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Date:         Tue, 12 Mar 96 12:09:22 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Mancuso <dlm202@psu.edu>
Subject:      Dealers--Why don't they listen?

I should just do it myself, but I never seem to have the time anymore....

I took my Westy to VW to: A) Replace some clamps on the cooling system which leaked B) Replace the coolant with the "blue stuff" (that's what I wrote), "not the green Quaker stuff" (that's what I told them on the phone) C) Fix that darn oil light buzzer.

Results: A) They replaced the clamps (as far as I know--I didn't look yet) B) They replaced the coolant with more green Quaker stuff (it's non-phosphate, but that's not what I asked them to do). C) Did nothing about the oil problem ("could not duplicate the condition"). The condition only happens when the engine is cold, and you drive over 2,000 rpm. If you let the engine warm up completely at a standstill, you won't get an oil light/buzzer until you let the car sit for 8 more hours. The condition is completely reproducible when you follow the intructions I wrote on the repair ticket, (and when you don't start the customer's car repair until late afternoon when the customer needs it back that day and made an appointment two weeks in advance for just that purpose). So I guess they let the car warm up while doing the coolant stuff, and then realized that they couldn't get the oil light to come on.

In defense of this dealer, they have done good work for me in the past, and I'm not going to do anything about the coolant. It's done, it's clean coolant. Next year I'll just do the job myself and put Autobahn coolant in.

Why don't people listen, though, when you write it down in plain English, in detail?

Now I have to trace the oil problem myself. Anyone know how to test the sensors? I'm guessing that it's not a pressure problem since: A) It started very suddenly in cold weather when I had other ground connection/electrical FI problems. B) It only happens when cold, not at idle or any other time. C) I've driven the car for 2,000 miles with it this way (I usually give it enough warmup time that I don't get the buzzer) (Boy, I'm really into these A) B) C) things today, aren't I?)

Hmmmmm. Thanks for letting me vent.

Dave Mancuso

==========================

Dave Mancuso Mancuso@aol.com dlm202@psu.edu

'87 Westy (Kalypso)


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