Date:         Mon, 7 May 2007 11:26:37 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject:      Break-in oil..replying from digest.
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Break-in oil should be whatever weight is appropriate to the temperature where your engine is being run.  My many new motors, I have always been told something like:  Use regular dinosaur oil, not synthetic.  Change it soon.  I usually change out after just a few hundred miles, then again at about 500 miles. 
 Another thing I've learned from my racecar motors is that cutting open your old oil filter and checking for metal specks is good practice. 
 I saved a very expensive newly built Porsche 928 V-8 racecar motor when I discovered all kinds of little glittery silver and bronze specks trapped in my filter after a twenty minute dyno session...We traced that back to the fact that my engine builder's helper had neglected to correctly dismantle the Accusump ( an Oil Pressure Accumulator that supplies constant oil pressure despite high G cornering forces which cause the oil to slosh away from the oil pick up) and we had spread lots of leftover bits of the last blown motor into the oil system.  We had to dismantle and clean out the whole motor, replacing bearings, etc...But at least we saved the big pieces.  
  So now, about every couple of filter changes, I  cut one open my filters (there is a tool) and check for metal shavings. As a check on how the internals of my motors are faring..
  After your break in period, I would use full synthetic oil..it seems to be better...but I don't care to discuss that "which oil is best?"...can of worms..
  Don Hanson