Challenge for LubeDude...

[jimchere]

Hey LubeDude, hear me out on this one. I'm a big fan of playing around with old VW air-cooled cars (bugs, ghias, busses).<br />These motors have a totally different requirement than water cooled car engines. I've always run a straight 30W in the summer (temps from 60-85 degF on average) except in hawaii where it was always above 75 degF with few exceptions (where I ran a straight 40W pennzoil). In New England I typically run a 5W-30 from NOV through JUN, then 10W-30 JUN-NOV.<br />You got any opinions on what to run in these old little dinosaurs in the 40-80 degF range?<br />Just wanna hear your cut.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

Jimchere, Lubedude is out for the week. Bump this post up the first of the week. The air cooled motor is a prime candidate for synthetic oils. For starters they have considerably higher thermal degradation resistance than dino oil. It also takes signifcantly more pressure to squeeze synthetics from between two theoretically flat surfaces. I'll let L'dude recommend a specific weight for you.

 

[jimchere]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

Okydok, bumpitty up next week. I'm thinking of a 5w-50 full synthetic.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

Cant add much here, Boomyals right, and your thought is fine too! Keep them valves adjusted and those little hummers will last forever!

 

[jinx]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

Except for poor old #3 cylinder that sits behind the oil cooler and doesn't get its share of air.<br /><br />I miss the old VW's I had...air-cooled, the way God intended them.<br /><br />Jinx

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

Thats exactly why synthetics will be a great improvement over regular oils for this aplication.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

Soldier on Lubedude, don't let those others get you down.

 

[tylerin]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

don't let those others get you down. <br /><br />

What others

 

[ED21]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

I'm a fan of bugs & synthetics, but shouldn't you be careful putting synth. oil in an old engine run on regular oil. I would be concerned about crud coming loose & clogging passages after so long a build up of sludge.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

Ed:<br /><br />You have a good point, but I think Jimchere is one of those VW guys that takes pretty good care of his stuff!

 

[jimchere]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

Thanks for the info everyone. As a couple of side notes, the old horror story (that's true) of breaking loose the crud comes from guys picking up a used motor that had been ran a long time with cheapo/poor quality non-detergent oil. Put in some detergent oil after all those miles and ouch!<br />I've been running this one with good quality (pennzoil) detergent oils since rebuild. Also, this one's a later model ('74) which means it has the "doghouse" style fanshroud, which resolved the problem of the NR3 Cylinder not getting adequate airflow.<br />Still, I do the valve lash with each oil change, its so easy to do. Normally the valves hold the adjustment very well. What your looking for is if the valve lash keeps getting smaller and you have to keep opening it up more indicates that that valve has been running way too hot and is stretching and is about to break (particularly with NR3 in the pre-doghouse engines as mentioned by jinx above.<br />I'm going to give a synthetic 5w-50 a whirl and let y'all know how it goes. My concern is the old legend that synthetics leak more (and a bug engine that ain't leaving a few drops in the driveway probably ain't got no oil in it too begin with

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

If you have a gasket leak, it will probably leak more (not much more) with the synthetic. Actually the esters in the synthetics will actually soften rubbertype seals and may stop small leaks with those over time!

 

[scotchguy]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

This is from memory but I remember reading that the reason you do not want a synth oil in a vw air cooled engine was due to the synth oil not taking on heat as well as regular oil. This in turn decreases the effectiveness of the oil cooler and results in a slighlty hotter running engine. I'm sure some will disagree and tell me that they have run synth with no problems, but then what have you not heard when it comes to vw's (or boats for that matter). I'll look for the reference article and post what I find.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

I hope you can find the artical as I find that absurd!! Not you, whoever wrote the artical and where he got that information.!

 

[scotchguy]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

I did find a snippet from a 2000 Gene Berg catalog that talks about hotter running engines and why he chooses not to use synthetic. It mentions the same reason I stated before that synth does not carry the heat load to the oil cooler. <br /><br />In addition I looked at vw trends and hot vw's web sites. I did find an article, however the article recommends using synth and talks about misconceptions. I did find it interesting that the article mentions how synth operates with "superior high temperature oxidation resistance and low temperature flow characteristics" I interpret this to mean lower operating temps of the oil. Here is the link (hope this works)<br /> web page <br /><br />I guess we are back to square one. Personally I would not use synth because of the info in the Berg catalog. I am biased however, as I ran a Berg engine in my '68 ghia. I will, however, keep looking for the first article I referenced.

 

[jimchere]

Re: Challenge for LubeDude...

Scotch/Lube,<br />Yea, I've read many of those articles and the debates back and forth. You can stick to the belief that you want, but I don't go for the "synthetic doesn't transfer heat as well" belief.<br />I think, being no expert, that this opinion derives from lack of understanding of why the AC engine runs a bit (just a little bit) cooler on synthetic than dino as registered by OIL temp. "Old school" folks attributed the above fact to a reduced heat transfer of the synthetic, when in fact the cause may actually have been due to reduced friction.....<br />You guys know where that goes.<br />Anyhow, I think the only true test would be using a pyrometer and measuring cylinder wall temperatures....I'm going to give the pennzoil 5w-50 full synthetic a try, putting it in this saturday, and will monitor how it goes.<br />Lubedude....most seals that leak in the VW are cork/paper type. I'll be keeping a close eye on leakage rates/drippage in the garage!