Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 18:39:26 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <jh_rodgers@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Subject: Re: Synthetic oils in the vanagon
In-Reply-To: <006301c447e3$f267be50$d9032a45@ttowerdef17>
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I guess my age is at a point where I might be considered an "Old Timer"
and I truly can say that I have lived long enough to see a lot of
changes in lubricants and the way vehicles are lubricated.
In my early years I did a lot of aviation work. The air planes of old
used a heavy weight staight grade oil . 40-50 Wt. Byt the time I saw the
trans sition first to using synthetics and then the addition of oil
filters to the flat opposed cylinder Aircraft engines. In the same
period, recommended TBO's (time between overhauls) went from 1200 hours
of perating time to 2000 hours of operating time. Granted, there were
some improvements in metallurgy, but this particular change came about
primarily through the reduced wear brought on by improved lubricants.
As for the application of synthetic oil to my WBX, Mobil One had brought
a decided change in the engine,. It is noticeably less noisy than when
running Dino oil, oil consumption was reduced significantly by changing
to the synthetic, and the famous Vanagon Lifter Syndrome exhibits itself
only when it is time to change oil. That is, there is no clatter as with
Dino oil, except at the end of the life of the oil, and I have one
lifter sensitive enough to rattle and let me know it's time to change
oil. Does it only at the end of the oil's useful life. It knows!!!
As for oil in cold climes, it poses special challenges. The thing one
must rember is that the engine has to run at the same temperature summer
or winters. It is after all, a HEAT engine. Has to operate at design
temperature for optimum function. 180 to 200 F I beleive. If the oil is
stiff with cold \, the engine is hard to turn, and strains the parts.
So, modern oils have a multi-viscosity to deal with the cold. However.
that still is not good enough. The engine still has to run at the design
temperature. In the old days of my flying career in Alaska, airplanes
used pretty much the same oil year round. Had to. Once going and warmed
up, a thick oil became a thinner oil, and to deal with this the
airplanes had gasoline injectors built into the oiling system. After
landing on a cold day, before shutting down for the night, on the last
flight of the day the pilot would consult a chart with temperatures on
it, and if the temperature was expected to be be say -40F for the night,
he would run the engine, and set the gasoline injection up to squirt
gasoline into the system for so many minutes or seconds to thin the oil
before shut down. It it was not done, that engine would not turn over
until spring thaw. In the morning, the engine was started, and allowed
to idle until engine heat drove the gasoline from the oil and to
evaporation. Then and only then could it fly. To this day, auxillary
heat for the engines in the cold is a priority with all kinds of means
being used. Custom fitted insulated engine blankets are a favorite among
Alaska pilots. With them and a small catalytic heater that can be stuck
inside the engine cowl, a pilot can stay overnight most anywhere and
sitll get his engine started next day. Automobiles in the Far North are
prepped for winter by adding block heaters, battery hot-plates, ensuring
antifreeze is up to snuff. You simply DO NOT run an engine hard until it
is thoroughly warm, becasue to do so, would draw away the free warm oil,
leaving the hard cold lump oil remaining and it would starve your engine
of oil, and kill it. Can't tell you how manyu times I have seen some
jerk destroy an engine up north, just by behaving ignorantly and
stupidly in regards to winter matters.
I'm sure Mark Tuovinen has seen this happen.
My $0.02!
John Rodgers
88 GL driver
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