The Canuck solution is to make a small fire and let it burn down, then roll
the vehicle over the coals and let the motor warm up.

Starts much better.

On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 8:25 PM, John Rodgers <inua@charter.net> wrote:

> I always had a problem with Alaska oil sump heaters in winter. They
> don't work too good when you are at the winter campground in 3 feet of
> snow at below zero temps. What is the Canuck solution for that problem.
> I never did find an adequate Alaskan solution.
>
>
> John Rodgers
> Clayartist and Moldmaker
> 88'GL VW Bus Driver
> Chelsea, AL
> Http://www.moldhaus.com
>
>
>
> Courtney Hook wrote:
>
>> Heheh, that's why you need a Canadian oil sump heater to keep your bus
>> oil
>> thinned out. :-) Tough to find, but oh so worth it. Most cold climate
>> dealers sold them. Look around, you'll be glad you did.
>> Courtney
>>
>> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>> Always be yourself, because the people that matter don't mind,
>> and the ones who mind, don't matter.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "craig cowan" <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Monday, January 11, 2010 6:13 PM
>> Subject: Re: Motor Oil (Synthetic)
>>
>>
>>  My comment regarding cold temperatures dealt specifically with an
>>> occurance
>>> last year when the temperatures in my region were consistantly below
>>> zero
>>> for over a week. On the coldest morning of the lot, early, I tried to
>>> start
>>> my bus to no avail. My battery and all systems were in great shape, but
>>> the
>>> motor oil had turned so thick that the engine would BARELY turn. The
>>> solution involved draining the motor oil and replacing it for the
>>> remainder
>>> of that winter with a thinner oil.
>>> 20W50 is quite thick at or below 0*F.
>>> Put a bit of it in the freezer sometime (even at 32*F) and watch just
>>> how
>>> smoothly it pours.
>>>
>>> -Craig
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 8:34 PM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>  My comment concerning warranty was meant to convey the maker's
>>>> attitude,
>>>> not to suggest that we are trying to maintain the long expired warranty
>>>> on
>>>> our VWs.  I change oil myself, have been doing so for a series of
>>>> vehicles
>>>> for about 50 years, and have managed to drive all of them for around
>>>> 200k
>>>> or
>>>> more miles.  My change interval seems economic to me. Oil is cheap.
>>>> Engines
>>>> are expensive.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 6:02 PM, Allan Streib wrote:
>>>>
>>>>  Synthetic will flow better than conventional when cold.
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> None of our Vanagons are under warranty anymore.  Oil analysis can be
>>>>> used to determine if your oil is still "good" and over time you can
>>>>> establish a reasonable, economic change interval.
>>>>>
>>>>> Allan
>>>>>
>>>>> Dave Mcneely  writes:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>  I use Castrol 20W50, petroleum based (nonsynthetic).  I change the
>>>>> oil
>>>>>
>>>>>> every 3000 miles, just as I always have for all my vehicles.  I can't
>>>>>> imagine how synthetic could improve on that.  I notice that most
>>>>>> manufacturers specify that oil should be changed at the recommended
>>>>>> interval, and that less often than that voids the warranty, whether
>>>>>> the oil used is synthetic or not.  David McNeely
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 1:46 PM, Stephen Cebula wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  What motor oils you you all use out there?  A friend of mine keeps
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> pushing synthetic oil.  He's a Ford man, and not familiar with
>>>>>>> Vanagons.  What's the rap on that?
>>>>>>> Steve
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  --
>>>>> 1991 Vanagon GL
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>

--
Jake

1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"

Crescent Beach, BC

www.thebassspa.com
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27