If you are cruising at 80, you need new rings...he he he
Seriously though, if you can find a salvage yard with a scirocco or gti in
it, then you can get a VDO oil temp gauge for peanuts.  Be sure to get the
sender, they are calibrated to the gauge.  You can also buy a VDO sender, it
will have a temp range stamped on it.  This is the economical way to know
your oil temp with no guess work.  Hardest part will be plumbing the sender,
and that may be easier then I think.  Bentley or some other manual should
give acceptable temperature ranges, but people have their own opinions of
where the temp should be.  Just get a baseline temperature from your new
gauge and sound the alarm bells if it starts to climb higher than normal.
Of course, if you can sell those wheels for 400 a pop, then just buy a new
VDO gauge...he he he

-----Original Message-----
From: Joseph Tu <joe@GREENCASTLE.DYN.ML.ORG>
To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM <Vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Date: Thursday, April 30, 1998 9:20 PM
Subject: Oil Temp...

>Quick ?
>
>Anyone know how hot the oil in a 2.1 engine is running at when cruising
>at say 80 mph on a flat highway? Also how can you tell when you need new
>rings for your engine? I'm guessing that the oil is as hot or hotter than
>the oil cooler, and the cooler is at coolant temp. so this would mean 196
>deg or higher?
>
>Joe