Date:         Wed, 7 Jul 1999 07:25:43 EDT
Reply-To:     KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Subject:      Oil was: Turbo 5-cylinder diesel on its way...
Comments: To: jfritz@decorah.k12.ia.us
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

In a message dated 7/6/99 11:10:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
jfritz@DECORAH.K12.IA.US writes:

<< Mike,
 I just had a mechanic swear up and down that synth oil should go 7000.  He
even advocated just changing the filter after 3500 to drain less oil and just
top it off to go all the way to 7000.

 Sounds crazy to me but I've heard of people doing it.  I wouldn't mind
getting 5000 out of a synth change though.  Thats how far we're travelling in
a couple of weeks and I wouldn't mind eliminating the oil change enroute.
 Does the list have an opinion about this?

 Jim in Iowa >>

Jim, I've heard mechanics swear alot (try to refrain from it myself) but that
doesn't change basic principals of what oil does.

Oil does a few different jobs.  It lubricates, suspends foreign matter,
cools, provides a cushion between the bearing surfaces, and keeps the engine
clean internally.
If we were going on lubrication properties alone I would say that synthetic
oil would probably last alot longer than 7,000 miles as it just doesn't break
down like normal oil does.  However the key thing to think about here is
keeping the engine clean internally.

When you start up your engine, before it warms up, fuel gets past the rings
and into the oil.  After you shut the engine down for the day, water
condenses and gets in the oil.  Also combustion byproducts get in the oil too
(before warmup).  All of these combine together to form acids in the engine.
If you drive your van for over 30 mins a day, the water will evaporate out
but the only way to get the rest of the stuff out is by changing the oil.

The reason why mechanics, and folks don't want to change the synthetic oil as
much is because it is more expensive.  However, I would rather run some dino
oil and change it every 3000-5000 miles, than put in sythetic oil and extend
the change intervals.  You are just keeping that acidic junk in the motor
longer and it allows more to accumulate to the point where it could actually
do some damage.

My 2 cents on the subject.  It is worth as much as you paid for it.
Ken Wilford
Van-Again
John 3:16