Finally know what caused those hot (265 degree) runs at Buttonwillow.

It wasn't the oil cooler size or placement. Of course I've spent lots of money and time chasing the oil cooler size and placement, as that HAD to be the problem!

It wasn't the tuning, which was totally checked and re-checked.

The only mechanical thing in my oiling system, other than the accusump and the pump (we had lots of pressure) is the little stainless steel ball that sits in the housing that bolts to the engine. It says VW on the housing, but I'm not sure whether it is stock or not.

In any event, if that little ball comes out of its housing, i.e., if the top ring holding it in place fails, you no longer get oil to the filter, or to the oil cooler for that matter.

Brad wins the prize (yet again) for making me cut the oil filter apart to discover that it was "clean," like unused. Next we took the housing apart and sure enough, the SS ball was totally out of it's housing.

Live and learn.

So, how do you fix that?

could you take a picture of the offending part? i'm unclear as to what it is...

QUOTE (nebreitling @ May 11 2005, 07:53 PM)

could you take a picture of the offending part? i'm unclear as to what it is...

me too...

pressure valve thing? should be a little spring to hold the ball open unless the pressure gets too high, and then it's supposed to block the flow partially... so the seal at the cooler isn't blown out... or is that just something I dreamed up

I seem to remember a diagram in the haynes about it, that's all...

Hey Randal,
Sounds like the pressure relief valve/circuit.
Glad you found the problem.

When's the engine light off party?

KT

Just to clarify - if that pressure relief valve fails, you will still get oil going through the stock cooler. I think what Randal is saying is that he has a sandwich adapter for his aux cooler - so his aux cooler wasn't getting any oil flow when the pressure relief valve failed.

Demick

QUOTE (Demick @ May 11 2005, 08:49 PM)

Just to clarify - if that pressure relief valve fails, you will still get oil going through the stock cooler. I think what Randal is saying is that he has a sandwich adapter for his aux cooler - so his aux cooler wasn't getting any oil flow when the pressure relief valve failed. Demick

OH! that make sense then... so it IS the little spring thingy... I surprise myself sometimes

I give VW/Porsche mad props: when something fails, it fails the right way, so you can't kill the engine under normal circumstaances... thermo fails: flaps open; oil pressure valve fails: full flow to the stock cooler... SBC t-stat fails, you're on the side of the road, ask me how I know,

things on the VW either don't fail, or fail right...

I'll post some pictures after I pick up the part tomorrow. I think Demick is right about it being the sandwich adapter. Sounds right.

If Brad reads this he can confirm.

Trekkor, I don't think the engine oil light was on, because when the part fails it still allows oil to circulate within the engine, but not fully to the filter or oil aux. oil cooler.

QUOTE

When's the engine light off party?

I mean, when will you run the new motor?

KT

Trekkor,

Jake tells me we are about three weeks away on the 2.4.

He asked me if I wanted to incorporate some new trick stuff he figured out, even if it took some time?

I thought we'd have the old motor rebuilt by now so I could be back out there with you hot dog racers, but ran into a few problems that should shortly be fixed, one of which thanks to Craig who has shipped me some pistons.

We have a new Jake cam to run with the 2.0 along with a good set of flowed heads. Should be interesting to see how it performs on the dyno.

I can now relate to Bill Pickering being off for so long; just 5 months is driving me bananas.

I've been down since July 4th, 2004....

It really sucks....even more so when it's been all work and no play lately....

I'm posting from Taiwan right now....I'm in the middle of a 2 week business trip.....

Let's see...Singapore, Hong Kong, flew in to Taiwan today, leave for Tokyo on Sunday to stay there 1 week....

Randal, I'll get the slicks ready for you the when I get back...

Bill P.

QUOTE (nine14cats @ May 12 2005, 04:18 AM)

I've been down since July 4th, 2004....

Now's the time for Rich H. to step in and tell us, "Those first 20 years are the hardest. It gets easier after that..."

--DD
(Whose car was only dead for four years.)