Date: Mon, 31 May 2010 19:15:27 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: What's wrong with my 1.9 WBX engine?
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hi.
I haven't seen that clogging of the oil pump pick up screen myself, though
I'm sure that's possible.
You could sneak a peek inside the sump by removing the oil filler tube.
Might not be able to see much that way ...but 'maybe' it could reveal
something.
in my world, I never find it necessary to 'service' waterboxer oil pumps.
I suppose they can get worn some , but I've never had a problem there
myself.
the cover gasket, on the oil pump, is an extra thing gasket that seals the
outer cover of the oil pump to the oil pump body.
That cover is the end plate for the two gears in there.
If someone put in a normal thickness gasket there, the clearance on the end
plate would be too large to the gears.
But someone would have to not know what they were doing to do that mistake.
And it's not something that's normally even messed with in my opinion,
not that some people may improve waterboxer oil pressure by looking into the
oil pump situation.
you need to remove the left lower tin/rock protection cover from the left
cylinder head.
the oil pressure switch where you'd measure oil pressure is under that
cover, between push rod tubes.
Those lower tins can be hard to get off sometimes, as they are secured at
the top by exhaust studs or nuts, and those are rusted sometimes etc.....if
taking things apart on your engine is not something you usually do , might
leave that to your shop technician.
Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "M. Jade" <tinho2010@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, May 31, 2010 6:59 PM
Subject: Re: What's wrong with my 1.9 WBX engine?
Oil overheating is a real possibility. The oil level is fine. When the oil
was changed the oil level was just at the low mark on the stick. I changed
oil and filled up to about mid point between the marks.
I never had the oil pump serviced. I don't think the dealer touched it when
they did the head gaskets 10 years ago. I believe the dealer did it without
even dropping the engine. So its internal is really never touched by anyone.
How do I check the oil pressure? Oil pressure gauge is available at most car
parts places. If it is easy to do I will check it myself. Is it a job
belonging to a Vanagon WBX specialist? Is it likely that the oil pump need
servicing?
Wrong cover gasket? Do you mean cylinder head cover gaskets? They were
replaced for sure. Can leaking head cover gasket causing oil pressure
problem? This would be easy to fix.
I have been using Bosch and Fram oil filters from nearby parts stores. They
have worked fine for many years. I don't feel that the oil filter is causing
the problem. I have changed it at least twice.
Thanks for your reply. I will have the engine oil pressure checked soon.
--- On Mon, 5/31/10, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: What's wrong with my 1.9 WBX engine?
To: "'M. Jade'" <tinho2010@YAHOO.COM>, vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Monday, May 31, 2010, 6:16 PM
The fact that you are getting lifter clatter along with the oil pressure
light indicates that you indeed have an oil pressure problem. Since this is
an older engine with possibly an unknown maintenance history and a lot of
down time it is possible that the oil inlet screen is getting block with
carbon and other debris including silicone from that head gasket job. I have
seen a number of 19 develop this issue, some with well under 100K. This is
elusive as after shut down the stuff falls off and everything will be normal
even during oil pressure testing. Normal driving sloshing etc. will make the
stuff suck up to the screen and block it again.
The 1.9 is also notorious for the main and cam bearing journals wiping out.
An oil pressure gauge will show this as soon as the engine warms up. Has
anyone serviced the oil pump? The wrong cover gasket will also cause oil
pressure problems.
Now for the big question, how is the oil level? Since it is recovering after
a few miles of low speed driving it could be the oil is overheating. The
most common cause of oil over heating on the Waterboxer is overfilling. The
top mark is not the full mark. It is the maximum do not ever exceed no
matter what mark. 4.5 quarts with filter at oil change time is plenty. Oil
will stay cooler near the lower mark.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
M. Jade
Sent: Monday, May 31, 2010 6:56 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: What's wrong with my 1.9 WBX engine?
My engine recently developed a problem I can not fix. It is a 85 Vanagon
with a 1.9 WBX engine with 140k miles. There was work done to the cylinder
head gasket about 10 years ago. It runs very well still. I made a 200 miles
trip yesterday and everything appeared OK except this problem.
Every time I got off a freeway and came to a red light the oil light would
either blink or turn on steadily. Continue to drive a few blocks the symptom
would go away. A few times one or more of hydraulic lifters would collapse
and make clapping noise. They would recover if continued driving for a a
minute. Temp gauge showed normal. There was no coolant leak or anything. It
ran absolutely no problem if drove back on to freeway. In fact it ran very
well with plenty of power yesterday during the 200 mile trip.
Is it developing a serious problem now? I am running 10w40 oil. But changing
to 20w50 made no difference. I have had two oil filter changes already. No
change. I am not ready to give up this engine at only 140k miles. I don't
think it is an oil pressure sensor issue. At one time I was in a stop and go
situation for a while the oil light came on. So it does not have to be
driven on the freeway to have the problem.
This engine has been very reliable with no problems for the past 10 years. I
don't drive it much but do occasionally took it to trips of a couple of
hundred miles. Am I dealing with an engine that is ready to quit? Thanks for
any suggestions.
