Date:         Fri, 28 Apr 95 14:38:44 PDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         smaher@ball.com (Steve Maher)
Subject:      Re: Fan Belt Woes


>Below that, there was some fresh oil on the compartment base
>and was dripping from the oil sensor itself!! What's this??!! Did the engine
>just get so hot that it began to seep from the sensor?? The sensor also looks
>as though it's not completely screwed in anymore.

Had this happen to me on a '65 bus, Rachel. Oil leaked from the pressure
sensor, and it didn't appear to be screwed in all the way. On closer
examination, I found that the plastic center piece of the sensor, was
rattling loosely in its metal housing. Don't know why-- seems that these
little guys are sort of fragile. I replaced it, and lived happily ever
after.

RE the not-screwed-in part, these sensors have tapered pipe threads, and
get tighter and tighter as you screw them in. You're supposed to stop when
they get nice and snug-- I don't know the exact torque spec. But when you're
done, you will still see some threads sticking out. C'est la vie!

BTW, one fellow suggested a misadjusted clutch as a possible cause of
my '71 going into gear so hard. Interesting. When I got the bus, I decided
(in my wisdom) to adjust the clutch to "just where I like it". Also, my old
'69 bus many years ago, received the same treatment from moi. Strangely
enough, both these vehicles exhibited identical hard-shifting symptoms,
despite a transmission replacement and linkage adjustment in the '69.

You don't suppose...  naah...

Good luck! Hope some of this helps.