Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:40:33 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Fwd: '87 Westy - Oil Change, out of hibernation
In-Reply-To: <A828B5E5-C74E-43C8-B34A-A0E14E6DD0CC@COMCAST.NET>
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If someone fills their even new engine with 10w-40 and then gets on the
highway running at 70-75 mph with the AC on and continues this way only
stopping only for fuel, oh wait lets also do some down shifting to get up
some steep hills even on route 80 in PA, who will pay for that motor? I
make recommendations that I know work and err on the side of caution.
I have been around these engines since they first came out and owned an 84
from near new (23k miles) and FUN BUS from brand new. Bug and Bus air cooled
engines I began playing with while in High School. These engines need higher
viscosity oils. For fast drivers including me additional oil coolers are
very valuable. Outside temperature has little effect on oil temperature
unless limits are being reached where the radiator can't keep up. Speed and
load over time can be the enemy. Once the tach goes over that 4,200 to 4,000
rpm range oil temp can rise real fast. Once the pressure starts dropping
things can go wrong fast.
As for worn engines, the VW opposed engines are a bit unique in that the
bearings get loose in the case and oil pressure can get lost there. In
reality if there is enough wear that a change in oil pressure can be
measured and then be related to that wear then the engine is on borrowed
time and failure is coming.
As for straight versus multi weight oils, the multi weights were not that
reliable back in the 80's. Air cooled engines also had their oil temperature
directly affected by ambient temperature. With modern water cooled engines
the oil temperature will usually get up at least the coolant temperature.
The oil-coolant heat exchanger on the 2.1 ensures this. I have witnessed
these engines getting the oil to 270-280F. The modern oils do work. Oil
testing even includes measuring the viscosity at 100C although usually
looking for signs of the oil thickening.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
OlRivrRat
Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 8:40 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Fwd: '87 Westy - Oil Change, out of hibernation
OilSpecCharts from 83.5 & 90 OwnersManuals
https://picasaweb.google.com/109991183317103413704/March132013
Note that each *w-50 has *w-40 right along side it ~ I think it is
interesting that those w-50s & w-40s share
the same HighEndTemp & the 10w-40 & 10w-30 also ~ to be correct all the
diff' grades should have their own range
bars
ORR
~ DeanB
On 13 Mar , 2013, at 4:40 PM, <mcneely4@cox.net> <mcneely4@cox.net>
wrote:
> ---- OlRivrRat <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
>>> Dennis Haynes wrote:
>
>>>> The *w-50 gives that viscosity edge the water boxer needs.
>>>
> OleRiverRat wrote:
>
>>> I guess if you are talking about a really high milage H2OBxr
>>> that has not been well maintained that is probably true ~ otherwise
>>> I have not seen any info that would cause me to lean toward that
>>> philosophy.
>>>
>>>
>>> ORR ~ Dean
>
> How about the VW Vanagon factory owner's manual? That is the
> viscosity recommended there for all except extreme temperatures on
> either end. At the high end it recommends straight 40 weight, at the
> low end a lighter oil, I do not remember specifically, but maybe
> 10 or 20 weight.
>
> What waterboxer engines are not high mileage? After all, the newest
> one around is 22 years old.
> David McNeely
