Date:         Tue, 02 Apr 1996 18:23:00 -0800 (PST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Maher, Steve (SD-MS)" <SMAHER@gi.com>
Subject:      RE: what kind of oil?


>NEVER NEVER NEVER  use synthetic oil in an engine that has less than 5,000
>miles on it.  The rings will not seat and you run the risk of ruining the
>bearings.


I must admit to some confusion regarding break-ins and synthetic oil.

I have heard that it's not good to use synthetics very early in an
engine's life, mostly for the reasons you state. I've also heard that
synthetics tend to be "much more slippery", if you will, than normal
dino oil, and so they do not permit the friction necessary to properly
wear-in rings, bearings, etc. In this wearing-in process, the various
parts essentially assume their final shape, losing rough edges, tight
spots, etc. Once they've properly done this (say, after a thousand miles
or so on dino oil), they are good to go for the next umpteen thousand
miles, and you can then switch to synthetic if you like.

But before an engine has broken in, it is at some risk of seizure, due
to excessive friction or binding of these un-worn areas, and so must be
treated gently until they are properly worn in.

Correct so far?


My question is:

If a newly-built engine with synthetic oil, doesn't have enough friction
etc. to break-in normally, then how can it have enough to seize?

 -Steve Maher (possessor of barely sufficient knowledge to be dangerous)

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 Steve Maher   smaher@gi.com       '80 V6anagon w/Chevy 2800
                                   '66 Mustang Coupevertible, for sale

 Check out the cars at http://www.lookup.com/homepages/76242/home.html

              *** It takes all kinds to make this world.
                  That's why we aren't all Irish. ***
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