Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2007 10:32:16 -0700
Reply-To: David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: DOn't use SM rated oils Re: Flickering Oil Light 84 auto
In-Reply-To: <46E968C6.4060901@verizon.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
I have long suspected why the Vanagon community strongly recommend
20w-50 oil and everybody buys that. I do not intend to start a war
on oil weight discussion. But 20W-50 dino oil means 20 weight oil
in winter (50 in hot summer). It seems its viscosity is simply too
high for the oil to flow fast enough into the space between the crank
and the bearing. Aren't we seeing too many wbx blocks that need
align boring? Isn't that telling that there is a lubrication problem
there?
Yes, heavier weight oil increase oil pressure but if it does not flow
fast enough to replenish the oil between metal surfaces high oil pressure
itself is useless. The problem with lighter weight oil may be that the
oil that reaches between metal surfaces may be too thin and is not able
to protect metal surfaces from grinding each other. But if oil is not
flowing fast enough to replenish in between metal surfaces it's worse.
My 84 wxb had a flickering oil warning light for some time. I changed
oil to 20w-50 and it did not eliminate the flicking light at all. Eventually
the water pump gave up and was replaced and the flickering was then gone.
Obviously, when the water pump was dying the engine over heated, which
caused oil pressure to drop. I switched back to 10w-40 after replacing the
water pump. Everything has been fine since then.
During the time I had 20w-50 oil in my engine, the gas mileage dropped
like a rock. I could imagine how hard the gas was burnt to grind my crank
and cam bearings, instead of putting out for mileage.
If this is off topic I can start a new thread.
David
--- -------- <VW4X4@VERIZON.NET> wrote:
> Sorry not avaliable on the WEB
>
> Robyn Lundstrom wrote:
>
> >Do you have a URL for that article?
> >
> >Robyn
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> >Of *****************
> >Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 6:48 PM
> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >Subject: DOn't use SM rated oils Re: Flickering Oil Light 84 auto
> >
> >I just read a good article in OCW about motor oil... Basically we're
> >screwed.
> >Long story short, the newest oils on the market carry a SM rating, that
> >has
> >reduced the zinc and phosphorous in the oil. This is used for
> >anti-wear
> >properties. In older engine, its been seen to cause all kinds of
> >problems including
> >low oil pressure, cam and lifter wears, and general shorting of engine
> >life.
> >It also stated that there are additives you can use, but I just checked
> >the oil
> >bottles I have and it is not SM type.
> >
> >
> >
> >Ed wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >>I have an 84 vanagon, automatic, after it gets good and warm and has
> >>
> >>
> >been driven vfor a while I notice at idle I get a flickering oil light.
> >Oil level is good, rasing the RPM's ever so slightly makes it go away,
> >as does putting it in park and letting it idle.
> >
> >
> >>Any ideas?
> >>
> >>Thanks,
> >>Ed Maikranz
> >>Abilene, TX
> >>1984 Vanagon
> >>1972 Riviera
> >>
> >>
> >>---------------------------------
> >>Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha!
> >>Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo!
> >>
> >>
> >Games.
> >
> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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