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jerryil Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007 Posts: 24 Location: La Mesa, CA
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 1:29 pm Post subject: Oil Grade Selection for An Aircooled Vanagon? |
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Hi Friends,
So I have read Richard Atwells artice on distinguishing between oil grades several times http://www.ratwell.com/technical/OilSelection.html
Now.... I am still baffled. What type of oil do you run in your 2.0 aircooled Vanagon? I live on the California coast, but venture into the valley occasionally (So temps will range from 50 in the morning to 100 in the afternoon. It seems like 10W40 or 20W50 would be best. I just entered the aircooled world, and am curious who has had good luck in similar weather conditions with their grade.
Thank You All,
J |
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mightyart Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2004 Posts: 6188 Location: Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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I run 20w50 all year in Texas. |
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M_atthewanderson Samba Member
Joined: January 25, 2005 Posts: 288 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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I use single 30wt old dino style oil all year round in Washington. keeps my lifters quite and pumped _________________ 1980 2.0 Sunroof Vanagon |
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Randy in Maine Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2003 Posts: 34890 Location: The Beach
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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Mobil 1 15-50 all year. |
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RCB Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2005 Posts: 4143 Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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Does air cooled and water cooled use the same weight motor oil ??
Just curious |
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jerryil Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007 Posts: 24 Location: La Mesa, CA
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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RCB wrote: |
Does air cooled and water cooled use the same weight motor oil ??
Just curious |
Typically, an aircooled motor is going to run hotter than a water cooled. This is especially true on a hot day. Therefore, an aircooled (at least theoretically) would benefit from a heavier oil in the heat to prevent breakdown. This is a highly debated topic, hence my question. |
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Terry Kay Banned
Joined: June 22, 2003 Posts: 13331
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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20/50 Castrol GTX will do your AC engine well. _________________ T.K. |
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ChesterKV Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2005 Posts: 1725 Location: El Cerrito, CA
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 8:14 am Post subject: |
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Dude....20w-50.........high mileage kind _________________ 1984 Wolfsburg 7-passenger stock sunroof
1992 Subaru Legacy EJ22 boxer motor installed.... van is now sold.... currently playing with a 1987 Toyota MR2 with 1.6 liter twin-cam motor. Better than the Subaru boxers....... I'm impressed. Well, okay, in an "apples and oranges" kind of way. |
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Cohiba Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2005 Posts: 4
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 11:02 am Post subject: |
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what about synthetic oil?
would the viscosity be the same (20w-50)
in My 81 westy |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50336
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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I have been running Mobil 1 15W-50 synthetic for years in ACVW's, it seems to handle the heat very well. You don't get that dark blackish crud building up inside the valve covers you typically see on engines running dino. |
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gears Samba Member
Joined: October 28, 2002 Posts: 4391 Location: Tamarack, Bend, Kailua
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msinabottle Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2005 Posts: 3492 Location: Denver Area, Colorado
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: |
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To summarize: Those of us who've been plugging Castrol GTX Dino have been doing a very good thing!
Best! _________________ 'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence." |
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gears Samba Member
Joined: October 28, 2002 Posts: 4391 Location: Tamarack, Bend, Kailua
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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To further summarize, you gotta keep an eye on the oil suppliers. They may change their formulation without notice. Delo 400 and Castrol GTX remain OK for the time being... |
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m4mke Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2006 Posts: 92 Location: Morro Bay, Ca.
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 11:38 am Post subject: |
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Randy in Maine wrote: |
Mobil 1 15-50 all year. |
ditto _________________ Don't tell my wife I'm in here. |
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