I just installed tencentlife's external oil cooler kit. The instructions
were to then start the engine, wait for the oil pressure lamp to go out,
then shut it off and top off the oil.

The oil pressure lamp never came on, so I let the engine run and idle a
few moments, then shut it off.

Is there a way to test the oil pressure lamp?

I check the oil level and before we started the work, the oil was just
above the lower notch on the dipstick. Now it was off the bottom end. So
I put in a quart and re-started the engine.

It sounded like crap. Couldn't hold a idle, rattled like drained down
hydraulic lifters. Shut it off, check oil level. Still below the
dipstick, added more, restarted. Could barely idle. There were gulping
sounds coming out of the oil filler neck.

Shut off, add more oil now it's above the lower notch and idling and
sounding fine.

Could low oil level cause the thing to struggle so?

PS -- so far no drops, and once the engine gets warm, the external
cooler heats right up, indicating functioning thermostat action.

--
Rocky J Squirrel
'84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
'74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Bend, OR
KG6RCR