If you are having difficulty finding the oil you need or want from local retailers, two reasonable solutions:  Ask them to carry it.  Some will, or will order it for you.  Or, simply buy from a local wholesaler, where you will get a better price (though not so good as your local retailer gets).  I just looked up a distributor in the yellow pages, gave a call, the clerk who answered the phone took my order, and the next day I picked up the two cases I ordered.  Distributors like this handle all brands except store brands, of all kinds of lubricants.  Some will only sell to folks who have a tax exempt account, but others are able to sell retail like mine does, and charge the tax.  One offered to sell to me, but only five cases or more.  But I have been buying from this distributor for three years now, never buying more than two cases at a time.  mcneely

---- John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET> wrote:
> Interesting. My local VW Guru says the Mobil One synthetic in a 15W50 is
> the way to go. That is why I have used it for the last 10-12 years. He
> recommends the Castrol 20W50 if the Mobil One in 15W50 is not available.
> And I confess - it has gotten difficult to find the Mobil One 15W50
> There is plenty of the other grades of Mobil One, but not the 15W50.
> Ironically - having three vans - I'm running three different oils. But
> my daily driver - which got a new engine in 2000 - after break-in has
> been running the Mobil One pretty much ever since. The other two - which
> don't see the heavy use of daily driving - use the brands that were
> being used when I got them. So - #1 van -'ol Red - '88GL runs Mobil One,
> #2 van - Gus - '88GL runs Kendall GT, and #3 van - a '91 Carat - runs
> who knows what. It's a project van and while it runs, it's parked as
> work progresses. Never have changed the oil. It was clean and clear when
> I got it. No idea what oil it is however. I did find some empty Castrol
> bottles in it though, when I got it.
>
> Just saying.
>
> John
>
> John Rodgers
> Clayartist and Moldmaker
> 88'GL VW Bus Driver
> Chelsea, AL
> Http://www.moldhaus.com
>
>
> On 12/1/2011 9:58 AM, Jim Felder wrote:
> > John and others FYI--
> >
> > My local VW gurus recommend against synthetics in a Vanagon. Castrol 20W50
> > is recommended. In my experience, you are asking for a buzzer moment with
> > anything thinner.
> >
> > Jim
> >
> > On Wed, Nov 30, 2011 at 9:04 PM, John Rodgers<inua@charter.net>  wrote:
> >
> >> Collapsed lifter syndrome. Not to worry. Drive it a bit and it will pump
> >> up. A few that help to keep it from happening - Mann Oil Filter,
> >> hi-grade synthetic oil like Mobil One in 15W50 wt. Add a dash of
> >> Marvel's Mystery Oil. These steps will extend the time between periods
> >> of lifter flatness. But - it will run great, no no probs - until you
> >> park it wrong and then  it will go flat. Just drive it, and it will pump
> >> up.  You will need to run it every two or three days to keep them pumped.
> >>
> >> On an aside, good maintenance on your AC if you have it, is to run it
> >> once a week, winter and summer - to keep the seals lubricated so they
> >> don't dry out and lose the refrigerant.
> >>
> >> John
> >>
> >> John Rodgers
> >> Clayartist and Moldmaker
> >> 88'GL VW Bus Driver
> >> Chelsea, AL
> >> Http://www.moldhaus.com
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On 11/30/2011 12:22 PM, Todd Last wrote:
> >>
> >>> My Vanagon has been sitting for awhile and upon starting, is making a
> >>> noise and puffing out a fair amount of smoke.
> >>> Is this a collapsed lifter?
> >>>
> >>> I made a short video here:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> <http://www.flipshare.com/**login.aspx?nRecipient=**
> >>> N0I5MzFDMkItQzNGNy00RjVELUE4MD**AtNjdFODNEOTREMjQy&nFrame=**
> >>> RDBBNUE5QkYtQTAwRS00N0Y3LThDNk**MtM0UzNDU5OTZCOEQx&nMethod=**
> >>> ZW1haWw=&nMedia=**ODkxRUM0NDYtQ0UyQi00ODk0LTkyNE**UtNTEyODYxMEMxQjEy&emt=
> >>> **de084a1a-1ea9-454d-8bff-**ac2049edb15b&slocale=en_US&**
> >>> emailThumbnail=single<http://www.flipshare.com/login.aspx?nRecipient=N0I5MzFDMkItQzNGNy00RjVELUE4MDAtNjdFODNEOTREMjQy&nFrame=RDBBNUE5QkYtQTAwRS00N0Y3LThDNkMtM0UzNDU5OTZCOEQx&nMethod=ZW1haWw=&nMedia=ODkxRUM0NDYtQ0UyQi00ODk0LTkyNEUtNTEyODYxMEMxQjEy&emt=de084a1a-1ea9-454d-8bff-ac2049edb15b&slocale=en_US&emailThumbnail=single>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Todd
> >>> '88 Westy
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >

--
David McNeely