Date:         Thu, 27 Apr 2000 13:53:10 -0700
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Organization: The Cobalt Group
Subject:      Re: Oil and new rings
Comments: To: Drew Bedford <drew@BOMB-PROOF.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Drew,

It's going out the tail pipe, and your consumption will most likely
improve.

It is very important to never drive a new engine at a constant speed
during break in, particularly the first 500 miles, or to use synthetic
oil for the first 5000 miles.

You should change the oil and filter at 500 miles, then again at
3500-4000 miles.

One method I have used that has been around for awhile to bed in rings
is to find a moderate hill and accelerate foot to the floor up it but
not exceed 45 mph or so, turn around and coast back down, foot off the
gas.  Repeat 10 times.

The compression presses the rings into the cylinder walls on the way up
so they can wear in, and then the closed throttle sucks lots of oil up
to them on the way down for lubrication.  If this doesn't help, try a
quart of Marvel Mystery Oil in place of a quart of your regular oil.
They claim it is good for breaking in new engines.

Good luck, I hope this works for you, but if oil consumption doesn't
improve to better that a quart every 1000 miles, you may have glazed the
rings and will need to have the cylinders honed or live with a quart
every 700 miles, which is certainly doable.

--
Stuart MacMillan
Manager, Case Program
800-909-8244 ext. 8208
Fax: 206-269-6360

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