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82VW Samba Member
Joined: May 12, 2012 Posts: 28 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 11:42 am Post subject: First oil for rebuild air cooled engine in desert |
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Hi,
I'm about to put in my rebuilt 1982 vanagon air cool engine and I live in the desert of western Colorado. It's now summertime, so should I consider a 20/50 wt to get things started off now that the temps are reaching the 90s already? |
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Microbusdeluxe Samba Member
Joined: July 26, 2003 Posts: 980 Location: Bellingham, WA
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 11:49 am Post subject: |
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That's what I run in my air-cooled year round. _________________ '69 Squareback RIP
'65 21 window deluxe sold before the price spike, damn it.
'70 rhd bay now a taxi in South Sudan
'81 Westy sold
'89 hightop Westy Joker syncro 16" now with Bostig! |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16505 Location: Brookeville, MD
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Vango Conversions Samba Member
Joined: October 04, 2010 Posts: 1054 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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I know it's kind of old school, but at least with aircraft engines they recommend breaking them in with non detergent straight weight oil. I've never actually done that with any of the engines i've built, but that was mostly because I couldn't find any locally and I didn't want to wait to order any. Might be a good idea to do the first start with some 30 or 40wt straight non detergent oil, break in the cam, and bomb around for an hour to seat the rings. Dump it out and run some regular 15w40 or 20w50 (I'd say 15w40 since it's fresh, but just pick something that works with your temp based on the vw recommendations). If you have an oil pressure gauge, running the thinnest oil that still maintains good oil pressure is generally best, you can later step up to the 20w50 as your bearings wear and your pressure goes down.
I like the idea of doing the very first oil change right away, as the first hour or so that an engine runs it's going to have the highest wear, plus you have all the little bits of crud left in there from machining and assembly. Once you get that initial slug of junk out of there you can go longer on the next change. |
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MarkWard Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005 Posts: 17155 Location: Retired South Florida
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:48 pm Post subject: |
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We use Brad Penn break in oil on all new engines. It has the extra zinc needed for cam followers during break in. Run for an hour and dump. Realize when breaking in an engine you are seating the rings and breaking in the face of the cam and lifters. Anything other than that, and you have a problem. In other words, you are not breaking in the bearings, rods, and crank. _________________ ☮️ |
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bluebus86 Banned
Joined: September 02, 2010 Posts: 11075
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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Break in oil is essential for long engine life. It is usally a striaght wieght oil, non-detergent, with high levels of zddp for cam break in.
this oil is often only used for break in period, as little as half an hour of run time. then it is often changed for more of the same break in oil for maybe 500 miles more or until the next cag, then your normal driving oil can be used, usually a detergent oil, stay away from super ligh oi,the old aircooled motor usually require thicker oils than new cars, (unless your in the artic)
You should have break in procedure for the newly built motor don't let her idle for the fisrt 20-30 minutes, you need to keep reving her.
using the right proceddure should allow proper setting of the rings and cam break in |
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