Date:         Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:08:42 -0500
Reply-To:     mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: '87 Westy - Oil Change, out of hibernation
Comments: To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <BAY152-ds11290876C5E0562F37274DA0ED0@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

---- Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote: 
> If you're not pegging that gauge you should be good. 60-70 psi at start up is normal for these engines and with all things stock and correct oil the relief valve will usually do the job. This is where gentle driving during warm up is beneficial. Over size oil pumps, high viscosity oils, or high revving a cold engine can overcome the relief valve capacity and then pressure can climb drastically. This where cheap oil filters (joking here) are handy as they can be the relief point before blowing the oil cooler seal or the cooler itself. Next will be floating the valve lifters maybe even causing the engine to run rough or stop. If all else fails the oil pump shaft drive will twist or break. Before the days of hydraulic lifters most of the VW-Audi in line engine would run ~75-90 psi hot. That is why there are gauges to read to 150 psi. On the water boxer 10 psi/1,000 rpm is ideal with the relief generally keeping things below 50 psi. 28 psi at 4,000 rpm is a wear limit although conditions can make this a regular occurrence. The high speed-pressure warning buzzer is ~ 13 psi over 2,500 rpm. 

Thanks Dennis.  This is very helpful.
> 
> Dennis
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Dave Mcneely
> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2013 1:19 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: '87 Westy - Oil Change, out of hibernation
> 
> Well, the question was, "What is too much oil pressure in a waterboxer?"  So, I repeat the question:  What is too much oil pressure in a waterboxer?  Is it 65 psi, 70 psi?
> 
> On startup, cold, 20W50 Castrol (I hate the company, but use the oil because I can't seem to find a better, and will not pay for synthetic for an engine that is supposed to run on non-synthetic oil), the OP on my 1991 Volkswagen Vanagon GL Campmobile with 2.1 with 170K miles runs at 60-70 psi depending on how cold it is.  At home I garage it, and ambient temperature is usually around 50 F in winter.  But then I park it outside when away from the house.  But it has never pegged the 0-80 psi gauge.  The pressure usually drops to 40 psi quickly as the engine warms up and holds around there.  Summer is another matter, it usually drops to around 30 psi but will go lower on on long runs under hot conditions.  I switch to 40W for about 3 months.
> 
> So far as low OP, I don't see a problem there, except at idle it may drop to 10 psi or a tad lower after long hot runs.
> 
> How much OP is too high??
> 
> mcneely
> 
> ---- OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
> >         If I saw a 10PSI drop or even a 5PSI drop in HotOP from 15w-40 
> > to
> > 10w-40 or even 0w-40 I would Kiss that OilManufacture Goodby in a 
> > HeartBeat.
> >
> >                                                                         
> > ORR ~ DeanB
> >
> > On 14 Mar , 2013, at 8:52 AM, Don Hanson wrote:
> >
> > > So, what is "too much" oil pressure in a waterboxer?  mcneely
> > >
> > >
> > > And, what is too much oil pressure in an inline VW motor?  (ABA 
> > > Jetta 2.0
> > > liter)
> > >
> > > Mine, using 15-40 starts up cold with (3000rpm) 75-80psi, then when 
> > > up to normal oil temp (~200f) the pressure settles at around 
> > > 60-65psi (again, given a 3000rpm engine speed)  I've wondered about 
> > > the seemingly pretty high cold oil and engine oil pressure...
> > >
> > >   After hard use on a hot day, my idle OP sits at about 25psi with the
> > > 15-40w oil.    When I use 10-40 or 10-30, I see about 10psi lower at
> > > speed
> > > and a few psi lower at idle when hot.
> 
> --
> David McNeely
> 

--
David McNeely