I don't know what VW may have known about the 2.1 rods but from what
I've seen they started putting the extra oil warning system in their
cars starting about the 1982 model year. It is called the Dynamic Oil
Pressure Warning System. They eventually phased it into the full product
line AFAIK, reaching the Vanagon production during 1985 (model year
1986). Waterboxers, inline 4 and 5, diesel and gas, turbo and
non-turbos, all have it starting at some point.

Mark

>Stuart MacMillan wrote:
>
> Brian,
>
>..........
> One critical thing the early 1.9 vans lack is the dual pressure warning
> circuit of the 2.1s.  On those there is a second sender that will trip a
> buzzer if the pressure drops below 8 psi (or something like that) at
> 2000 rpm or above, which is much more critical than the idle pressure.
> VW knew the weakness of the 2.1 rods, and put this extra warning system
> on this engine.
> .........
>