OH! Well that might explain some things. It is to laugh! Guess where I
installed the temp sensor? YUP! In the hole in the tin between the
distributor and the fan shroud. Well, I can remedy that, I don't think I
harmed the sensor when I pulled it out and I did keep it. It now makes
some sense that the part I removed had a radically different wrench
size, 24mm, from the one I installed, 13mm. Now all I need to do is
figure out where the temp sensor exists.

Not the sharpest knife in the shade tree mechanic drawer,
David Higginbotham
82 Westfalia
Silk Hope, NC

-----Original Message-----
From: David Brodbeck [mailto:gull@gull.us] 
Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2003 8:21 AM
To: Higginbotham, David A.
Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: 82 won't start when hot was re:83' won't start when hot

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003, Higginbotham, David A. wrote:

> The second one: the oil pressure idiot light stays lit all the time
now.
> Yes, I checked the oil, many times. The idiot light spooks me and I
shut
> her down as soon as I saw it. Checked the oil. Started her again,
still
> the light, let it run for a short period. Checked the oil. Started her
> again and let her warm up. Still the light.
>
> Anybody got any advice on how to start troubleshooting from here?

Did you accidentally knock the wire to the oil pressure sender loose
while
you were working in the engine bay?  If I remember right the sender is
between the fan shroud and the air distributor, in a hole in the tin.
It
should be under a rubber seal but usually isn't. ;)  There's a single
wire
that connects to it.  If that wire shorts to ground somewhere you get
the
oil light on all the time.

To test the wiring you can disconnect the wire and tape the connector so
it can't short to anything.  If the oil light still comes on, you have a
short to ground somewhere in the oil pressure light wiring.  If it
doesn't, then it's time to suspect either the sender or your engine's
oil
pressure.

David Brodbeck, N8SRE
'82 Diesel Westfalia
'94 Honda Civic Si