My 57 air cooled bus always needed to be re-timed when I went from 6000'
elevation to sea level.... otherwise it would stop!.... literally skid to a
halt as the motor got too hot..., Wait a bit, and she'd go again..
   I got good at timing it using a zig-zag rolling paper between the points
and the fan pulley notch...

On Aug 23, 2017 10:50 AM, "Christophe Guilbert" <cguilbert@picasso.ucsf.edu>
wrote:

Thanks Dennis.

You guessed it, I removed the ERG, Yes cylinder head is over 400 most of
the time.
My van is a California model so the timing is 5deg ATDC, taking into
account that I have no ERG, reducing the timing down to 35 degrees would
means what ? 40 (35+5) ATDC or 30(35-5) BTDC ?

I have a secondary oil cooler in the front already in place , I just did
not had time to connect it yet using PTFE stainless braided line and
plate sandwich (with thermostat). I love your setting but it appears to
me that you need to remove the engine to install it. I will certainly do
that during  my next engine rebuild. I will connect the second oil
cooler this week, do I still need to change the timing knowing that the
temp will be fixed ?

Thanks so much for the help.

Chris

On 08/22/2017 10:58 PM, Dennis Haynes wrote:

>
> Your engine is overheating terribly. Your oil temp should be around
> 200 or lower. Cylinder head temps are probably well over 400. Most
> likely your EGR system is missing or not working. As a fix you need to
> get the ignition timing down to about 35 degrees total advance.
> Consider getting a real oil cooling system in place.
>
> Dennis
>
> Sent from my Windows 10 phone
>
> *From: *Christophe Guilbert <mailto:cguilbert@PICASSO.UCSF.EDU>
> *Sent: *Tuesday, August 22, 2017 7:29 PM
> *To: *vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> *Subject: *oil pressure problem on my 1983 air-cooled
>
>
> Hi guys,
>
> I installed recently an oil pressure gauge in my vanagon (air-cooled 2L
> 1983)
>
> in a hot day (100F) , my (very annoying ) alarms triggers all the time
> when I am idling. the pressure is less than 5 PSI for an oil temp of
> 250-260F.
>
> I notice that the oil pressure really diminish over oil temperature
> which is normal but I am wondering if I am within the spec .
>
> When engine is cool , I have a PSI of 45. I have 20PSI around 240F when
> the van is cruising at 60-65MPH, it goes down to 15PSI at 260F while
> cruising at 60-65MPH.
>
> I think my oil pressure is too low , What do you think ? . Do you think
> my oil pump is guilty ? , I went cheap by not replacing it when I
> rebuilt my engine.
>
> Do you also think that the low oil pressure could  be the reason why I
> have noisy hydraulic lifter when the engine is cold.
>
> Thanks for any feedback
>
>
> Chris
>