Joel,

Thanks for the input.

I also noticed that the oil has thinned somewhat...

I guess I am just being paranoid...

I have worked on air-cooled VWs (bug, bus and Vanagon) for so long, and have
been so concious about using the proper oils and change intervals, that
being somewhat inexperienced with VW diesels powering a Vanagon Westy that I
just was worred about the stress it was under.

I have torn apart some old Rabbit/Jetta 1.6 diesels that customers brought
(limped/towed) into a shop I once worked at, and found cylinder bores with
deep "lips" at the tops of the barrels, and terrible blow-by and piston wear
from what I figured was incorrect oil and/or improper change intervals.
Especially since these engines most of the time had less than 125K miles on
them.

Thanks again,

Dan

----- Original Message -----
From: Joel Walker <jwalker@uronramp.net>
To: Dan Q <danquin@EROLS.COM>
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 1999 11:06 PM
Subject: Re: Re: Amsoil vs. Mobil Delvac vs. RedLine Diesel Oils?

>
> > I have used Castrol 15W40 diesel rated oil (not synthetic) in it, but
> > noticed that it blackens terribly almost right after it is changed (at
> > regular intervals).
>
> almost all oils will darken like that ... change the oil, drive around the
> block and change it again and it'll be black. it's from the blow-by around
> the rings. all engines do this, even new ones. but diesels are especially
> bad about it ... higher compression and all. and this unburned fuel and
> carbon soot darken the oil ... and they also dilute it, making it thinner.
> now, in a gasoline engine, this dilution is countered by the volatile
nature
> of gasoline: it evaporates quickly in high heat. diesel fuel doesn't do
this
> nearly as fast nor as well ... so you NEED to change the oil in a diesel
> much more often. like 2500 miles or so. the big trucks get away with it by
> having GALLONS of oil instead of quarts.
>
> i think bob has a good point: less expensive oil, changed more often, is
> better for a diesel (or in my opinion, any car) than synthetics left for a
> long time.
>
> joel
>
>