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Date:         Sat, 2 May 1998 10:10:48 -0700
Reply-To:     Colin Moran <cmoran@CSWNET.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Colin Moran <cmoran@CSWNET.COM>
Organization: K&M Ranch
Subject:      Poor decisions (kinda long)
Comments: To: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.sdsc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Have any of you made a bad decision and suffered the results? It realy sucks. My van lost oil pressure momentarily on the onramp last night. I thought it was the 30 weight oil I was running for winter use. I tried 30 weight this year to see if it had any better results. i.e. milage. It did'nt, and it caused the oil light to come on occasionaly. I planned to change the oil this weekend to 20W-50, but last night changed that plan. I stopped to check the oil level just to be safe. It was low about a quart. I was just a couple of miles from a gas station, I reasoned that I could put in a quart till Satureday and all would be well. So I started the engine and check the oil pressure. It was low but the pressure light was off. I thought it would be OK to run up to the gas station at a reduced speed. I almost made it!!

I was within a few hundered yards of the station when the oil light came on and stayed on. I waited for it to go off, it did'nt. I pushed the clutch in ready to shut the engine down, but the engine beat me to it. As the clutch disengaged the engine quite. I hoped an prayed that it was just the hot engine had caused it to stall. I coasted into the station and stopped. I added a quart of 20W-50 and tried to start the engine. It turned over real slow. Again I thought ok hot motor. I waited for it too cool. When I tried to start it again, it turned over faster but let out a horrable screech. Yup Spun bearing!!!

The van now sets in the yard waiting for a new motor. I am going to pull all the post of engine swaps and rebuilds from the archieves. I would also like any thoughts or ass kickings, that the list has to offer. I am tired of kicking my self in the ass, I could have walked to the gas station!!! Although I'm still not sure what caused the oil pressure loss. It may be a pump failure or blockage. Who knows? I still feel responsable for hurting a dear friend.

Thanks for all your help. -- Colin Moran Beebe Ar. '86 Syncro GL "The Bronze Brick" 202,000 and ain't going no more


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