Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2015 13:19:55 -1000
Reply-To: "SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott )" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "SDF ( aka ;jim lahey' - Scott )" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Organization: Cosmic Reminders
Subject: Re: Oil light and warning
In-Reply-To: <CA+az7_4Hzs-9KDV29KncriVL1xC+yGeK+y8bAvo2UdbEwpqJWw@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
This seems to be going on a long time now.
1. the idea behind grounding the wire that goes to the high rpm oil
pressure sensing switch is to eliminate that OP switch from the picture.
The Dynamic Oil Pressure warning cirucit should be quite happy with that
wire grounded ..'thinking' oil pressure above whatever the threshold rpm
is OK.
( this btw, is commonly done on any vanagon that has a two-switch
Dynamic system and an engine with only one oil pressure switch is being
installed, such as a 1.9 waterboxer or a subaru engine. )
2. after all this concern and effort, if the Actual Oil Pressure at idle
and running down the road has not been tested with an oil pressure gauge
..it's about time to do that !
< unless you are totally confident the engine and oil pressure are fine
and this can only be an oil pressure Indication Fault >
I keep a simple and cheap mechanical oil pressure around. Heck ..I
have it strapped to a piece of wood that fits over the back seat of a
vanagon.
On ALL new or new engines I install...I connect that guage for a while ..
for example..only high miles 1.9 waterboxer ..with 20W50 engine oil, oil
pressure is more or less 60 at the high, and 6 psi at the low ( hot idle
of course ) . That's typical for a high miles engine.
And at least I know what it really is.
The very hardest part of installing an oil pressure guage is ..
getting the left lower push rod cover off....upper mounting tabs are
under exhasut bolts or nuts ...sometimes badly rusted and stuck. (
btw...those covers are just fine with only one upper tab connected ) ..
next is getting the oil pressure switch under there out, not hard with
the right socket.
then make a small pipe fittings rig for a place to plumb the oil
pressure switch .
These days I just use some metal line from a parts sore, and brass
fittings to mount the original OP swithc and a fitting for an OP sender
or pipe/line ....about a foot long or so ...and run it up to a spot
between the theremostat housing ( on a 2.1 wbx ) and the bell housing
area ..
from then on, I can check the OP on that engine very easily.
Ultimately, I go with a VDO electrical OP guage on the dash. I get them
from eguages.com .
the Dynamic Oil Pressure System ( DOPS ) circuit board is mounted inside
the speedometer of all places.
I forget , but the van can possibly run without that cirucit installed,
and just a plain old Single Oil Pressure Swithc system .
and of course..actually SEEING what the REAL Oil Pressure is, on a
gauge, in varing conditions, is the only right way to really know what
is what. Could save you and engine blow-up even.
have fun ! if you havn't already ..buy Van Cafe's oil pressure guage
kit ..I think they have one.
On 11/18/2015 11:30 AM, John Rodgers wrote:
> This light and warning horn fault of coming on around 2200 rpm is still
> plaguing me. I have spoken with a most highly reputable shop and was
> advised this is problematic only in the sense that the dynamic system is
> not working properly, gives erroneous information, and causes near heart
> attacks.
>
> It COULD indicate loss of oil and pressure, but most often not. It's mainly
> a big annoyance, but one you definitely want to check out. The oil pressure
> switches are readily available, but the circuit board that goes in the dash
> pod is not. It seems to be NLA. This raises a problem on how to deal with
> this.
>
> GoWesty makes blue ribbon replacement kit, and it addresses this issue, but
> it's pricey. The other option and the one suggested, and also used by the
> shop, was to install an oil pressure and temperature guage.
>
> The one thing I still am not sure about, was the recomendation to remove
> the wire from the high pressure switch by the water pump pully, and groung
> it to the block or frame.
>
> Any ideas about that?
>
> John
>
