----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, =
1999 10:35
PM
Subject: You could be fooled =
(story of
low oil pressure)
This happens here in TURKU =
(FINLAND) October
1999.
I tell this story to warn
buyers of used VW Vanagon even from authorised VW
dealer.
My friend bought -90 Synchro 1,6 =
TD ($8000
USD) from Airiston Auto Oy . Short =
after (few days) he noticed oil pressure warning buzzer and =
led starts
to alarm on the road. He drove car back =
and
complains this. They said 'ok, the =
pressure sensor
has gone, we'll change it'. The car was =
under
service two days and both sensors, regulator and the dynamic pressure =
sensing
pcb was changed. Then it suddenly is fixed. My friend =
asked if
they had loosen some wire to solve the problem (as for joke)... they =
said
'Absolutely not..now it is ok'. And
everything seems to be ok..until..
About month later my friend =
changes oil and
filter and noticed that there is some wire loose from alternator and =
wrapped
to harness. He asked me if I knew what it was..and I knew =
(thanks to the
list and Bentely manual I own). We connect the wire and..here we =
are
again..buzzer and led alarms.
Technical background: If =
this wire from
alternator is loose dynamic oil pressure sensor system does not know =
motor is
running above 2000 rpm and don't check the status of higher sensor =
while lower
pressure sensor is still active => everything seems to work =
fine.
My friend go back to the service and asks if they =
have fixed
the defect really. After long negotiations they admit fooling =
and say
that they know all time that the bearing surfaces of intermediate axle =
had
worn out and it has to be machined. This wearing causes loosing =
of oil
pressure. They promise to fix it (this time other way) and give =
him
other car meanwhile.
The thing that is still in my
mind...
How =
many cars have
been sold from this shop and others all round the world fixed lile =
this?
Is this common method (at VW) to fix it? Comments =
welcome!
Juha Koivisto
88 Vanagon (Caravelle) 1,6TD (old =
school bus
with 9 seats)
TURKU, FINLAND