Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2014 11:44:09 -0500
Reply-To: Steve Cotsford <cotsford@AOL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Steve Cotsford <cotsford@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: oil light question
In-Reply-To: <947B708DC3304D549667ABE2DAB598E5@KarlPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1255
Thank you Karl. I will try to do that. I confess I am a little challenged by the Vanagon electrics and I am unsure of the condition/age. Steve
On Jan 1, 2014, at 11:38 AM, Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@q.com> wrote:
> Before replacing those switches, I'd do a close examination of the wiring;
> Id guess more likely the problem, considering the confidence you have in the
> engine install. ;-)
>
> Good luck
>
> Karl Wolz
>
>
>
> |-----Original Message-----
> |From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]
> |On Behalf Of Steve Cotsford
> |Sent: Wednesday, January 01, 2014 9:31 AM
> |To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> |Subject: Re: oil light question
> |
> |On Jan 1, 2014, at 11:28 AM, Steve Cotsford <cotsford@aol.com> wrote:
> |
> |> Thank you Karl. I have received some info from some other
> |folks and made a little progress.
> |>
> |> I was informed that it might well be a defective oil
> |pressure switch and I plan to replace both of them to
> |eliminate that possibility. Engine is a 2.1 originally from
> |a syncro I believe and mileage is a bit over 100,000 miles.
> |Installed into my 89 Bluestar. Yes i am not very
> |knowledgeable about WBX engines.
> |> What happens is that the oil pressure light blinks on and
> |off regularly, starting just a few minutes after cranking the
> |engine and allowing it to idle. It initially goes out as one
> |would expect.
> |> Then after idling for a while the light starts blinking on
> |and off. Revving the engine a little seems to change
> |nothing. The light still blinks on and off in a regular
> |manner. I can stop the engine, wait a few mins then switch
> |the ignition back on and the red light still blinks on and off
> |at the same regular manner even without the engine running.
> | I re-crank the engine and the light goes out, then after a
> |few minutes of idling, it starts blinking regularly again.
> |This is not like a flashing you get with low oil pressure on
> |an older car at a very low idle.
> |> I have revved the engine a little higher and if I get it
> |over 2500 rpm, the light goes out. When I lower the engine
> |speed back down, sometimes it will start blinking again,
> |sometimes the light will stay off.
> |> I am pretty sure the oil pressure is not problematic and as
> |someone has suggested, an oil pressure switch is old and
> |defective. I have no way to hook up a gauge at present but
> |I will soon and I intend to replace both the pressure switches.
> |>
> |> Now concerning the temp gauge red light flashing. I found
> |out that I had no cable plugged in to the coolant reservoir
> |sensor. I was apparently not careful or knowledgeable back
> |in May when i installed the tank and subsequently i have
> |rooted around, found the cable, plugged it in and now I can
> |run the engine and there is no more red light flashing in the
> |temperature gauge.
> |>
> |> I am learning a lot and admit that I still have a lot to
> |learn :-) Thanks for help from this list !! Happy New
> |Year to all !! Steve
> |>
> |> On Jan 1, 2014, at 10:56 AM, Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@Q.COM> wrote:
> |>
> |>> Steve mentioned OP light, but later on spoke of coolant
> |level sensor. Regular flashing is not an OP light symptom,
> |but is indicative of a missing coolant sensor wire, which he
> |says is the situation on his van.
> |>>
> |>> More info , please?
> |>>
> |>> Karl Wolz
> |>> Sent from my electronic umbilicus
> |>>
> |>>> On Dec 31, 2013, at 2:29 PM, Dennis Haynes
> |<d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
> |>>>
> |>>> I'm here at Disney Epcot for New Years eve. I would begin by s
> |>>> Checking the wiring and sensors. A clogged oil filter can
> |also cause the low pressure light while the high pressure
> |buzzer may not come on as that switch is before the filter.
> |The symptoms you describe are indicative of the oil pump inlet
> |screen blocking with carbon or sludge. With the water boxer
> |this usually means rebuild.
> |>>>
> |>>> Dennis,
> |>>> From my phone.
> |>>> ________________________________
> |>>> From: Steve Cotsford<mailto:cotsford@AOL.COM>
> |>>> Sent: ý12/ý31/ý2013 2:44 PM
> |>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM<mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> |>>> Subject: oil light question
> |>>>
> |>>> It seems very quiet in Vanagon circles today. Probably
> |means that people are resting or socializing and generally
> |doing worthy things :-)
> |>>>
> |>>> I have read some articles on Vanagon oil pressures and I
> |get the impression that its fairly common for older 2.1s to
> |have problems in that area.
> |>>>
> |>>> I have seen other types of engines with low oil pressure
> |and generally the oil light will start flickering at idle when
> |the oil gets hot and thin. I am unfamiliar with the Vanagon
> |system with two senders however.
> |>>>
> |>>> My oil light will start blinking on and off at a regular
> |fairly slow timing and no changes in engine speed seem to
> |affect the blinking. However when the engine is switched off
> |and restarted, there is no oil light. However after a few
> |minutes, the regular blinking starts again. And once again,
> |the speed of the blinking, on-off,on-off seems to be
> |completely unaffected by engine rpm. My gut feeling is
> |that its not oil pressure or lack of that is causing this but
> |some other fault. Engine is a 2.1 from a Syncro I think
> |and its installed in my 1989 Bluestar Vanagon. I am unsure of
> |the mileage but was told its a little over 100k.
> |>>>
> |>>> I can go buy a mechanical gauge and screw it into a
> |pressure switch point but which one? The one near the
> |distributor or the one down between the pushrod tubes. Which
> |makes the most sense? Are they both connected by oil
> |passages within the engine? Is this a common fault and is it
> |likely to be related to something in the gauge assembly and
> |not in the engine at all?
> |>>>
> |>>> Thanks for any help. Enjoy your new years eve :-)
> |Cheers Steve
> |>
>
| 
