A few years back I was using an engine with over 200K miles.  The light
would not come on if I ran straight 50W Valvoline (available then at
Checker).

I was at a shop in Seattle last year and noticed a bottle of 20w80.  I asked
about it and the shop owner said it works a treat on high mileage Vanagon
engines.  I don't recall the brand, but it was from the Fatherland.

Karl Wolz

|-----Original Message-----
|From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]
|On Behalf Of Dennis Haynes
|Sent: Saturday, June 04, 2011 8:09 AM
|To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
|Subject: Re: Spooked!
|
|With today's modern oils there is no reason to have to go to
|the straight 40 for any temperature. I don't even know
|straight weights are available with the latest specifications.
|20w-50 or 15w-50 will work just as well.
|
|Dennis
|
|-----Original Message-----
|From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]
|On Behalf Of Dave Mcneely
|Sent: Saturday, June 04, 2011 9:13 AM
|To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
|Subject: Re: Spooked!
|
|---- David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET> wrote:
|> At 12:38 AM 6/4/2011, Don Hanson wrote:
|> >   You can get better oil pressure with heavier oil.  20-50
|will get
|> >you through the summer or till you decide to fix the motor
|or something else.
|>
|> 15W40, 15W50, 20W40, 20W50 are all specified for temps up to
|> 90+.  For temps over 100F the spec is straight SAE 40.  Page 85 in
|> the owner's manual for '89.  Incidentally 20W50 is specified down to
|> 10F and SAE 40 down to 70F.
|>
|> These are standard specs for new engines, not counsels of despair.
|> These engines need heavy oil.
|
|So, in summer in the southern plains, how does one run the
|multigrade for temps below 100, and the single grade above
|100?  The daily temperature range is generally from around 70
|to above 90, but on many days (and almost all in a hot summer)
|the afternoons will be above 100, but mornings still low 70s.
|
|mcneely
|>
|> Yours,
|> DAvid
|
|--
|David McNeely
|
|-----
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