Vanagon EuroVan
Previous (more recent) messageNext (less recent) messagePrevious (more recent) in topicNext (less recent) in topicPrevious (more recent) by same authorNext (less recent) by same authorPrevious page (June 1998, week 1)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Tue, 2 Jun 1998 16:59:56 -0700
Reply-To:     Björn <bratjen@DIRECT.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Björn <bratjen@DIRECT.CA>
Subject:      Re: oil pressure
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

At 01:19 PM 02/06/98 -0400, Pawling NY wrote: >I may get toasted for this but here goes. > >"How much oil pressure does my engine need?" I have heard this many times. > >Here is the answer: None. Yes, Zero. Your single cylinder Brigss & Stratten >doesn't even have an oil pump. But it will run for many thousands of hours fine.

Don't try this at home or with your own car.

The layout of your vanagon engine and actually any car engine requires oil pressure to reach all the parts that need lubrication.

Oil pressure and oil circulation are also needed to filter the oil and to cool it or cool certain engine parts. For example turbodiesel engines need oil pressure to cool the pistons (the oil spays against the underside of the piston and acts as a local coolant). If your engine has an oil cooler, it needs a pump to be effective and circulate the oil.

Your single cylinder lawnmower engine has a different layout and should not really not be compared with a vehicle engine.

If you have no oil pressure in your vanagon engine (red light): STOP and check cause immediately (if you don't want to toast your engine).

A note on viscosity: Ideally you need thin oil when you start the engine and thgicker oil when the engine gets hot. Oil becomes thinner when it heats up. That's why there are multi-viscosity oils who counteract this. However, if you have a multi-grade oil with a large range and the engine gets hot, then the more volitile additives tend to evaporate and you will notice higher consumption. Look in your manual where it tells you which grade to use in which climate. I use 10-40 during the winter and 20-50 during the summer. My engine has almost 250000kms on it without ever taking it apart.

Do change oil religiously every 5000 kms (3000 miles).

cheers,

Björn Ratjen

Mill Bay, B.C.

1987 Syncro Est Alia (self camperized) 1995 Passat TD (1982 Vanagon Diesel) 1979 VW Bus (self- camperized)


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.