I was part of this discussion on the Triumph Spitfire forum when I
rebuilt my spitfire last year.  Like our VW's, they also have flat
tappets and when I pulled two spitfire engines apart the cams and
tappet faces on both where horribly pitted.  Definitely a zinc
problem.        Recommendations of oils with zinc on our site where: Shell
Rotella T  SAE 15w-40, Vavoline 20w50 VR1 Racing motor oil,  Brad Pen
sells an oil with zinc (google it).  I found some of the VR1 for my
spit.

As to my Westy, my mechanic told me to run straight 30 wt oil.
Haven't yet changed the oil in it, but it's on my list.  I'll have to
think about what to use.

Dan
L.A., CA
'85 Westy Weekender

On Jun 5, 2011, at 6:05 PM, Michael Rasmussen wrote:

> On Sun, Jun 05, 2011 at 05:02:50PM -0700, Loren Busch wrote:
>> engine rebuilder here in the NW this very subject came up and he
>> made to
>> same point for the same reason.  Our VW engines were engineered 20
>> + years
>> ago and the oils formulated at the same time were for engines of
>> that era.
>> Not so with the oils on the shelf today.  I felt a little better
>> when he
>> stated that the Mobil One synthetic I use in my 21.L WBX is one
>> exception in
>> the off the shelf synthetic stuff.
>
> For those interested in the vendor specs:
> http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Files/
> Mobil_1_Product_Guide.pdf
> Lists VW Approved oils  0W-40 (502.00/503.01/505.00)  and 5W-50
> (505.00)
> as VW Approved for gas engines and ESP formula 5-30 (504/207) for
> diesels.
> The product guide also lists phosphorus and zinc levels, and
> recommended application.
>
> At little more on this on this on The Samba post:
> http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?
> p=5323664&highlight=#5323664
>
> --
>             Michael Rasmussen, Portland Oregon
>       Riding to support treatment of arthritis - soon to affect one
> in four
> I will match your donation 1:1   Help out today: http://
> tapcc.kintera.org/michaelrpdx
>       Other Adventures: http://www.jamhome.us/ or http://
> westy.saunter.us/
> Fortune Cookie Fortune du jour:
> If exercise was a pill, we'd prescribe it to every patient.
>         ~  My doctor