Date:         Mon, 24 Jun 2013 10:05:29 -0600
Reply-To:     OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Eric Caron is on the road!
Comments: To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2013062410495953@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

        I have my 1983H2OBoxer OwnersManual in front of me & on Pg29 it states

"STOP AT ONCE if the oil pressure warning light comes on while
driving. (Brake warning light also comes on due to design of
electrical system. In case of brake failure, only the brake warning
light will come on.)

Turn the engine off

The oil pressure warning light is not an indicator for low engine oil
level. To check the oil level, always use the dipstick(see page 58).

Check the engine oil level to make sure you have enough oil. If in
doubt about the cause do not drive on but contact nearest VW Dealer.

An occasional flickering of the oil pressure warning light when the
engine is idling after a long high-speed trip is no cause for concern
if the light goes out upon acceleration."

I do suppose that both the OwnersManual & DesignOfElectricalSystem may
have changed in the years following.

                                                                                                        ORR ~ DeanB


On 24 Jun , 2013, at 8:49 AM, David Beierl wrote:

> At 10:19 AM 6/24/2013, Jeff Lincoln wrote:
>> No offense Scott but he did say: " read the *original* owner's
>> manual "
>
> Aye.  But he *misread* it, or more likely he's misremembering the
> details (which would have been to the effect that an OIL light at hot
> idle isn't necessarily a problem).  There's no connection between the
> oil pressure light and the brake warning light system.
>
> On the '84 the brake warning lights if the parking brake is on or if
> only one of the two pressure switches activates when the pedal is
> applied.
>
> On the '85 they seem to have done away with the pressure sensing and
> only activate for the hand brake.  I think this is unlikely and the
> wiring diagram is probably wrong.  I'm going to guess that they went
> to the float switch as below.
>
> Starting in '86 they changed over to a float switch on the reservoir,
> so in addition to the hand brake the light activates when fluid drops
> in the reservoir; but not for a pressure imbalance between the two
> brake systems.  To do the job thoroughly they need both.
>
> The OIL light is completely independent of any other system.
>
> Yours,
> David