I doubt that the synthetic oil caused your leaks.  However, it resists burning 
off the exhaust better than conventional oil and gives off that horrible 
smell.  I now have that problem with my "79 beetle.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
>From:	vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu  On Behalf Of SyncroHead@aol.com
Sent:	Wednesday, March 19, 1997 11:38 AM
To:	Multiple recipients of list
Subject:	Re: Leaking synthetic oil?

In a message dated 97-03-18 21:59:30 EST, Frayed1003@aol.com writes:
> Has anyone had any experience with changing to synthetic oil.  I read
online
>  that synthetic will usually leak more at first because it cleans out all
the
>  wax around your seals, leaving behind shrunken dry seals.  It said in this
>  article, not to worry because your dry seals will swell again and stop the
>  leak.  I switched to a semi-synthetic around 800 miles ago and my engine
is
>   really beginning to leak oil.  Does anyone know how long this should
last?
>   Being that I have an air-cooled I am beginning to think I may have made a
>  mistake, the smell is killing my girlfriend, she won't even ride in my
westy
>  with me anymore.

I've used synthetic oil in 5 of my own personal vehicles and have never had an 
oil leak.  Really, never.  
1.	1984 Rabbit GTi, switched at about 20,000 miles - no problems through sale 
at 85,000 miles
2.	1986 Jetta GLI, switched at 5,000 miles (2nd oil change) - no problems 
through totaling collision around 100,000 miles
3.	1982 VW Pickup-diesel (Rabbit style), switched at 60,000 miles - no 
problems through sale at 120,000 miles.
4.	1988 Vanagon, switched at 5,000 miles (2nd oil change) - no problems 
through today at around 120,000 miles
5.	1987 Vanagon Syncro, switched at 46,000 miles - no problrms through engine 
replacement at 140,000 miles.  In used replacement engine - no problems 
through today at around 9,000 miles since swap. Engine had around 30,000 miles 
when I installed it.

Good luck,
Jim Davis
87 GL Syncro
88 GL Wolfsburg