Synthetic will help. These conditions are where the benefits are best. It is not a cure all and some common sense still has to prevail. When these conditions prevail, it is not only the Vanagon engine that suffers. You would be amazed at the number of Hondas and Toyotas that get damaged from this weather and impatient drivers. My favorite is the cam shaft seals getting pushed out. 15w-50 is still a very heavy oil for most modern engines. Below 20F you have to be a bit careful. I have used it down to -4F in Vermont one year but I do not live there. My take me to work vehicles get the Mobil 1 0w-40. Dennis
-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Allan Streib Sent: Monday, February 11, 2008 7:55 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: Oil Leak Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM> writes: > As a sudden failure, the oil cooler gasket is my first choice and > second would be the filter or filter gasket. Last month I had a > Mahle filter fail at the top crimp. One thing with cold weather, you > need to let the engine idle and rev very gently for the first few > minutes after start up. The oil pressure relief can only handle so > much and the excess volume has to go some where. Starting up a cold > engine and then reving to 4,000 rpm to get the van moving is a good > way to blow seals, damage bearings and even break off the oil pump > shaft. Yes you can even push out the flywheel and puley seals. Anyone know if synthetic oil would help here? Mobil-1, even the "heavy" 15W-50 formulation, flows much better at cold temperatures than conventional oil. Should flow better with less backpressure even when cold. Allan -- 1991 Vanagon GL |
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