In a message dated 1/18/00 9:14:18 PM Eastern Standard Time,
jcryan@IMAGINEMAIL.COM writes:

> A word of gratitude for the wisdom of the list...I've been lurking ever
since
> recently acquiring an 89 Vanagon Carat. To break her in, I decided on a
cross-
> country trip and towards the 3000th mile, a loud noise (like an alarm
clock)
> sprang up and the oil engine light went on. The noise scared the bejezus
out
> of me as I down-shifted into 2nd gear.

It's meant to scare you. I think you have oil pressure problems. I had a Fox
that would do that if I tried to stretch my oil change or filter change
frequency.

My 89 Carat also did that the first week I had it until I changed the oil
then it was OK. However, don't be too comforted by that because six months
later the number three cylinder went. Maybe it was unrelated, however...

A loose connection on the oil pressure sender on my Fox also seemed to have
caused this symptom at another time.

I think that there is a little computer algorithm which weighs temperature,
RPM and oil pressure and if you fall outside the acceptable range, it blares
at you.

There are others who have seen this happen when the oil return valve spring
goes bad and the pressure in your system drops.

I would suggest that you check your oil, your filter, and connections to send
units and monitor this carefully.

I'm sure there are others with more definitive diagnoses and remedies, but
above all, be careful.

Paolo
89 Carat Eurospec'd