yes, the vw inline four engines, like yours, are all flat tappet engines.
And could benefit from oil with hopefully a bit more zinc than other modern
oils have.

and you can buy zinc additive by itself too.

I also think there is a slight factor of new oil making a little better
pressure than old oil.
Like if you drain old oil, fill with the exact same fresh oil..
for a while OP will be a bit better with the fresh oil than it was with the
old oil.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2011 2:36 PM
Subject: Re: Oil Pressure observation.

>  The main reason I used it this time was that it comes in a gallon jug.
> My
> motor takes 4 qts with a filter change.  My arms were full of other things
> when I remembered I needed to change oil soon and I did recall that
> posting
> about Zinc and flat lifters...dunno if that applies to an inlne
> motor...but
> anyway....similar weight oil but it gives out 10-15 psi more oil
> pressure..all else being the same.  Thought that might be of interest, I
> know the WBX motors sometimes have issues with the OP going a little low
> at
> idle.
>
>  Don Hanson
>
> On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 11:27 AM, Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@q.com> wrote:
>
>> That seemed to be something of a consensus after the discussion of zinc
>> additives, or a lack thereof, a month or so ago.  I've been using Castrol
>> GTX 10w/50 (might be 15, thinking about it), and am considering changing
>> when I next change oil before I leave Phx for Seattle in early September.
>>
>> I'm looking forward to someone taking me by the hand and saying, "Do it
>> this
>> way" (and being correct about it, of course).
>>
>> Karl Wolz
>>
>>
>>
>> |-----Original Message-----
>> |From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]
>> |On Behalf Of Dave Mcneely
>> |Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2011 9:09 AM
>> |To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> |Subject: Re: Oil Pressure observation.
>> |
>> |So, are folks recommending that we run a diesel oil in our
>> |vanagons?  mcneely
>> |
>> |---- Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>> |>   I recently changed the oil in my 93 Jetta powered 84 5sp
>> |vanagon.  I
>> |> recalled someone suggesting diesel-"branded" oil so I put
>> |some of that
>> |> in this time.
>> |>   I was running 10-40 Mobil labeled SM/CF and I switched to
>> |Delo 15/40
>> |> labeled CJ-4/SM.  It has been in the high 80s to 100f here in the
>> |> Eastern Columbia River Gorge area of the Pacific Northwest.  My old
>> |> oil had maybe 3000 miles in it.
>> |>
>> |>   I noticed about 10 lbs/psi (+/-) increase in my oil
>> |pressure, maybe
>> |> 15 when my oil temperature gets up to it's higher operating
>> |> temperatures.  My vehicle is now operating at.... interstate/highway
>> |> sustained speeds...210f Oil temperature with oil pressure of
>> |65psi at
>> |> 3700rpm (60mph)  With the other oil, I was seeing about 55psi of oil
>> |> pressure at the same oil temperature and rpms..  At idle, with the
>> |> temperature up there, both oils give me 20psi oil pressure.
>> |>
>> |>   Posting this for anyone wanting to have the numbers to
>> |check against
>> |> their own and to mention the increase in OP with the change in oils.
>> |
>> |--
>> |David McNeely
>> |-----
>> |No virus found in this message.
>> |Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> |Version: 10.0.1390 / Virus Database: 1518/3797 - Release Date:
>> |07/29/11
>>