I went to sleep early 
20/50 is the right stuff and can be used most of the year here in the north 
it s not like the top end of the engine is dry when it starts cold so it has lubrication 

Bob 

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jim Akiba 
  To: Bob Donalds 
  Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 9:53 PM
  Subject: Fwd: 20W-50 oil question

  You're being paged on the vanagon list beep beep beep

  ---------- Forwarded message ----------
  From: David Kao < dtkao0205@yahoo.com>
  Date: Oct 4, 2007 12:06 AM
  Subject: Re: 20W-50 oil question
  To: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com

  Bob, what is your opinion about dino oil 20w-50 most Vanagon people 
  believe in and kind of insist in using it? They have of course a good
  point that the owner's manual suggested it.

  My understanding is the 20W part is bad for the first few miles after a
  cold start in the morning. That's when the most wear happens to the engine. 
  But the number of 50 in 20w-50 is good for the rising coolant temperature
  when in bumper to bumper traffic. The Vangon's cooling system is unable
  to keep the coolant at a constant temperature in slow traffic or in climbing 
  long hills, unlike my Passat which keeps its coolant temperature at a
  constant at all conditions. I can see the benefit of the 50 viscosity
  for vanagons. But 20w part is really bad for cold start and first few
  miles of driving first thing in the morning.

  What's the solution for this? What's your opinion about this? Or it doesn't
  matter any way? Thanks a lot.

  David

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