Date:         Mon, 12 Jul 1999 20:55:24 -0700
Reply-To:     sxs@CONCENTRIC.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Schwenk <sxs@CONCENTRIC.NET>
Subject:      Re: Report on the cause of death, my 1.9 TD Vanagon
Comments: To: karl <thewestyman@MINDSPRING.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I need to get my transaxle oil analyzed to find out
what the silver sheen in it is...definitively...anyone
know where I can in Calif?
TIA
steve

karl wrote:
>
> A refresher: This is the 1.9 TD that I installed in my Syncro Westy this
> winter, that made the trip cross-country east to west, 7000 miles, only to
> die the day after I returned home to Maryland. I sent a test-sample of the
> oil off to the Mobil oil test lab, and the results are here! (I used Mobil
> 1, 15W50 grade oil)
>
> The report says: " Severe level of fuel soot detected. Soot implies poor
> combustion, improper air / fuel mix, compression. Viscosity high. Bearing /
> bushing wear indicated."
>
> In the 'physical data' section, the viscosity of the oil at 100 degrees C is
> 63.1(!!), water by volume less than .05%, fuel less than 1% by volume, and
> soot an incredible 12.1% by volume! (iron and other metals were at an
> acceptable level, so it wasn't self destructing during the trip)
>
> So, cause of death was not overheating of the oil as I initially suspected,
> but soot contamination. I suspect that there was a problem with the pump and
> / or the injectors, as the exhaust had several episodes of belching lots of
> black smoke (soot). .....this would also explain the poor fuel mileage.  A
> lesson learned, in the realm of diesels.
>
> Karl
> '87 Westy Syncro TD