Hi Bob,

I checked the oil in Dallas and it was still full.  I've not checked it since I returned, but I'll do that today.  I'm not sure how long to do it, but I'm
still running the break-in oil (30wt).I now
have 700 miles on the engine, and so I think I'll
change the oil again this weekend.  I'll run it
(30 wt again) to a total of about 1500 miles before I put in the synthetic.  Each time I change the
oil, I use a new Mahle filter.

So far, no leaks of any kind, either from the
coolant, oil, or tranny.  It's rather amazing
to walk up to this bus and not see a puddle of
some kind under there.

Warren Lail
88 Westy "Billy Bones"
87 GL "Long John"

---- Original Message -----
From: ROBERT DONALDS <donalds1@verizon.net>
Date: Thursday, March 25, 2004 1:15 pm
Subject: Re:      slightly oily plugs

> Warren
> The rings can take a fews thousand miles to seat have you switched to
> synthetic oil yet or are you still on the break in oil
> AND is the engine using oil ?
>
> Bob
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Warren.K.Lail-1" <wlail@OU.EDU>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2004 10:39 AM
> Subject: slightly oily plugs
>
>
> > Just before I left for my first road trip
> > (from OKC to Dallas and back - about 400 miles)
> > I installed a new set of Bosch W7CC spark plugs.
> > Yesterday I pulled them out and they were all
> > sort of black and very slightly oily.  But almost
> > not enough oil to wipe off.  It appears that the
> > rings have not fully seated, and that I'm
> > still running a bit rich, or both.  Of course
> > the whole trip was made with the O2 sensor
> > disconnected. When I connect it, the bus starts to lope. Hmm.
> >
> > I set the timing again.  With the Temp II sender
> > disconnected I set it to 5 degrees BTDC at 2300rpm.
> > I hooked everything back up and at 3800 rpm I
> > was at 38 degrees BTDC.  I think that's about
> > perfect.  And it seems to have more power than
> > during the Dallas trip.  Maybe my plugs will
> > turn that nice gray-brown color soon.
> >
> > Warren
> > 88 Westy "Billy Bones" (we've signed Articles)
> > 87 GL "Long John"
>
>
>