On 12/31/2015 09:56 AM, OlRivrRat wrote:
> Let an OilPressure Gauge be Your Guide ~ If you don't have one you
> should get one ~ Or find a Shop that can do an

Got one, goes from 0psi to 100psi (I mistakenly said it went to 150psi
in an earlier email).

> OilPressureTest for you ~ A 0w50 might work just fine for You ~

They make such stuff? Cool.

> A 20w50 should only be Necessary in an Old Tired/Loose Eng' that has
> been Abused or 1 that you are planning to Abuse ~

Fewer than 100k miles on this one, but not by much.

>
> Remember that the OilSpec Charts in the Vanagon OwnersMan's are
> 25-35Yrs old & Oils have Improved Significantly in the
>
> past 15 or so Yrs

Point taken.

  ~ But ~ Note that the Chart does show that a
> Straight SAE40 oil can be used all the way off the top of the
>
> Temp Range ~

Right but freezing days can happen any day of the summer and straight
40W isn't shown to be good below about 60F on my chart.

  So then a 0w40, 5w40, 10w40, 15w40, 20w40 etc should all
> be OK as they all Lube Like 40s When Hot ~

I'll see if I can find some 0W-50 and give it shot.

So when judging oil viscosity, what do I look for in terms of acceptable
low/high psi? On a dead-cold day with engine not yet hot at, say, 3,000
rpm, or with a hot engine on a hot day at idle?

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