Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 13:19:50 -0700
Reply-To: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: I'm going to disconnect my oil pressure guage
In-Reply-To: <BAY402-EAS1694932008D55027247DD7A0670@phx.gbl>
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Thanks everyone. It is 15w-50, I checked my receipt.
I am getting 28-30 at 4000+ rpm. No oil cooler on the 1.9 of course, so not much I can or will do there. I did actually install the 2.1 cooler in my '84 when I put in a new 2.1 engine using an oil bypass plate and used a remote filter set up with braided oil and coolant lines (coolant came from a tapped nipple I installed on the water pump, and I've forgotten where it went back) . Worked well, but oil changes were messy and it wasn't worth the trouble (I should have installed an air cooler). The remote filter was in the cavity in the rear corner and had to be brought out and hung over the deck edge to change the filter. Lots of plastic sheet and cardboard were necessary, and with four braded hoses it was a bit of a kludge.
When I had my '68 Westy I installed an oil temp guage and all it did was scare the crap out of me. On one trip in 90+ degree temps I ran all day with the oil at 280+ degrees (drain plug sender) with no problems, but it drove me crazy to see those temps. Fortunately I didn't have an oil pressure gauge or I probably would have turned back. That was back in the '80s before synthetic oil was common, so I was probably running Pennzoil 30wt. In those days I just rebuilt the engine every 50k and tried the "latest technology," which once was ARCO Graphite oil. Anyone remember that? What a mess that was to clean off your hands, but I commend them for figuring out how to suspend graphite in oil, even if it didn't do much.
Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Dennis Haynes
Sent: Monday, July 15, 2013 12:43 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: I'm going to disconnect my oil pressure guage
Mobil 1 does not come in a 15w-40. Do you mean 15w-50? Those pressure readings are not that bad and close to spec. The wear limit is 28 psi @ 4k rpm. You should have a lot of time left. What would add value is an oil temp gauge. Then you will see why you have pressure concerns.
Dennis,
From my phone.
-----Original Message-----
From: "Stuart MacMillan" <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sent: 7/15/2013 2:43 PM
To: "vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM" <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Subject: I'm going to disconnect my oil pressure guage
Ignorance is bliss, at least for a while. My worn 1.9 with 140k miles runs
5-8 psi idle after a run on the freeway, and 22-26 psi at 3000 rpm when hot with Mobil 1 15w-40. Pressure is 60 psi at cold start up. This is in nice temps, about 70 degrees, and mostly flat terrain. I knew it was bad, but I just want to get another 2000 miles out of this engine, and I'm staying on the NW coast this summer to avoid long climbs and hot weather. I wonder if
20w-50 would boost it a little. STP? Or just forget about it?
What do you think?
Stuart=
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