Suggestions for older VW

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Hi all, currently bought a 71 Beetle for a fix-up car but am getting conflicting information on the ZDDP content of oil I should be using. Should I be looking for an oil that contains a higher amount of zinc? If so good brands that you guys would suggest to accommodate this?
 
get your cylinder head valve seats done first (replace them with lead-free hardened seats and valves), then proceed to oil.

for oil: most air-cooled VW engines (stock of course) of yore, the cam spring tension is fairly low to begin with. No need for additional zinc if you run stock cam.

do use higher viscosity oil though (syn, no syn, doesn't matter). I'm thinking of either 10W40 or 15W40 HDEO or similar.

Lastly, check your oil often (these air-cooled VW pancake engines don't have valve stem seals until very late years, so it does burn a bit of oil as it ages).

Q.
 
VW spec'd straight 30 at the time IIRC. No reason to use an xw40, use pyb with 5w30, dose of ZDDPlus to the tune of 6ml/qt, and a can of MoS2. That's what my friend does and on tear down, engine looked immaculate with no scoring it other visual signs of wear
 
I was a dealer VW mechanic way back in 71 in Austin, Texas, VW's spec'd at straight 30 weight.
What was very bad for the VWs was the air-conditioners which were added at the dealerships.
VW changed the spec to straight 40w, per shop bulletin, for those poor devils .
The engines typically needed a valve job every 30k.
They held a whopping 2.5 qts of oil with a screen filter, and had an oil cooler located inside the fan shrouding .
Enjoy
 
One learned gent's (Charles Navarro) perspective on air-cooled engine lubricant qualities here.

Used conventional straight 30 viscosity Valvoline in my Type I & IV VWs of yesteryear with nary an issue. Happy motoring.
 
In Alabama with the mild winters, you could use a straight 30 or better yet straight 40 weight, such as PYB if you can find it. Straight weight oils (no 5W, 10W, 15W, or 20W) are not prone to sheering like a dino 10W-30 might sheer. That is why straight weight oils are recommended for air cooled VW engines. The high temperatures that air cooled engines run at will cause most dino multigrade oils to sheer.

If I lived in Alabama and had a 71 VW air cooled engine I would run Mobile one V-twin 20W-50 motorcycle oil as it is made for high temperature air cooled engines.

BTW those air cooled VW engines are known for cracking the cylinders. You want to provide as much air flow over the cylinders as possible.
 
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Originally Posted By: Neely97
I was a dealer VW mechanic way back in 71 in Austin, Texas, VW's spec'd at straight 30 weight.
What was very bad for the VWs was the air-conditioners which were added at the dealerships.
VW changed the spec to straight 40w, per shop bulletin, for those poor devils .
The engines typically needed a valve job every 30k.
They held a whopping 2.5 qts of oil with a screen filter, and had an oil cooler located inside the fan shrouding .
Enjoy




I'd like to hear more about those AC units. Where was the condenser mounted?
 
I've got a 70' Beetle. I have ran Rotella 15w40 and am now running Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5w40.
 
There's a $5/gal rebate on gallons of Rotella T6 now, and they're $19.57 at Amazon and WM.

A couple of $14.57 gallons of T6 will set you right.
 
ACVWs don't have high oil temperatures. My oil temp is about 180-190. And that's a 2276.

OP: forgot to mention, get a deep sump, as well. Increase your capacity from 2.5 qts to 4. That, plus a spin-on filter, will solve almost any oil problem your VW is ever likely to have. Except leaks.
 
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in rhode island used 30 w in summer 10 I think in winter.
on a 69 bug.
I have read due to the oil cooler being mounted over the cylinder nearest the driver that cal gets less cooling air, that that cylinders valves fail first , many recommend a remote oil cooler.
 
FWIW, I and many more have run all manner of OPE on 15W-40 for years with no ill effects. If that oil can take the heat of a diesel with turbocharging, a small displacement gas engine is a walk in the park. IIRC, they weren't very picky on oil, but I changed it so often it probably didn't make much of a difference.
 
Somewhere on the internet there are some really bad pictures of how poorly those old VW's did when the front end of them gave way on a frontal impact. I think the one that comes to mind was with a full size pickup truck after a front to front impact. The trucks front bumper was passed the back of the VW's drivers seat. Basicly no front end impact protection what so ever with those old beetles.
 
Originally Posted By: 2cool
FWIW, I and many more have run all manner of OPE on 15W-40 for years with no ill effects. If that oil can take the heat of a diesel with turbocharging, a small displacement gas engine is a walk in the park. IIRC, they weren't very picky on oil, but I changed it so often it probably didn't make much of a difference.



I use an hdeo in everything I own that's air cooled in the summer including my Harley and they perform flawlessly and are cost effective.
Unless I'm extending the drain interval I use conventional hdeo's,including my Harley. My vehicles all get synthetics. My compressors,generators,Harley all get conventional and run a moderate interval. Roughly 100 hours on the equipment,3000 miles on the significantly modified Harley.
 
Originally Posted By: MinamiKotaro
ACVWs don't have high oil temperatures. My oil temp is about 180-190. And that's a 2276.

OP: forgot to mention, get a deep sump, as well. Increase your capacity from 2.5 qts to 4. That, plus a spin-on filter, will solve almost any oil problem your VW is ever likely to have. Except leaks.
Maybe your deep sump helps with oil temperature? Mine gets to 230 degrees on the highway, but I also live in a much hotter climate
 
Wow! Lots of differing opinions here, not sure if I should be going with the straight 30 weight or running a (10-20)W-40. I see what you guys are saying about the hdeo though and it makes sense, but I am in a relatively hot (understatement) state.
Side note, my wife is the one driving it as a short daily commuter car and really won't be going more than 3-4 miles a day in it so it won't get too hot. Thinking that means I should run on the lighter weight side of things correct?

Thanks for all your feedback guys!
 
I ran a '71 1600 dual port on Delo SAE30 for years, spent one winter in a colder climate and ran the 15w-40 during the cold months.

Never used a filter, 2.6qt capacity, changed every three months (the odometer never worked). Adjusted the valves at the same time. Always ran great.
 
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