Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 10:30:46 -0700
Reply-To: "Alan J. Flint" <ajflint@ITSA.UCSF.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Alan J. Flint" <ajflint@ITSA.UCSF.EDU>
Subject: First trip: HELP! Oil Pressure Light
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Dear Listers:
My wife and I just returned from our first trip in our "new" 87
Syncro Westfalia. We were mostly in Acadia and other parts of Maine. It
went rather well. One moose seemed particularly interested in checking
out the van (up close).
First off, I want to thank all of you (and earlier Type 2 drivers)
for waving, flashing or beeping "hello" every time we crossed paths. My
wife couldnt get over it. She drives a new Volvo.
The only mechanical problem we had was the OIL PRESSURE warning
light came on. This happened four times total and was always transient.
I stopped immediately each time. Twice pulling over shut it off; twice it
was off after restarting the van. It looked like I could add a quart of
oil, so I did. The light still came on once more. The engine always
sounded fine, never stalled or lost power. The engine did not overheat or
even get warmer than usual. The light typically came on a few minutes
into a drive, after a brief stop. After restart could drive 200 miles
home without light coming on. Worried a lot.
A little background: 79,000 miles, about 2,000 since purchase.
Original oil pump, as far as I know. I used Mobil 1 (blue top grade) from
the start, likely representing a switch from refined oil. OEM Mann
filter. No warning lights for first 1,500 miles or so, until half way
through this trip.
The Haynes indicates that the oil pressure sender can be faulty
and that measuring the pressure directly is indicated as a first step.
John Muir discusses the "oil pressure popoff valve" (clean it) as well,
but I dont know if that is applicable to this engine. Or does the type
(synthetic) or grade of oil make me prone to this? Does the fact that it
is extremely transient and intermittent help in the diagnosis?
Unfortunately, this will also make it hard to determine if I have fixed
it. Obviously, I want to exhaust all easier and less expensive
possibilities before considering an new oil pump.
Thank you in advance. If anyone would like to see this moose, she
came to our campsite repeatedly. I will e-mail you the site number and
youll probably see her there.
Alan.
Shrewsbury.
87 Syncro Westfalia
81 Pickup
73 914
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