Date:         Tue, 2 Jun 2009 10:51:57 -0700
Reply-To:     jon <jon@KENNEKE.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         jon <jon@KENNEKE.COM>
Subject:      Re: Should I really bother with oil pressure test?
Comments: To: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <4A244D72.3090809@comcast.net>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

I second Ken on that one: I did/do almost exactly the same thing: 20w-50
oil, with an additive. I use the cheap STP Oil stuff as an additive. It's
thick as honey, so most of it's benefit is probably in making the oil
thicker.

I'd be careful of doing this if I lived in an extremely cold climate, though.

Ever since following this regimen, I've not had the oil light flash.
That's been about 3 years now on a fairly tired engine.

FWIW, as an oil, I use Delo 400.

Jon


On Mon, 1 Jun 2009, Ken Wilford wrote:

> Ed, you can do the oil pressure test, however I would recommend changing
> your oil to 20w-50, changing your oil filter to a black one (German),
> and then replacing a quart of the oil with a quart of Lucas Oil
> Stabilizer.  This should bring the oil pressure back up to keep the
> light off.  I did this with my Vanagon which has an engine with 300k
> miles on it.  It bumped the oil pressure up 5 psi at hot idle (I had a
> gauge installed).  If you do all of this and still have the oil light
> coming on your engine is really worn out and you shouldn't drive it
> until you can get it rebuilt.  However it should work.
>