If they put six quarts they put too much!! The owners manual clearly
states 4.8. I like to keep it at the bottom line on the dipstick, about four
quarts. It seems to run cooler, I think due to windage i.e. less frothing of
the oil.
    Six quarts may very well have destroyed the engine. I have an engine
apart and will try to extapolate what level that corresponds to. I am
thinking it was up into the cylinders. This would have created a resistance
on the back side of the pistons. They were NOT designed for that.
Ken Lewis
86 Transporter Crew Cab
60 356 T-5 Porsche
http://neksiwel.20m.com/
Vanagon tech, pixs, O2 monitor gadget
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marc Perdue" <marcperdue@ADELPHIA.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 2:05 PM
Subject: [VANAGON] How much oil?

> I've always had someone else do the oil changes in my van so I'm not
> totally up on its specs.  How much oil is supposed to go into an '87
> Vanagon when you do an oil and filter change?  The dealer charged me for 6
> quarts . . .  I've had 6 people ask me if they actually put oil into my
> Westy whose engine is now blown . . . unfortunately, I was too upset when
> it blew to actually think of checking the oil level at the time.  I would
> think it would look low anyway because of the fact that there's a HOLE in
> the top of the engine and fluid of some kind EVERYWHERE in the engine
> compartment.  Come to think of it, though, the fluid looked more like
> coolant than oil . . . but I was too out of it to check on that either . .
> . :^(
>
> Still haven't heard from the dealer on their "prognosis" or what they plan
> to do about it . . .
>
> Thanks for all the responses!!!  You all are great!!
> Marc Perdue
>