engine? >> >> In general, how likely is it that this engine can be rebuilt to >> >> good >> >> tolerances? (I'm thinking right now about what I've read about the >> >> case >> >> journals in the 1.9l engines). >> >> I know there are high capacity oil pumps that can be installed on >> >> these >> >> engines. Is that an effective way to buy some time? >> >> >> >> Thanks very much for any advice guys, this is a bummer, but I'm >> >> sure I'll >> >> figure out a way to deal with it somehow! >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On Sun, Nov 27, 2011 at 10:27 PM, pickle vanagon >> >> <greenvanagon@gmail.com>wrote: >> >> >> >>> On our returning-home-after-thanksgiving drive, we had some scary >> >>> oil >> >>> light flicker. >> >>> >> >>> Here are the details: >> >>> >> >>> Engine has just a little over 100k miles on it. >> >>> I typically run Mobil 1 15w50 in it, but shortly before this drive >> >>> changed the oil to Castrol Syntec 5w50, hoping to achieve better >> >>> lubrication during cold-starts in the winter. I used a Mobil 1 >> >>> filter >> >>> (which I've used occasionally before, though now it was replacing >> >>> a Fram >> >>> tough-guard). >> >>> Flicker definitely seemed related to oil pressure. That is: it >> >>> only came >> >>> on after driving fast for a long block of time, and then letting >> >>> the engine >> >>> drop to idle. After I first noticed a flicker happen once and >> >>> confirming >> >>> the oil level was fine, I tried this experiment several times and >> >>> could >> >>> often get some flickers out of it, although not always. Raising >> >>> the engine >> >>> rpms *at all* would completely kill the flicker. I couldn't give >> >>> it even a >> >>> tiny amount of gas and still have flicker, even after a long run. >> >>> >> >>> Further mitigating factors: >> >>> We have an auxiliary battery setup with heavy gauge wire coupling >> >>> the >> >>> batteries via a Stancor relay. The auxiliary battery is a year old >> >>> or so >> >>> and so almost certainly in worse condition than the starter >> >>> battery, since >> >>> that never gets drained at all. I have the batteries set up so >> >>> that a >> >>> switch can be used to kill the stancor relay when driving (or >> >>> force it to >> >>> be engaged when the engine is off). Anyways, with the stancor >> >>> relay >> >>> disabled, I wouldn't get any oil light flicker, as the engine was >> >>> idling >> >>> high enough to avoid it. The flicker was only happening after a >> >>> long fast >> >>> run *and* at especially low rpms, which would only happen when >> >>> both >> >>> batteries where being powered by the alternator. >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> Obviously I find this all pretty scary! I figure the first step is >> >>> to >> >>> figure out what my oil pressure is at various operating speeds and >> >>> temperatures. So I've ordered parts to install an oil pressure >> >>> gauge. >> >>> >> >>> I realize there's a lower threshold (blue) .25 bar switch that VW >> >>> recommends to replace the existing .3 bar switch, which would >> >>> likely >> >>> eliminate my flicker, but right now I'm just worried this is an >> >>> indication >> >>> of deeper problems. I've ordered one of these switches anyways >> >>> just in >> >>> case my current switch is bad, but the behavior I'm seeing rules >> >>> out a >> >>> wiring issue I think, and I haven't actually heard of anyone >> >>> having an old >> >>> switch that was still responding, but just at too high a pressure >> >>> (if >> >>> anything I would expect them to fail in the other direction.) >> >>> >> >>> I also realize the switch to castrol 5w50 may have been what made >> >>> the >> >>> difference. But I'm reluctant to throw back in some 15w50, have >> >>> the light >> >>> go back off, and then just call the problem solved... I mean, I >> >>> shouldn't >> >>> really be that close to the edge of triggering the switch right? >> >>> Or should >> >>> I be considering it likely that the 5w50 really was just too >> >>> unstable in a >> >>> 1.9l (which has no oil cooler) at high speeds? >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> I'll be grateful for any advice... wow, I hope this engine isn't >> >>> giving >> >>> up on us!! I was planning on getting a lot more life out of it... >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>


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