RE: [T3] Hot engine, probably timing

["Erkson, Toby" <toby.erkson@intel.com>]

Okay, from now on you don't have to call me "Toby", you can just snicker and
call me "That Idiot".

The story:
I needed to replace my oil pressure sender because the low pressure light
was
coming on when the oil pressure was at 90-psi.  No problem, I go to my VW
parts
store and get a dual post, 150-psi oil pressure sender, and install it.  No
problem.

Then my car goes in to the shop for the ignition testing.  I get her back,
everything is fine, and I drive off.  Hmmm, oil pressure sure is low (hot
day)...damn! it's getting *real* low!  Well, it could be the sender so I go
back
to the store and get a replacement and install it.  Oil pressure still too
low. 
This is when I write you volks about my timing since that was one of the
things
my mechanic did change.  I also checked my valve clearances and everything
was
fine there.  Talked to mechanic and he explained what he did -- it made
sense
and nothing seemed unusual, except for that damn distributor nut (pictures
will
be posted later so you can see what I'm talking about).

I pull the new sender and compare it to my old, failing sender.  The only
real
difference is the info on the sender nut.  My old one had "0-5 bar" while my
new
one had "0-10 bar".  Ah Ha!  I find my old sender receipt and sure enough,
the
part numbers are different!  I zip on down to the store, show the clerk the
problem, he grabs the correct sender (yep, "0-5 bar") then tells me, "The
one
you have is the correct sender for your 150-psi gauge...this one (points to
"0-5
bar") is for the 80-psi gauge."  Oh.  I see.  For several years I've been
using
the WRONG SENDER!?!?  That would explain why I was seeing over 150-psi
readings
during the winter time!!  OH OOOOOH!  The clerk was totally cool...I guess
he
could tell I felt soooo stupid.

Now I have the correct sender and the apparent low pressure readings are
actually normal for my baby.  Which, I now know all too painfully, are too
low. 
So now I really, really, really need to get that secondary oil cooler
installed!
 

I still need to attend to fixing the dizzy.  I just need a couple more
simple
parts and I'll be installing the secondary cooler, soon.
   That Idiot Erkson
   air_cooled_nut@pobox.com  <-- Please use this address for email
   '72 VW Squareback 1.6L bored and stroked to 2.0L, Berg five-speed
   '75 Porsche 914 1.8L, ORPCA member
   Portland, Oregon, http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/8501/

-------------------------------------------------------------------
List info at http://www.vwtype3.org/list or mailto:help@vwtype3.org