I failed to post that it's a 1.9L with 240K +/- on it. I run 10W40 High
Mileage whatever brand is on sale. And the flicker only occurs after it well
warmed up. I believe an oil change is due so hopefully that will do the
trick. After all aren't all the repairs/remedies we do to keep our Vanagons
on the road tricks of one sort or another? I just hope the magic lasts
forever.

On Wed, Feb 9, 2011 at 9:15 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote:

> While oils have improved/changed over the years the Viscosities have not.
> The flat four engines both air and water cooled need higher viscosity oils
> due to design tolerances and some things that happen as these engine heat
> up. The pumps have little reserve capacity to maintain pressure with low
> viscosity oils and loose bearing clearances need the heavier films.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Joe Luther
> Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 8:08 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Oil light flickering
>
> Oh boy, I hate to be a noob and go there already but here goes - I have a
> Haynes manual from the UK that appears to be almost as old as my van and I
> have been reading it while waiting for warmer weather.  In there, the
> recommended oil is 15w or 20w50 for my 2.0 aircooled FI engine.  I was
> thinking that recommendations may have changed since the Haynes manual was
> printed, since oils have changed a lot in the meantime.
>
> Are the heavier oils are still recommended?  I would never think to put a
> 15w or 20w oil in a typical engine because of cold start starvation, I use
> 5w40 Rotella T6 synthetic in everything (Volvos, Subaru, VW watercooled).
> Since the Cummins takes 3 gallons of it, I always have it around.  I was
> thinking of using that or 5w50 synthetic in the van once the engine was
> back
> together.  It should get moving quicker at cold start versus the 15 or 20w
> and help reduce bearing wear.
>
> Is there a reason that the flat 4 in the VW configuration likes the heavier
> oils?  I've read a lot about the Subaru cold start noise issues since I
> have
> it on my Forester and some say it is tied to oil getting to the end of the
> galleries slowly and starving cylinder 4.  I don't know enough about the
> oiling system in either engine to make a detailed comparison but they both
> are flat 4's....
>
> TIA
>
> Joe
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
> Matt Thyer
> Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 11:57 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Oil light flickering
>
> This happens on my diesel as well, it's a really dull kind of flicker.
>
> MT
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Paul
> Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 7:26 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Oil light flickering
>
> Lately at low idle my oil light has been flickering. Rev up the RPM's and
> it
> goes away. I have plenty of oil, you know the usual 1/2 full on the dip
> stick. Should I be replacing the oil pressure sensor's? Anybody else have
> this happen?
> TIA,
> Paul
>