Date:         Tue, 17 Apr 2001 15:58:10 -0700
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <macmillan@HOME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <macmillan@HOME.COM>
Subject:      Re: Opinions sought on max oil temp
Comments: To: "Richard A. Jones" <jones@COYOTE.COLORADO.EDU>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Years ago I had a '68 Westy and put an oil temp gauge on it.  I wished I
hadn't, because on a trip with the van loaded with family and gear
across Eastern Washington in 95 degree heat it ran all day at 260 (sump
temp!).  I just ignored it since I wasn't about to cancel my vacation
and it ran fine.  I didn't have an oil pressure gauge, but the oil light
never flickered.  The engine never did have any problems on this trip,
but the useful life of these old 1600's when they pushed a camper around
was only 60,000 to 75,000 miles anyway (no oil filter and a small
cooler)!  I kept a spare in the garage since they were also cheap to
rebuild.

Today I'd run Red Line synthetic 20w-50 in an air cooled in a hot
climate.  Nascar drivers run a full race at 230-250 degrees with this
oil.

BTW, I also became very familiar with brake fade in this rig--drums all
around!  Really primitive, but I was poor and loved the beast.  I sold
it to a visiting professor from Holland in 1986 for $2500 ($3900 in
today's dollars).

--
Stuart MacMillan
Seattle

'84 Vanagon Westfalia w/2.1
'65 MGB (Daily driver since 1969)
'74 MGB GT (Restoring sloooowly)

Personal mechanic for:
'70 MGB GT (Daughter's)

Assisting on Restoration (and spending OPM):
'72 MGB GT (Was daughter's, now son's)
'64 MGB (Son's)

Stripped and gone but their parts live on:
'68 MGB, '73 MGB, '67 MGB GT