Club 80-90 Forums

Over the weekend I heard the buzzer of doom go off while driving, no oil light. Oil level is fine.

Any pointers? Stereo too quiet maybe?

Was this just after a fast run and a quick slow down and whizz round a roundabout? Seems to be a regular story for an intermittent buzz.

Fast being a relative term with my van I guess it was yes. It stayed on for 30 seconds while still moving and then stopped never to return.

Do you have a rev-counter?

If so, I'll bet it popped in at around 2,000RPM, where the printed circuit board (PCB) swaps from the hi-hi pressure sender on the oil filter housing to the low-hi one in the head.

Keep an eye on it for now, take the dash-cowling off and give the PCB a good dose of looking at for degradation or any breaks etc. If it happens again mention it again.

No rev counter but I'm pretty sure it was well over 2000.

I'll keep an eye on it.

It happened again this morning, intermittent buzzing.

Now, having never heard the 'buzzer of doom' before, where does the noise come from and what kind of buzz does it make?

I ask as when it happens the speedo bounces about a bit and I was wondering whether I have a dicky speedo cable that is making the noises.

Again, oil level is fine, possibly a little over the upper mark and there was no oil warning light.

You don't say what engine you have, but on my D.G. my buzzer started warbling and the one thing I noticed that where the wire ran under the engine it was getting quite warm, this was after a rebuild (be gentle I fitted it) so I didn't know If I had the right route? I moved the wire to go over the engine and renewed the switch, acording to G.S.F. the switch linked to the buzzer is the one under fan belt between the water pump and main pully next to the oil filter housing (or follow the wire) on the right bank as you look at the engine G.S.F. Part No.93446 I paid £2.75 plus V.A.T. (but I might have got a bit of discount, sorry chap nice bay ) You do need a deep 24mm socket (Halfwits £9.99) to remove also quite a low profile bar as there isn't a lot of room in there and a standard socket wont clear the connector.

Whilst you are in there I also sugest that you change the oil and filter and if you are feeling brave the other switch as if you do it with oil in the sump it dribbles, this is blue or brown and lives in the gap between the pushrods on the left, on the water cooled engine it has a cover over the push rods, this is a pig, the good people of Haynes say to unbolt from the sump and bend back, on mine I removed the manifold nuts as well and had to remove it completly as it wasn't going to bend and again you need that deep 24mm socket.
Good Luck

Sorry, the engine is a 2.0 air cooled

Okay, thanks for all the help guys, I shall try and analyse what's going on when it happens.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the speedo when it happens. The bussing seems to come from behind the speedo, is that right? Also, the speedo itself seems to bounce about a bit when the buzzing occurs, adding about 5mph to the reading. Does this happen with anyone else?

Again, it's a 1980 air cooled 2l model

Are you sure its not just a loose speedo connection?

Just pop the cover off the clocks and check it, its either screw on or pop on.

Just as a side note, I never thought the A/C engines had this low pressure 'buzzer'. Just the low pressure light.

Must admit....i didn't think the air cooled had the buzzer either....

I wait to be corrected.....

Emma

My 1981 cu 2ltr aircool has no buzzer board .Only a yellow oil warning light with sender near the distributer.

So, having taken the instrument thingummy off (no sign of any circuit board, so I assume no buzzer) before the journey to work, I set off and waited until the noise started.

Sure enough after a while the buzzing started so I waggled the speedo cable about a bit, gave the dial a smack or two, that sort of thing.

Result: No buzzing & a speedo that reads 10mph fast at all speeds *sigh*

Can I have the award for most pointless thread please? Oh, and are we positive there is no buzzer on an Aircooled van, just for reference?

I'm positive.

There is only one pressure sender on an Aircooled lump, and it is for the red light. (if this comes on during driving, its normally too late )

On watercooled VW's with the buzzer, they have a second sender that uses a higher pressure, which combined with engine revs (2000rpm usually) sounds the buzzer.

The theory being, if your oil px is low at 2000rpm, you get a warning.

I hope my waffle helps.

Cheers Geordie!