Are you sure you have the correct sender for the gauge? Have you checked the
reading against another known good guage? A cold engine, (overnight cold)
should start off with oil pressure high against the relief valve at 50 psi+.
After warm up you should be able to hold ~10psi/1,000 rpm. 28 psi @ 4,000
rpm is considered a wear limit reqiuring attention.

Knowing operating the engine without the cooling system working properly is
not a good thing. The cooling system should be bleed with the engine cold to
avoid vaporizing the coolant with the resulting hot spots. You are asking
for trouble here.

Dennis

>From: Anthony Kimmons <akimmons@GMAIL.COM>
>Reply-To: Anthony Kimmons <akimmons@GMAIL.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Now...Water and Oil idiot lights? Doh!
>Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:47:08 -0500
>
>I installed the two connection VDO oil pressure gauge when I did the
>rebuild. I want to say it controls both the idiot light and the
>pressure gauge, but I'm sure I had to remove the original sensor in
>order to connect it. I'll have to crawl under there and  see today.
>If I remember correctly, the hose that came with the kit screwed
>directly into the engine where the sensor normally screws in. The
>gauge is reading very low (almost nothing) when the buzzer comes on.
>
>I'm heading out right now to start working on all this... Hopefully
>I'll get somewhere with it!
>
>
>On 7/24/07, Mike Collum <collum@verizon.net> wrote:
>>By the way, Anthony, do you have a "Tee" on your oil pressure port where
>>you can use the gauge sender and the original VW idiot light sender?
>>
>>If you're using the aftermarket idiot light sender it will cause the
>>light and alarm to go off at a higher pressure than the original.
>>
>>Mike
>>
>>
>>
>>Anthony Kimmons wrote:
>> > Thanks! It's the oil pressure is fairly high (30) when first starting.
>> > After 10-15 minutes of idling it  goes down to that normal level, like
>> > you say, and seems fine for awhile, but then after a few more minutes
>> > begins to fall until the buzzer goes off.
>> >
>> > I'm thinking that since there is air in the coolant, the oil is
>> > getting to hot and thin maybe? Does this make sense? Anyway...
>> > bleeding the system is on today's list so I'll have more to report
>> > later. The level was very low and I saw lots of bubbles coming into
>> > the coolant tank while running it yesterday.
>> >
>> > The coolant light is on constant, not blinking, does this indicate
>> > anything different? The temperature gauge just gets above the light
>> > when the oil buzzer goes off.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On 7/24/07, kenwilfy@comcast.net <kenwilfy@comcast.net> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> What is your oil pressure at idle when warm?  7-10 psi?  This is
>>normal.
>> >> What about at 2000 rpms?  All vans start out in the morning with high
>>oil
>> >> pressure and then it decreases when the oil warms up.  I am wondering
>> >> if you
>> >> are actually having an oil pressure problem or if you are having a
>> >> problem
>> >> with your warning system (very common).  The coolant light blinking is
>> >> due
>> >> to the level in your expansion tank (blue cap under engine lid) being
>> >> low.
>> >> When the van is cold top this off and it should go out and stay out.
>> >> If not
>> >> check it again.  If it is low, then top if off again while having
>>someone
>> >> rev the engine at around 2000 rpms.  If you never bled the system
>> >> after your
>> >> engine rebuild this would be a great time.  Also after an engine
>> >> rebuild you
>> >> should always run the engine for about 30 mins at 1500 rpms.  Then
>> >> dump the
>> >> oil and put in new oil.  Then drive for around 500 miles and dump the
>>oil
>> >> again and change the filter.  You will see metal flakes in the oil
>>each
>> >> time.  That is why you are dumping it, and it is a normal part of the
>> >> break
>> >> in process.
>> >>
>> >> Hope this helps,
>> >> Ken Wilford
>> >> John 3:16
>> >> www.vanagain.com
>> >>
>> >> -------------- Original message --------------
>> >> From: Anthony Kimmons <akimmons@GMAIL.COM>
>> >>
>> >> > Well, I remember now why I let my van sit for so long...
>> >> >
>> >> > Now that I've gotten the van to start up again after several years
>> >> > (thanks again to the List!), I'm having some other issues that I'd
>> >> > thought I'd check about with the List before I jump into it on my
>>own.
>> >> > Of course, I'll be checking the archive as well on this-
>> >> >
>> >> > My idiot TEMP light is on constantly from the moment I start up. As
>> >> > the van idles, temperature goes up slowly about midway on the gauge,
>> >> > then the radiator fan kicks in (loud). There looks as though there
>>are
>> >> > lots of bubbles coming into the reservior in the back, so I'm sure
>>it
>> >> > needs to be bled at least.
>> >> >
>> >> > After idling for about 15-20 minutes my oil pressure s lowly creeps
>> >> > down on my gauge.
>> >> > When first starting, pressure is around 40 and then as it heats up
>>the
>> >> > pressure falls until the idiot light and buzzer comes on. (I have a
>> >> > VDO oil pressure gauge hooked up)
>> >> >
>> >> > The engine is idling ok, although it's far from smooth and
>> >> > perfect...Of course, when both of these indicators light up, the
>> >> > engine dies pretty quickly, or I turn off the ignition.
>> >> >
>> >> > Any thoughts on where I should start to look to fix this? This
>>engine
>> >> > has a total rebuild, my first, so I am fearful that I did something
>> >> > wrong along the way (ie... bearings) I changed the oil pump but did
>> >> > not change the plate in front of it. I know I've seen something
>>about
>> >> > changing it when you replace the pump. Think this could be the cause
>> >> > of the pressure drop? It's got a new VW filter, relief valve, 20-50w
>> >> > oil. What could be wrong? What tests should I be doing ?
>> >> >
>> >> > My plan so far for tomorrow is to bleed the system first and see if
>> >> > the oil pressure problems are being caused by the oil getting too
>>hot
>> >> > and thin. Also, I'm going to check the blue temp sensor (this is
>>new,
>> >> > but has been sitting for awhile) Sound good? What next?
>> >> >
>> >> > THANKS!
>> >
>>