| Subject: | Re: Oil light flicker |
| From: | Mark Dorm |
| Date: | Tue, 20 Aug 2002 16:00:12 -0700 |
<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV> <P>Boy you are good. It only flickers at high RPM's with no buzzer, idle isn't a problem, I used 20 50 Mobile One and didn't notice any worsening of the oil leak (if thats what it is, could be trannie oil I guess) as judged by build up on the hatch (which isn't that bad really, takes a while before it looks real bad, see more on the ground after parking so I think at high rpms the leak is minimal), the engine heat wise is running just fine -- hey thanks for your answer -- it reinforces what I read in the archives<BR><BR></P></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV>>From: Dennis Haynes <DHAYNES@OPTONLINE.NET> <DIV></DIV>>To: 'Mark Dorm' <MARK_HB@HOTMAIL.COM>, vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <DIV></DIV>>Subject: RE: Oil light flicker <DIV></DIV>>Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002 18:50:24 -0400 <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>You need to determine weather you have an electrical or actual oil <DIV></DIV>>pressure problem. Answer the following questions: <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>1) Does the light flicker at idle/low speed or at higher engine <DIV></DIV>>speeds? If at low speed only, you may have low pressure, a bad switch, <DIV></DIV>>or the wire is shorting to ground some where. <DIV></DIV>>2) If it flickers at higher RPM, do you also get the buzzer? Light <DIV></DIV>>flickering above 2500 rpm without buzzer indicates a shorted wire or bad <DIV></DIV>>switch. If the pressure is below .9 bar at 2500 rpm, the second switch <DIV></DIV>>will cause the buzzer to sound unless some one defeated that switch. <DIV></DIV>>3) What viscosity Mobil-1 did you use? Should be the 15w-50. <DIV></DIV>>4) Are you willing to pay $500 to replace the main seal? It won't <DIV></DIV>>raise the oil pressure anyway. <DIV></DIV>>5) If the oil pump is worn, the rest of the engine is also, would <DIV></DIV>>only be temporary fix. <DIV></DIV>>6) Is the engine running hotter than usual? This will lower oil <DIV></DIV>>pressure. <DIV></DIV>>7) Is the engine filled to the proper level? I get a little <DIV></DIV>>worried when oil is added for an oil pressure problem. The oil level <DIV></DIV>>must be between the marks. The full mark is actually the extreme upper <DIV></DIV>>limit and going above the mark will cause the oil to get hotter and <DIV></DIV>>further reduce viscosity and oil pressure. <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>I hope some of this helps. <DIV></DIV>>Dennis <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>-----Original Message----- <DIV></DIV>>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf <DIV></DIV>>Of Mark Dorm <DIV></DIV>>Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2002 4:12 PM <DIV></DIV>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <DIV></DIV>>Subject: Oil light flicker <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>Okay, I've got 160K miles on my 1991 Vanagon Carat. <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>I've had a slow oil leak between the engine and transmission <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>I go to the dealer to get my oil filter and they don't give me Mann nor <DIV></DIV>>Mahle but its what ekta has for them and it says VW on the filter (I'll <DIV></DIV>>repost with the number) <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>I changed the oil less than 2000 miles ago and opted for Mobile One <DIV></DIV>>Synthetic whereas previously I used just Kendal 20 50 or a mix of Kendal <DIV></DIV>>and a synthetic oil (redline or mobile). <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>Last night the oil light started flickering. I checked the oil, added <DIV></DIV>>some. <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>Today it flickers, I added something to thicken the oil. No real change. <DIV></DIV>>I flashes once or twice and then nothing, or it pitters just a little, <DIV></DIV>>or patters, and then its out. <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>It seems to drive just fine. <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>Called a guy and he wants 70 dollars. But if its due to the oil filter <DIV></DIV>>then what good does it do to check? <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>I know it could be electrical, the oil filter, the slow leak getting <DIV></DIV>>worse, or bearings going bad, or the oil pump getting weak. <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>If its the main seal he said its 500 dollars. He said the oil pump would <DIV></DIV>>be expensive too cause its inside the casing.... (is this true....) <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>So does flicker mean one thing as opposed to another? It doesn't buzz <DIV></DIV>>nor stay on for anything more than a flash. <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>Also, I'm in Columbus Ohio. I've driven from California to Miami to <DIV></DIV>>Philadelphia to New York to Ohio to New York again and now again to <DIV></DIV>>Columbus. It was my goal to go to California. Now I don't know. Anyone <DIV></DIV>>need a body for an engine conversion (if I'm looking at the worse case <DIV></DIV>>scenario)? Its white color is a nice white cause I had it painted two <DIV></DIV>>years ago. <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>> _____ <DIV></DIV>> <DIV></DIV>>Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: Click Here <DIV></DIV>><HTTP: c152??PI="44364" 1HM1ENUS g.msn.com> <DIV></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr>Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: <a href='http://g.msn.com/1HM1ENUS/c152??PI=44364'>Click Here</a><br></html>
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