I can see that I am under attack on this oil level thing.

As you can see from the following, typically the oil temperature will be
around 205 to 230 F in the summer in hard use. I had heard about the
disadvantages of filling the oil level to the top, so I always filled it only
to the middle of the two marks on the dipstick, never higher. The highest
reading I ever got was 235.

One day my mechanic put in fresh Mobil 1 right up to the top of the dipstick
and after about 15 mins on the highway I looked down and the oil temperature
was up to well over 255 and I freaked out wondering why. After I drained some
oil out so the level was more near the lower mark, the temperature went back
down to 215 or so.

Why is too much oil a problem? I cannot remember, but there is something
about internal resistance or beating the oil into a froth. I cannot remember
why the froth is a problem, but perhaps it is because it mixes air into the
oil which then gets pumped around in the oil passeges.

My oil temperature sender is not in the dipstick. It is in the place that VDO
specifies for the 2.1 litre vanagon motor. I don't have my diagrams with me
now, but there is a pressure gage and a oil temperatrue sender. These go
underneath the left side of the motor and the other sender is near the valve
cover gasket. I think it goes in near an excess pressure oil bypass valve.

You have plenty of oil at the minimum mark as the minimum mark is quite
sufficient for all oil passeges to remain full and there is plenty of oil in
the bottom of the crankcase. 

----------------------------------------DATA
FOLLOWS---------------------------------------------------------
Oil Temperatures
Varies between 205 F degrees and 230 F on 80-90 degree days, air conditioning
on, 
highway driving and around town.   1987 Van w. approx 40,000 miles on it. 
Temperature rises sharply above 3,900 rpm.  The high temperature point seems
to 
be 235 degrees on 80-90 degree days and 225 degrees on 45-55 degree days.
Subjective impression of general oil temperatures 1987 Vanagon 
Syncro:
	oil	 80-90 degree days   50-65 degree days
temperature   % of time           % of time -----------   -------------------
----------
			200		  --                     5%
			205		  5%                 25%
			210		 20%                 30%
			215		 25%                 25%
			220		 25%                  8%
			225		 15%                  7%
			230		  6%                  --
			235		  2%                  --
			240		  2%                  --
Observed oil temperatures 1987 Vanagon Syncro:
     Outside           Speeds (mph)
     Temperature       -------------------------------------
     Degrees F.        35-55   55-60   60-65   65-70   70-75
     65-70                            205-210
     70-75
     75-80              205     210                     218
     85-90              220             214           225-230
     90-95                      220     230
Oil Pressures (Psi)
Observed oil pressures 20/50 Oil, 1987 van:
                   Oil Temperatures (Farenheight)
               200   205   210   215   220   225   230

   1,000 RPM    11
   2,000 RPM    22    22
   2,500 RPM                28
   2,900 RPM                30
   3,000 RPM    39    31    31
   3,100 RPM                34    31                32
   3,500 RPM          40          36
   3,800 RPM                      39
   3,900 RPM                                38
   4,000 RPM                39    44

Observed Oil Pressures (PSI)--10W30 Oil, 1987 van
                   Oil Temperatures (Farenheight)
               200   205   210   215   220   225   230

   1,000 RPM           5
   2,000 RPM          13
   2,500 RPM          20
   3,000 RPM          22
   4,000 RPM          33