Well, I took off the head, and it was in good condition. Then
I went under the van and took off the oil pan, then took off the rod
caps and released the pistons.  Upon inspection, the compression
rings were ok but half worn out.  The oil rings were completely
worn out, and had no tension left in them, to press them against
the cylinder wall.  So all the oil consumption was due to oil going
past the rings.  There was no carbon fouling of the rings.  One
piston was cracked, however.  It had a crack from the bottom end
of the skirt, arcing up three or four centimeters and stopping at a
point below the oil ring lands.  This had no effect on the oil consum-
tion, but no one has an explanation as to the cause of the crack.

        Apparently, I dusted my motor.  Air leaked around the air filter,
and atmospheric dust was introduced into the motor for several years.
This dust is abrasive over time and was the cause of several hundred
thousand miles of wear occuring in just forty thousand miles.

        Anyway, I replaced the rings, rods and mains.  I'll use conventional
oil until the rings seat, then switch back to Delvac 1 synthetic.

  Gary A Meek
  Sherwood Park, Alberta
  Canada

  82 Vanagon,  turbo-diesel
  83 Quantum,  turbo-diesel
  83 Audi,  turbo-diesel