Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 16:31:52 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Rebuild is done, Van is running, now what?
In-Reply-To: <7ee3ee250601251300v750831eag54a8d95e83fd9773@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Dustin Jones wrote:
>10W30 Dino Oil, 185,000 orig miles, 65 since the rebuild. I am using OEM
>Mahne Oil Filter from Bus Depot. I have not changed the oil yet.
>
>On 1/25/06, John Rodgers <inua@charter.net> wrote:
>
>
>>Dustin Jones wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>I'm glad to be back on the list, here is the scoop on my 91 Vanagon
>>>
>>>
>>Carat.
>>
>>
>>>On my way home from Virginia Beach, I threw a rod and blew a hole in my
>>>block (possible because I had a head gasket leak that I neglected ???). I
>>>towed the van to PA ($450 ouch) and saved my money. I bought a used block
>>>
>>>
>>>from a local listmember, and had a mechanic put on brand new
>>
>>
>>>heads,seals,gaskets......the works (Baum's in New Cumberland PA,
>>>
>>>
>>excellent
>>
>>
>>>mechanic). As of a week ago I have been driving the van and all seems
>>>
>>>
>>well.
>>
>>
>>>I have been checking the oil level and all fluid levels religiously.
>>>Anything else I should be doing to make sure everything is OK? I have a
>>>
>>>
>>oil
>>
>>
>>>pressure kit from volks cafe lined up and will be installed hopefully
>>>
>>>
>>next
>>
>>
>>>week. Thanks for your help in advance, its good to be back in the saddle
>>>again.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>What weight oil are you running, and is it dino or synth? How many miles
>>now? Have you gone through the break-in mileage and done the oil change,
>>filter change. What oil filter are you using? The right answers are
>>important.
>>
>>Have you read up the information about bearings, rods, and stretching
>>rodcap bolts on Bob Donalds website. Good stuff. Most - but not all -
>>rod failures in the 2.1L WBX occur when the rod bolts have stretched
>>sufficiently to allow the rod end cap to go oval, thus allowing a loss
>>of oil at the bearing. Result: the bearing runs dry, the metal first
>>galls then gets really hot then seizes. The sudden stoppage in a moving
>>mass is going to break something and most times it a rod which when no
>>longer restrained flys through the case. Bob offer's a solution.
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>John Rodgers
>>88 GL Driver
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
When my 2.1L WBX was rebuilt, it was done by an old timer with VW boxer
engines. After the first successful start in the shop to check for
leaks, etc, etc, It was shut down, allowed to cool, then restarted
again, and run in the shop for about an hour, then he shut it down,
changed the oil and filter. Then I took it on the road for 500 miles
running 15W30. Then the oil was changed again and a new filter
installed. I ran it another 1000 miles and then changed the oil and
filter again. After that, I ran it to 25,000 and switched to 15W50 Mobil
One Synthetic. I wish I had done it sooner. I beleive that over time,
the little bit better performance of the oil eventually pays dividends
in longevity. These fine synthetics didn't exist when the WBX engines
came out, so never got recommended by the manufacturer. Improvements to
oil can be transfered to improvements in engine performance over time.
For my van, the Mahle oil filter and the Mobil One keep the Vanagon
lifter clatter syndrome away much better than the dino oils did. I've
got 70,000 miles on my overhaul now and have had few problems, and most
of what I have had were accessory problems rather than problems with the
engine.
Good Luck with your new engine.
Regards,
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
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