Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2015 10:44:44 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Oil Buzzer advice
In-Reply-To: <AE4CBDAA-ABF9-404D-B49A-587939E4D257@gmail.com>
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It is possible that the connections at the dash were disturbed or the instrument cluster foil was damaged. It could also be coincidental. Check the circuit is easy. Find the wire going to the sensor on the back of the engine. There was a two wire connector on the left side for the two oil pressure sensors. Disconnect there. Make a jumper and ground the connector going to the rear sensor. Test. If no buzzer everything up front is good and you have a wire, sensor, or true low pressure problem. If you still get the buzzer you need to work on the wiring issue.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Aaron
Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2015 3:29 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Oil Buzzer advice
Hello all.
We have a ’91 automatic that is currently giving us an oil buzzer warning and I think it may be a false alarm, but perhaps not.
History:
• 200,000 miles. Original engine.
• Has occasionally given the buzzer when on hot, long trips coming off freewa.. Typical vanagon. Not too concerned • 3 weeks ago oil cooler seal failed pumping 2.5 quarts out the back over about a mile & leading to an oil buzzer, immediate shutoff, and a short tow home.
• That was fixed and the van has driven fine since then. No oil buzzer • 20w50 and Mahle? filters.
So, one might ask “Where there any unusual events that might trigger this sudden oil pressure light?”
As usual…probably me. Over the weekend, I started finishing the brake work which means a new master cylinder and rear brakes. I swapped out the master cylinder, put the dash back together, and took it for a spin. Oil buzzer went on as soon as I started driving it up the road. I stopped it. started up again, and same thing. Oil light comes on once I rev past 2000 or 3000 (can’t remember) RPM’s. Due to the fact that things were fine BEFORE I tore apart the dash, it might indicate that perhaps there’s gremlins in the electrical.
I did some checking and my hope is that this is because of an electrical issue related to my “handiwork” on the brakes. I cleaned the contacts at the big plug where the oil pressure sender wire is with no change in the behavior. All contacts look good anyway. I was careful with the dash bits and hopefully didn’t damage anything.
If this is indeed electrical, are there “typical” issues that can help me to diagnose whether the warning is an electrical issue or actual oil pressure issue? Please don’t answer “get an oil pressure gauge”. I’m hoping for some multimeter readings etc...
Meanwhile we drive the spare.
Thanks!
Aaron
’91 Carat (daily driver)
’87 Westy
