In a message dated 06/02/2007 1:09:50 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

I have  been using Mobil1 15/50 extended performance synthetic for over a ye=
ar  now in my 90 Carat w/ 89k original miles.  It doesn't see winter use,  bu=
t I have pulled it out of its bay during very cold times here in New  Englan=
d, let it sit overnight and gave it a start in the early am to test  it.  No=
issues, little bit slower cranking, but would fire right  up.

            Dylan,  and others.  I have to jump in here as I think some of us
are missing the  point on this subject.  The thicker oil is not going to
prevent or  make the engine hard to start.  If you have a good battery with 600 ~
800 cold cranking amps then the engine will turn over and fire up.  BUT,  the
problem becomes in that the thick oil cannot circulate quickly enough to
lubricate the bearings properly so every time you do this you are causing undue
wear of the bearings which you will not be aware of until you have a premature
 engine failure due to worn bearings.  Then, when that occurs you have
forgotten all about those cold starts you did and want to know why the engine
bearings wore out so soon.  We see this in all vehicles up here in the  great
white north.  The more temperate the climate the less problematic it  becomes.  So
not everyone is aware of this.  I always get a laugh out  of the Northern
rednecks who go around boasting of getting their vehicle  started at -45C ~ -35C
without the use of a block heater or heated garage after  have sat out in that
cold overnight.  Well, you just wore a few thou off  your bearing you fool,
I'm thinking, so what if you have that great big battery  that's able to spin
that cold frozen motor over so that it will start !   This is one of the
biggest advantages to using the 0w50, 5w50 and  15w50 synthetic oils in our
waterboxers as it sure helps to save the engine  bearings at cold start up without the
aid of any heating devices.  I still  use the block heater even though I use
5w50 Mobile 1.  Save those bearings  !!

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg  (Forsale) & Lionel Trains (_Collection
for  sale_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
_Vanagon  Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10,  2007