Date:         Thu, 30 May 96 12:50:32 EDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         sas@xyplex.com (Scott Sminkey - Sustaining Eng Group)
Subject:      Re: 91 Vanagon, oil pressure anomaly

Patrick <plarsen@moose.uvm.edu> wrote:
>Right to the problem: Every time I exit the freeway, the oil pressure 
>light and buzzer (you know, the one that triples your heart rate in a 
>split second) come on. In every instance, I have immediately pulled over, 
>stopped the engine, and checked the oil (always fine). I turn the engine 
>on again after a minute or two and everything is fine (no light, no 
>buzzer). Is this my vans way of telling me it doesn't want to leave the 
>freeway? 8-) Any advise of information is appreciated.

I had exactly the same problem with my '91. It turned out to be the oil
pressure relief check ball was sticking causing chronic low oil pressure.
The pressure was always low, but within spec, so the buzzer/light didn't
go off until it got very low like in the summer, when running 10W-30, etc.,
etc., and when I hit an exit ramp, just like Patrick. My dealer replaced
the check ball and spring and it's been perfect since.

I should point out that the dealer I bought the Vanagon from screwed
around with replacing the dynamic oil pressure system circuit board,
put on a VW oil filter, and then scratched his head and said "duh?".
The dealer I use now swapped out the oil pressure sending unit then
zeroed in on the check ball.

Good luck, Patrick! I'll bet you a beer it's the check ball and spring.

- Scott
  '91 Westfalia Camper
=============
Scott Sminkey, Sustaining and Specials Eng.   Whittaker Xyplex, Inc.
sasminkey@eng.xyplex.com                      295 Foster Street
508 952-4792  fax 508 952-4887                Littleton, Massachusetts 01460