Date:         Tue, 22 Jan 2002 12:10:59 -0800
Reply-To:     David Jaffe <orhiker1@ATTBI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Jaffe <orhiker1@ATTBI.COM>
Subject:      Re: Castrol Synthetic Oil
Comments: To: CMathis227@AOL.COM
In-Reply-To:  <e4.216ad171.297f1558@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Any of the top-brand synthetics greatly reduce engine wear, partly because
the molecules are smaller than those in regular motor oils.

But this causes an issue with medium to high-mileage engines - any oil
leaking/use is made worse because the synthetic can get past the rings and
seals more easily.  Many folks have found that engines with medium wear
which use too much synthetic do very well with the synthetic blends (part
synthetic & part dinosaur oil).  The blends still offer improved engine wear
& improved mpg.

If your engine is a heavy consumer of regular oil though, you should
probably stay with standard oils until your next rebuild.  Also, don't use
sythetics on brand-new and rebuilt engines for the first 2000 miles, to
allow the rings and valves to seat properly (i.e. not during the break-in
period).

As a related aside, you can go to a synthetic transmission oil at any time.
The difference in how shifting feels day-to-day in warm and esp. in cold
weather is so impressive that the increased tranny life it offers (and thus
saved $$) can be looked at as mere a bonus.

David


-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Chuck Mathis
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2002 11:20 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Castrol Synthetic Oil


I switched my '85 1.9L to Mobil 1 the first time I did an oil change.  So
far
it hasn't used anything noticable between changes in the past 20K+ miles.
Inspired by early good results with the Vanagon I put Mobil 1 in my '89
Honda
Civic (over 110K miles at the time) and was shocked.  It used (burned and or
leaked) the synthetic at almost double the rate of dino oil.  A low oil
usage
turned into wholesale oil disposal.  All this in an engine that holds 3
quarts!  Switched it back to dino oil at the next change.

Chuck
'85 Wolfsburg Westy - 'Roland the Road Buffalo'

In a message dated 1/22/2002 11:41:26 AM Central Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:


> Date:    Mon, 21 Jan 2002 22:46:21 -0800
> From:    David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
> Subject: Re: Castrol Synthetic Oil
>
> I'm running the Syntec 5W50 in my Golf 1.6TD - easier starting when it is
> cold but I am noticing that oil consumption is up.  I am 2000km into this
> oil change and I am down almost 1L - usually at this point I am down half
a
> liter.  (one liter per 5000km oil change using Petro Canada 15w40 Duron).
> Could be the age of the engine could be a lot of things or it could be
> synthetic.  I'd be interested in seeing if anyone else is experiencing
> this.
>
> David Marshall
>
> Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
>