What weight oil after rebuild?......

[legotech7]

I rebuilt my 1600 engine and have a few more details to do before I start her up.I have been getting conflicting opinions on what oil to use for my new motor for its initial start up. So I'm here to ask....the engine is stock except for the pistons and liners.. It will be a 1641, and the crank is a chrome molly counter balanced crankshaft. Some say to use a 20-50 weight,another says 50 with zinc like valvolne's VR1 straight 50, or 10w30 or 40... Witch is better for the initial start up? Confused.....................

[rockerarm]

Hi. Your question here will be locked and directed to the appropriate oil thread, which is now 197 pages long. You can also look at pelicanparts.com where they have an "Ultimate Motor Oil Thread". It is 104 pages long.
I would ask the guy who is warrantying your cam and lifters as to an appropriate oil. On my personal daily driver bus with a reground cam/lifters from Web Cams, Riverside, Calif. I used the Shell Rotella 30wt. They preferred me to use the Brad Penn but wasn't easily available in the LA area.
Hope this helps, Bill.

[EverettB]

Not going to lock this since you are asking about 1st start-up oil and not ongoing oil usage.

As the guy above said, I would ask the cam dealer as usually you want something specific for the 1st engine start-up and break in.

I did some searches here and didn't find a dedicated thread for starting up a rebuilt engine but I did find this link mentioned
http://www.aircooled.net/vw-engine-break-in-procedure/
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[Tim Donahoe]

The instruction that my PO got from the company which sold him my engine (long block), said to use regular 30W Castrol for start up.

They made no mention of what weight or brand for further down the road.

They also recommended changing the oil at 300, then 1000 miles, then at least every 3000 miles.

If you want zinc for the tappers, you can add it to the oil. Several vendors sell small bottles for each oil change.

Tim
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[Glenn]

Most break-in oil is straight 30w.

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[legotech7]

Thanks folks, I did go back and asked the machinist who did my line bore, he suggested something with a zink additive in it. He said he uses the VRI 20W-50.... Thats what he uses for his engines with out any issues... I did check out the Brad Penn oil, but I couldn't get it locally, and to order it I'd have to wait a week to get it.... Won't do!..... My local autozone had the VR1 and for 4 bucks less then the Brad Penn, so VR1 it is. I just want to make sure I don't ruin my new motor.... Pardon the placement of the post, but I do appreciate the info. Again thanks..........

[airschooled]

VR-1 comes in 10w30, which, in my opinion, is better for when you run a new engine for your first drive and piston ring break-in. I don't have an opinion about oil in a NEW engine for cam break in, because I don't design or manufacture camshafts, but your bearing clearances will be TIGHT on a new engine, and a thinner oil is fine for the first few thousand miles, especially in our warmer weather.

Robbie
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use the VR-1 10-30 for sure.

Your engine will "tell you" what oil to use, if you monitor the oil pressures and temps. You do not want to see over 45psi when hot; if you do you likely would benefit from a thinner oil.

Use the thicker oil for when the engine is old and the pressure is low.
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[modok]

Yes, you can't go wrong with 10-30 VR1
It's a good alternative to actual break-in oil from Joe gibbs, Maxima, or Brad penn, actually, might be better than brad penn IMO

If the engine is built with main and rod clearances on the loose side, it may be happy with 20-50 for hot seasons and hot oil temps, but if it isn't built loose then running 20-50 could be risky, risky as in... hot or at worse seized.

I build them loose and still run 10-30 in the winter(daily driver)

If you don't know, then best to assume it's built tight, and do what John says.

[legotech7]

Thanks modok, I think you might be right, its just hard to find the 10-30 grade here, but if I have to I'll order it....

[mark tucker]

I run 5-20 syn in my stuff. I do not/will not run racing oil in a non full time racing car. try the quakerstate deffy it has zinc and is semi synthetic. about $16 at walmart for the 5qt jug. 10-20 or 10-30 should do you fine.or 5-20 or30 if it gets cold there like hear. Ive ran that oil in many engines, and have switched to it in my bug now after about 70000 miles on full synthetic.

[Ursalon]

20-50 is good, I used Shell Rotella T 15-40 Diesel oil. First time you start it up put a bottle of zinc oil additive in as well. New oils have lower levels of zinc in them and can wear out your cam prematurely, the zinc keeps everything nice and slippery

[Glenn]

[legotech7]

Thanks Glenn, just looking for information.. No better place than Samba!....

[rockerarm]

Hi again. Thanks Everett for not locking it as the original poster shouldn't have to scan thru 197 pages of oil threads.
Tim, the white bottle Castrol GTX oil, per Castrol, is not recommended for flat tappet cam engines.
Glenn, I remember when Berg used to sell Valvoline 20wt, non-detergent oil for initial break in and running. I still have some quarts left as one can still order it from Kragen/O'Reilly, if still available.
Legotech, 10w-30 is probably one of the most widely used motor oils out there. I can even get a diesel rated 10w-30 here in Los Angeles area.
Regarding the Valvoline VR-1, isn't there two versions? A street legal and a non-street legal version. The non legal street version, I recall, is easily had from Napa.
Hope this helps, Bill.

[legotech7]

rockerarm, I looked everywhere locally for the oils, and even asked if they could order a case for me, but they wouldn't have it.... Ordered a case of the 10w-30 VR1 online today. It was actually not that pricey...

[Cusser]

Here's my take, and my opinion:

Your engine clearances with a rebuild, for bearings, pistons, rings, etc., should be pretty comparable to a brand-new from Wolfsburg engine. So use what VW recommended, like straight 30W.
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[rockerarm]

Hi. But VW doesn't recommend a 30wt oil anymore for air-cooled cars. Back in the 1970's VW dealers were using multi grades on oil change services. Porsche did the same thing. There aren't too many 30wt oils even around anymore to choose from that contain a decent additive package.
Hope this helps, Bill.

[neil68]

[mark tucker]

the quaker state deffy has zinc. and it's cheep, and it's at walmart.and it's part synthetic.