Date:         Sat, 6 Jun 1998 12:46:29 -0700
Reply-To:     David Dustan <dustan@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         David Dustan <dustan@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Subject:      Re: Oil Checking My '86 Vanagon
Comments: To: Joel Walker <JWALKER@UA1VM.UA.EDU>,
          "Vanagon@VANAGON.COM" <Vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Thanks Joel!
  I have "adjusted" the oil level down an embarrassing ~2quarts.  I'd only run
the engine a max of 2-3 minutes after.  I feel a little better but a question: I
was driving today and holding a mild 35 mph up an incline and all of a sudden (
my automatic may have downshifted) I viewed a massive white clooud of smoke in my
rear view mirror.  I pulled over to see if I broke anything... but everything was
OK.  I blipped the throttle a couple of times to see if the amount of smoke was
subsiding and it did but the engine died while I was doing this.  The oil level
was fine so I decided to make a run home...about 4 miles.   I never saw another
puff of smoke.  The only thing I can imagine is that I had gotten oil into the
catalytic convertor and it was burning (??).  I'll be driving in a little bit so
I'll be watching to see how it goes.

Thanks for the help!  I appreciate the quick note.

David Dustan

Joel Walker wrote:

> On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 17:58:01 -0700 you said:
> >  First, the oil pressure light in the center pod (between the speedo
> >and the tach) blinks when the other lights are steady when the ignition
> >is switched on (but the engine hasn't been started).  Is this normal??
> >This light will blink forever I suppose.... well at least as long as
> >battery would let it!
>
> yes, this is normal ... the test sequence for the oil pressure system is
> that with ignition on (but engine NOT started) the led must flash.
>
> >  Now I may have an overfilled oil supply which I know is not
> >good........
> >  Any tips on oil checking, filling, changing, spilling, and
> >overfilling??
>
> well ... you might have put the dipstick back in backwards ... there is a
> right way and wrong way. it's kinda bent in one direction and needs to
> follow the curve of the tube. if it doesn't, it doesn't seem to hit the oil.
> also, don't check the oil for about 10 minutes after you shut off the
> engine ... this gives the oil out in the rockers and cylinder heads and other
> oily places time to drain back down. checking it too soon after engine
> shutdown can fool you into thinking the oil is too low.
>
> good luck!
> joel