Not so sure about leaving the old oil in the engine. The shop manual for my
inboard boat motor (boats hibernate a lot more than vanagons) recommends
draining the oil and refilling with fresh. The reason they give is that
acids settle into the oil, if it sits in the crankcase all winter those
acids are quietly chewing away at your engines metal parts. I always fill it
with whatever is cheapest on sale, then drain and refill with the expensive
marine oil in the spring. I imagine this would apply just as well to a
Vanagon that is laid-up all winter.
Don

----- Original Message -----
From: "OlRivrRat" <OlRivrRat@COMCAST.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, March 15, 2013 6:39 PM
Subject: Re: '87 Westy - Oil Change, out of hibernation

>
> Leave the OldOIL in it ~ maybe even add 2 or 3 Quarts of cheap SAE10
> to it so as to get oil up around the bearings ~ I actually have never
> really thought about that 'til just now ~ maybe 'cause I don't
> Hibernate my vehicles ~ If anybody thinks that's a bad idea please
> jump in ~ as if I had to ask
>
>                                                                        ORR
> ~ DeanB
>
> PS ~ I probably left something out since I never really do it