For starters, what level are you trying to keep the oil at? If you are
shooting for the top mark, you are really overfilling it and slopping it
past the rings. you are also heating it up and splashing it excessively and
destroying the catalyst buy putting all that oil into it. It is also
possible that the ring design is allowing it to go by. FUN BUS has used oil
since new. A quart for every 1 to 2 thousand miles depending on type of
driving. Local short trips use the most.

Anyway, the top mark is not the fill mark. It is the maximum, do not exceed
no matter what mark. Also, the van needs to be level, including side to side
when checking the oil and sufficient time is needed to allow the oil to
drain down from the heads and top of the case. What I do, change oil and
filter, fill with 4.5 quarts. Run engine. Let sit for 10 minutes. Check oil
level. That is level you want.

Synthetic blend oil is one of those I don't know why things. Most oil
contamination comes from the oil itself breaking down. So any conventional
makes you do frequent changes. After 250K miles at 7,500 change intervals,
go for the good stuff. Also, the Vanagon really needs 20w-50 or the
equivalent.

Dennis

>From: Brendan Slevin <brendan@BELLATAZZA.COM>
>Reply-To: Brendan Slevin <brendan@BELLATAZZA.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Oil
>Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:35:55 -0700
>
>Maybe I should've asked first, but I changed Totoro's oil about two
>weeks/1000 miles ago.  I used Castrol synthetic blend10-40w and a fram
>filter.  It's what I could find on short notice here in Bend.   Now I seem
>to have added a full quart of oil already.  :-(  It's a bit worrying.  Is
>there something about synthetic oil that would cause this or maybe a filter
>that is a bit off?  I don't see smoke or drips.  I am confused.
>
>
>Brendan Slevin
>84 GL Totoro
>Bend, Oregon
>I have measured out my life with coffee spoons. -T.S. Eliot