20 psi at 4,00 rpm is a bit low. Try running the oil level slightly under
filled, (between the lines) and keep the speed down to avoid overheating the
oil. Having the oil temp gauge, I've found the level is critical at high
rpm's. More is not better. 3,500 rpm versus 4,000 makes a big difference.
Especially with the wind resistance of all that stuff on the roof. Hope this
helps.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of rc welsh
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2001 1:19 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: fluctuating oil press! advice please..

hey folks...wouldn't you know it..i finally have a month off between jobs
and now the vanagon super-trip is courting disaster! My oil pressure buzzer
started sounding about 2 days ago at weird intervals (not just when you
decellerate from highway speeds) my analog VDO gauge started loping between
40 and 20 psi @ 4000 rpm last night as well...confirming my worst vanagon
fears...that my oil pressure was ACTUALLY low.  I stopped in Cortez, CO
today and changed the oil and Filter myself (MANN bus depot filter/20-w-50
weight oil) and noticed some "grit" in the old oil...my 86 GTi always had
grit in its oil but never the vanagon! Is this "grit" my bearing's eating
themsleves up..or is it normal after 2 weeks of desert driving to have junk
in the oil? Am I on the brink of disaster here?! should i point the bus home
and put AAA on speed dial? How long have folks run their vanagons with low
oil pressure (say 20 psi @ 4000 rpm) before throwing rods, breaking cases,
etc.?

If you see my gray '87 GL (2 kayaks/bike/3green bins up top, vermont plates)
along a lonesome colorado/utah byway, stop and help me push...I need to be
in California by the 30th.

-Curt.

curt_welsh@hotmail.com
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