Right. I see. For the pilot bearing, got a tube of Nitro Red:

http://www.nitrolube.com/products/grease/

Should last me a lifetime.

It a "Non Melt" super tacky grease. When I asked the FLAPS guy about
pilot bearing grease, he pointed me to it w/o hesitation pulled the
cap off and showed how tacky it is. He's a knowledgable long time
employee. So for any other Canucks, this seems to be one product one
could use. (though I imagine Redline grease might be in other Canadian
chains)

As for transmission additive, no Prolong, but when I asked the same
employee about "Slick 50", he said no complaints. He had heard good
things about it. What the heck. I'll put some in.

Fellow Canucks: all this was purchased at Lordco.

Thanks again Scott. You've pointed out stuff that some could easily overlook.

Neil.

On Mon, Apr 5, 2010 at 3:16 PM, Scott Daniel  - Turbovans
<scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
> hi,
> yeah....MT-90, that's the 'normal synthetic vanagon gear oil' �these days.
>
> I find the pilot bearing to be 'the' weakest, or most commonly completely
> shot, vanagon clutch part.
> I make sure that part is nicely lubed with a really high quality bearing
> grease.
> and a dust seal for the pilot bearing is very important.
> without that they go out in as little as two years.
>
> if the van moves when the clutch pedal gets a couple of inches off the
> floor..
> it's probably getting full disengagement.
> If there is a draggy pilot bearing though , even with good hydrucaulics and
> correct TOB travel...
> there would still be 'not 100 % full disengagement' from the stuck/draggy
> pilot bearing.
>
> the last time I saw that in a vanagon ...it would disengage cleanly
> sometimes, but not other times.
> Typically, it was missing the little metal ring that retains the felt dust
> seal used in waterboxer pilot bearings,
> and the rollers of the pilot bearing were a real mess.
>
> Scott
>