Date:         Sat, 12 Aug 2000 13:24:39 EDT
Reply-To:     kenneth d lewis <kdlewis@juno.com>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         kenneth d lewis <kdlewis@juno.com>
Subject:      Re: oil light & buzzer
Comments: To: T517CALN@aol.com

Tom;
        I want to commend you on succinctness and clarity of your problem
description. If it were me I would try to monitor the oil pressure by
installing an analog oil pressure gauge in the cockpit. This would give
me real world data. Who knows, there may be a slim chance no oil pressure
problem exists.
        I would use the electric sender unit as apposed to running a tube
to the front.

Drive Safely & Good Luck
Ken Lewis    <Kernersville,NC>
86 VW crewcab;60 356B Coupe
--------------------------------------------------

On Fri, 11 Aug 2000 12:34:38 EDT Tom Callan <T517CALN@aol.com> writes:
>Help!
>
>Original owner of a 91 Vanagon Carat. After 129k of problem free
>driving, I
>had a whine in the rear end and a main Eng. seal blown. Since engine
>was to
>be pulled to fix the oil seal, I elected to put in a factory rebuilt
>engine
>and a new gear in the rear end to fix the whine. New clutch too.
>Previously
>used Fram or equivalent filters and a variety of 10-30 Wt oils -
>always
>changed at 3000 mi. - oil light & buzzer worked fine, I never even
>knew they
>were there.
>
>Local VW dealer did work. Within a month had oil light & buzzer
>problem after
>leaving the freeway and driving at slower speeds. Stopped the car,
>called the
>dealer and he picked up the van on a trailer. He ordered and installed
>a new
>engine. Next engine did the same thing and again he replaced the
>engine with
>a new factory rebuilt engine. This time the engine worked OK till I
>changed
>the oil. I bring it back - dealer changes the oil and solves the
>problem.
>This is the first time I've heard that I should be using Castrol
>20-50wt oil
>and factory filter. A year went past before the problem reoccurred
>even
>though I was using the correct oil & filter. I was off warranty for
>engine
>now so only verified oil pressure was correct and have been living
>with the
>problem. Just heard about the list and your web site. Is there a
>solution?
>
>I have 195k on the Vanagon - 66k on the engine
>The temp gauge runs at mid position - a needle width higher on 100
>degree
>days    (same as original engine)
>The light and buzzer come on when rpm drops below 2200 to 2800
>depending on
>time I've been driving at highway speed and temperature of the engine
>If at a stop with the sensors on (light & buzzer), if I race the
>engine to
>around 3000     rpm and back to idle again it resets the system and
>light and
>horn are out. Symptoms reappear after shifting through the gears and
>then
>slowing through the     2200 - 2800 rpm range
>
>Once heard that the factory rebuilt engine might have temperature
>sensors
>that are not compatible with my wiring system and that I should
>replace both
>temp sensors and the pressure relief valve & spring.
>
>Any ideas? I think the dealer used some sort of additive to get me
>through
>the warranty - he denies it!
>
>Thanks,
>Tom Callan
>Houston, Tx

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