TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1776 cc what type of oil wheight and brand

Sun Jul 28, 2002 6:30 pm

I have a 1776 cc engine ready to fire up but would like to what weight would be best to run it with and brand

Sun Jul 28, 2002 8:41 pm

Seems like we just went through all this a while ago, but no one will mind sharing their favorite blend with you, I mean oil that is....
The general consensus is that 20W50 is the most widely used for air cooleds, unless your in a Northern or colder climate then 10W30 in the winter... Some yet still prefer straight weight although it is no longer neccesary to run it in a VW.

Maybe we can get a real Rants and Raves kinda thing goin on Brands here...:)

I like Exxon Superflo, Castrol and Valvoline... Many prefer Penzoil, or others, but most will agree that if its name brand and you change it at 3k or before religiously ect., then you probably won't have any problems(oil related that is...)

So you don't need to worry about synthetics as they are not worth the extra $$ if you change it that often, and there is some worry about synthetic leaking past seals anyway...

The choice is up to you.... I would run 10w 30 on startup and drain and change it after running the engine a short time IE after you feel the cam/lifters have broken in, Alot of debris can be thrown off during the initial break-in and you have assembly lubes ect that contaminates the start up oil.... So drop the plate and clean it all out good... Then go with 20W50....

Wed Jul 31, 2002 11:20 pm

Well said Keifernet.

With a new/rebuilt engine, a 10w30 is a good choice to start with.

There is a specific method of first running a rebuilt engine, and it's VERY important if you want a good life from your engine.

You put oil in the sump, and with the plugs removed, spin the engine on the starter until the oil light goes out - all galleries filled with oil and you know the oil pump is working properly.

Now put the plugs in and fire it up. Run it straight up to 2500rpm and hold it there for 20 minutes. That might sound crazy (and it will drive the neighbours nuts!), but it ensures that the cam lobes work-harden with out a big load on them. The engine is producing very little power since it's not pushing the car, so cylinder wear is not a problem.

Stop the engine, drain the oil and you will almost certainly see a small amount of metal flakes coming out with the oil - there is ALWAYS a few traces in a rebuild and the 20 minutes running will have knocked of any sharp edges which should not be there either.

Now refill the sump and drive it for 100 miles or so, driving normally but no heavy throttle work. Make sure you work the engine through a reasonable rev range - don't try to hold it just to low revs. This ensures that the rings etc don't form a "set", and will seal well at all rpm. Now drain the oil and refill again, and then drive it normally. You don't need a lengthy run-in period with the VW engine, though of course it would be sensible to avoid a 70 mile-per-hour run right across the country until at least the first 3000 mile oil change :-)

I suggest using the 10w30 oil at first, as is runs thinner which will ensure that any tight bearings etc still get some oil.

Then perhaps at the first 3000 miles oil change, you can change to 20w50 if your ambient temps are above freezing (stay with 10w30 for colder climates) and enjoy driving your bug for may years.

I use Castrol oils myself (good quality and decent prices), but the brand doesn't really matter - the VW Owner's Manuals all say that ANY good brand of oil will do, but once you've decided on a brand it's usually better to stick to that brand if you can - that avoids any potential problems with different additive packages the oil companies might use.

You can use synthetics if you wish - they work fine, but as Keifer says, there's no real advantage - the VW engine doesn't get "turbo hot" to really need the high temp stability of a synthetic and the open sump design and no filter means that you can't use their long-life stability to extend the oil changes - you still HAVE to change the oil every 3000 miles just to keep it clean.

Regards,
Rob
Rob and Dave's aircooled VW pages
Repairs and maintenance for the home mechanic
http://www.geocities.com/aussiebug1970/

Fri Aug 02, 2002 8:30 pm

i just rebuilt my engine about 300 miles ago, and i did the whole 20 minutes at 300 rpms with 20/50 weight oil. i also did the 100 miles using 20/50 weight, and now i just run penzoil 20/50 like i always have, what is the difference runing 10/30 in the first 20 minutes of your engines resuerction?

Sat Aug 03, 2002 9:14 am

The 10w30 is thinner and will help flush more of the metal particles out of the case and away from the bearing surfaces as they break in.I also use a 10w30 for the first 20 minutes as its usually cheaper and there is very little if any load on the engine during that first run. Change oil regularly and keep it tuned and you will like driving old VW's. If you dont............

Tue Aug 06, 2002 1:08 am

I use 20w50 synthetic in my 1776. Cost is higher but my temps are down 10 degrees. Aircooled engines run hotter than water cooled and depend so heavily on oil that I don't mind paying more. Synthetic oils are much better than the regular stuff.