Date:         Mon, 12 Sep 94 9:07:46 PDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         David Schwarze <schwarze@io.nosc.mil>
Subject:      Re: oil pressure question

martha rubin writes:
> 
> Would those of you with air-cooled vanagons AND an oil pressure
> gauge out there tell me approximately where your gauge reads
> while driving at highway speed?
> If you also happen to have an oil temperature gauge, or even
> a cylinder head temperature gauge, I'd be interested in those
> readings as well.

Mine is not a vanagon, but the engine is nearly identical, and I love
to post, so here goes... :)

		COLD		HOT		REALLY HOT

Oil Pressure	60-70		35-40		25-30
Oil Temp	 -		200-220	F	250+ F

Oil is usually 20-50 Valvoline racing oil.  I also have a Melling
high-volume (supposedly) oil pump which might make a difference.
Steady cruise at highway speed is generally in the HOT range, unless
it's in the desert or uphill. 

Cylinder Head Temp doesn't seem to have too much to do with oil
temp, so I'll list the numbers separately.  

Steady 60 mph cruise		275 F
Pulling hills in 3rd @ 48 mph	250 F  (oil temp goes through the roof)
Pulling hills in 4th @ 48 mph	325 F  (oil temp drops)

My CHT sensor is mounted at the stock position.  I have heard from others 
on this list that sensors mounted at the spark plug read higher.  CH temp
seems directly tied to engine rpm, which is as it should be, I guess.
Hope this helps...

-David