Date:         Fri, 2 Mar 2001 18:35:59 -0700
Reply-To:     Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject:      Re: slight glow from oil press. light
Comments: To: "J. C." <jcblues@YAHOO.COM>

Hit the brakes really hard when you're three quarts low, and the oil light
WILL light up for a second or two.

Karl Wolz

----- Original Message -----
From: "J. C." <jcblues@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 4:06 PM
Subject: Re: slight glow from oil press. light


> Same thing happened to mine. It would intermittently
> glow bright, then fade and go out. Looks to have been
> a frayed wire occasionally grounding out. THe manual
> says if you really do have an oil problem the brake
> light goes on, too. mine never did when oil light lit.
> Also note, the oil light won't tell you if your oil is
> low, according to manual. Plus, if there's a problem
> w/ oil pressure you should be able to hear it. if it
> sounds normal i wouldn't worry about the engine; just
> fix the signalling problem. Advice from a non-expert.
>
> Jim Carter
> Enfield, NH
> '84 Westy: the Orange Violin
> --- Jeffrey R <Oxroad@AOL.COM> wrote:
> > As I came down a long hill (about a mile) in the
> > rain tonight I noticed a
> > slight glow from the oil pressure idiot light
> > (really very slight--I had to
> > turn off the instrument lights to be sure). I put it
> > in neutral and coasted
> > down the hill. Buy the time I reached the bottom the
> > glow had gone away. The
> > rest of the mile or so ride home on level ground the
> > light remained off.  I
> > had only driven about 5 or 6 miles when I started
> > down the hill. And I have
> > never noticed this glowing  of the light before.
> >
> > I'm wondering if this is a cause for major or minor
> > concern--so if anyone has
> > experienced this or has information I would
> > appreciate it. I have a few
> > questions and they are in "most wishful thinking"
> > descending order:
> >
> > 1. Is it possible that the heavy rain completed the
> > circuit at the sensor--if
> > the sensor was soaked and, since it was a poor
> > connection created by the
> > water the light merely glowed slightly?
> >
> > 2. I think I may have been deliquent on an oil
> > change. Could the combo of the
> > thinning oil and the downhill slope be just enough
> > to make the light glow?
> > (no excuse for the deliquentcy--I'll get right on
> > that, but I will rest easy
> > if this kind of thing could be the cause).
> >
> > 3. Does the sending unit even offer itself to the
> > possiblity that it could
> > send a slight signal causing the idiot light to
> > glow--or is it simply and
> > "on" of "off" switch which means the light would be
> > on brightly? (the light
> > shines brightly when the key is turned on before I
> > start the engine. It turns
> > off and stays off along with the alternator idiot
> > light once I hit the gas
> > enought to bring it up to 1200 RPMs)
> >
> > I should add, but it may have nothing to do with the
> > above:
> >
> > Thinking about it there is a bit of gremlin in my
> > electrical system in that
> > about two times over the last three months the
> > "fasten seat belt" light has
> > come on momentarily while driving and while
> > seatbelts are fastened (I think
> > it's on a timer at start up anyway so would have
> > little to do with whether
> > seatbelts are fastened or not?). The rear heater
> > fan, if left on in the
> > highest speed position when the ignition is turned
> > off will run for a few
> > minutes then the fan will stop itself--or if I don;t
> > give it the few minutes
> > to shut itself off it will run until I turn on the
> > hazard lights or I think
> > it will go off if I push the brake pedal. (odd, no?)
> > A couple of times I've
> > heard a relay buzz for a moment for no apparent
> > reason during daylight hours
> > with no turn signal, fan or wiper switch turned on.
> > This last I attributed to
> > a loose power connection to the wiper relay since
> > some jiggling of the wire
> > is need to get the wipers going (the DPO "fixed" the
> > fuse box by adding a
> > separate fuse for the wipers and a separate fuse for
> > the defroster fan--from
> > the facotry I believe these componants shared one
> > fuse. I think the defroster
> > fan seized and melted the fuse panel
> > slightly--probably because he had the
> > fuse covered in foil if I know Frank. I have owned
> > the bus for 4 years now
> > and the new fused system has worked fine it seems.
> > But I have to get on the
> > loose connection.) And finally the Hazard switch
> > glows dimly a few moments
> > after the headlights are turned on. Meaning it
> > doesn't light up right away
> > but will glow after about a 1 or 2 second count. I
> > thought this might be
> > normal since the light in the switch should not glow
> > fully bright like the
> > other instrument lights or else it would be blinding
> > to the driver. When the
> > Hazards are turned on it blinks using the full power
> > of the light.
> >
> > Sorry it's long
> > TIA
> > Jeff
> > 83.5 Westy
> > LA,CA
>
>
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