My experience shows this also. If I filled to the fill line, it would seem to consume oil
until it reached the mid point on the dipstick, where it would stay for a long time. If I
left the oil at the midpoint, my consumption was about 1/2 liter or less in 5000km
using Mobil 15w50.

On 7 Sep 2005 at 9:02, Jim Henry <jhenry@JCHGIS.COM> wrote:

> I have found a number of benefits from not filling to the max level. It has been
> suggested here in the past that if the oil level is at full, there is more
> contact between rotating things like crankshafts and connecting rods with oil
> reservoir, resulting in oil frothing and higher temperatures, lower oil
> pressure, higher oil consumption, and such. I feel that my experiences have
> supported this. I only put 4 quarts of oil in at oil change time, and top up
> with part quarts. Fwiw.
>
> Jim Henry
> Durham, NC
> 84 westy
>
> > Volks,
> >
> > Somewhere along the line I became convinced that the correct
> > amt of oil in a Vanagon Waterboxer engine, was 1/2 way
> > between the Dipstick "max' and "min"
> > marks.
> >
> > Even though the owners manual states,
> >
> > "The oil level is correct if it is between the "max" and
> > "min" marks on the dipstick".
> >
> > Searching thru the archives I find several references to this.
> >
> > But I'm curious what the current collective think is on this?
> >
> > What say you?
Shawn Wright
http://zuiko.sls.bc.ca/~swright
'85 Jetta D
'88 Westy 2.1L, soon to be 1.6TD 5 speed
 (see progress at http://members.shaw.ca/vwdiesels)
'82 Diesel Westy