Makes no difference.  The problem with short trips is condensation of both
unburned gas and water vapor that ends up in the oil, and only a good run at
temp burns them off.   Best thing is to start the winter period with fresh
oil and then change it in the spring for the driving season.  There should
be enough additive power in the oil to protect from corrosion, and you
likely aren't doing enough driving to worry about fuel dilution of the oil.

Don't worry about it unless you are doing more than five or six short trips
a week.  In that case I'd change the oil each month or every 6 weeks, or you
can do an oil analysis for $25 to know for sure when to change it.  I use
www.blackstone-labs.com.

Stuart
'85 Westy

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Rocket J Squirrel
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 10:33 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Cold weather, short trips

I've read here many times that short drives which don't allow the engine to
come up to full temp are tough on it. Unfortunately, this little town isn't
large enough for most trips to get the temp gauge up to normal, and these
days we're hovering around freezing.

So then what's better for these short trips: low rpms or high rpms? I have
an auto but even then I can choose between 2nd and 3rd for the surface
streets.

--
Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
Bend, Ore.