Date:         Wed, 24 Sep 2003 17:34:40 -0600
Reply-To:     George Thorburn <thorgk@ACCESSCOMM.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         George Thorburn <thorgk@ACCESSCOMM.CA>
Subject:      Re: Oil: 10w30? 20w50?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hey list,
What about Castrol Syntec 5W50?  5 for cold starts and 50 for hot highway driving.  I have been using it for 1 year in my 1.9 WBX.  The motor was rebuilt and run for about 8000 km on Castrol GTX 10W40 and 20W50 before changing to synthetic.  I have been happy but have not driven very far with the synthetic oil installed (less than 10,000 km).  Does anyone have more experience with Castrol Syntec?
George
'85 Westfalia

> Okay, I just changed the oil on my new '84 vanagon for the first time last
> week, and, without even thinking about it, put 10w30 oil in it (I'm used
> to putting oil in eurovans).  Now, reading the list archives, I see a
> bunch of people are running stuff as thick as 20w50!  But my light/buzzer
> haven't come on yet or anything, so is it worth me changing it out?  If
> its bad for the engine at all, I'll definitely swap it out, so my question
> is just whether or not it is possible for this to have any adverse
> effects.  Keep in mind, winter is on its way here in chicago, and we'll
> likely see 20 (or more!) below.  Of course, I can always do another oil
> change before than if that's what's best for the van... right now
> (literally...at 12:49am) its 57degrees, and our temp range for these next
> weekds looks to between 40 and 70.