Yes - I have had problems with synthetics "weeping" past seals and gaskets.
Supposed to be due to the gasket materials originally being designed to
absorb a certain amount of dino oil and "swell".

The biggest issue I have with Synthetics is from a conversation I had a
couple of years ago with a gentleman in his late 60's who holds a PhD. in
petroleum and chemical engineering, and had worked a 25 career for Standard
Oil/Chevron.  He basically told me that Synthetic oils were a huge waste of
money for 99.995% of consumers.  He mentioned that the only real benefit to
Synthetics was their molecular strength in high shear situations, but that
they "load up" with unburned hydrocarbons, soot, etc. just as much as dino
oils, and this is the real reason you change the oil in the first place
(that and the particulate matter that ends up acting as an abrasive when
suspended in the oil)

Prior to that dinner conversation, I had been spending hundreds of dollars a
year on Synth oils for all of my cars!

Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy "Klaus"
Santa Barbara, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Bob Berkemer
Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 1999 5:20 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: OIL, What do you use?

>   And I wouldn't use it in
> your vanagon either."  Well, I'm not leaking.  Is he FOS or is this a real
> problem with synthetic?
>
> Bill

Bill,

My understanding is that there is a tendency for leaks of synthetics when
installed in older (as in used) engines with tired seals. In this case the
synthetics are supposed to leak more than dino oils......

Bob

84 westy
Menomonie WI