Oil debate for a VW Vanagon

[nthach]

My neighbor/friend just bought a 1984 VW Vanagon and we did some moderate maintenance work on it, including an oil change. We used 20W-50 O'Reilly housebrand oil, and the local VW bus/van shop also uses it, but I think a 15W-40 HDEO like Delo 400 or Delvac 1300 would work better - more ZDDP and also more stout than a PCMO and it will help with starting in the winter as a 15W-40 isn't as thick as an 20W-50.

The funny part is that there's a guy at the local parts store who worked at the local VW shop, and they use 20W-50 as well, but he said an HDEO won't hurt things.

What's better - viscosity and lower ZDDP levels like the 20W-50 API SN oil, or since this engine is essentially a water-cooled VW boxer, an ZDDP-rich HDEO?

 

[MinamiKotaro]

Delo. 15w40, 5w40, 10w30

20-50 isn't even needed for an air cooled, unless maybe you were towing the full payload in Death Valley on the hottest day of the year ... doubtful even then.

 

[BrocLuno]

OK, you're in the Kalifornia Kollective (like me...), but you don't say where? We have a LOT of climatic conditions. Truckee is about the same as Minnesota, but Santa Barbara is closer to Florida...

Is the owner going to drive it to Arizona in the summer? Or go to Canada?

I agree that Delo400LE is great oil, for lots of applications. But that is a small'ish engine and it can get worked hard (heat) so I'd be inclined to look at maybe Maxlife 10W-40 syn-blend or maybe even a 5W-40 like Rotella. This is one case where I'd be looking at the hot temps more than anything else...

The 20W-50 will do as long as the changes are kept reasonable. But I'd also look at high detergency oils (HDEO's) or maybe Pennz Platinum if you can get it in a heavy enough grade for the temp spikes pulling I-10 out east

 

[FCD]

any 5W40 or 15W40 HDEO like Rotella or Delo 400 would be alright, maybe Mobil 1 15w50

 

[Nick1994]

I maintain my aunt's 1970 VW Beetle, actually I'm basically the only one to drive it too.

I've run Rotella 15w40, Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5w40, and currently Mobil 1 HM 10w40.

All have been great, but I recommend TDT or the HM 10w40.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
OK, you're in the Kalifornia Kollective (like me...), but you don't say where? We have a LOT of climatic conditions. Truckee is about the same as Minnesota, but Santa Barbara is closer to Florida...



The van lives in Oakland - and it will be driven mostly in the north part of this state. 20W-50 does fine in the Bay Area, but my concern is Tahoe or Shasta in the winter.

Yes, it's a small engine - a 1.9L boxer moving a lot of mass. I told my friend expect to be passed up by a Prius.

 

[Pontual]

Air cooled VW engines need to run clean, since it has weak filtration. Run semi or fully syn.

 

[FCD]

Mobil 1 15w50 or 10w40 should work fine

 

[MinamiKotaro]

Originally Posted By: Pontual
Air cooled VW engines


It's not air cooled.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasserboxer

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: Pontual
Air cooled VW engines need to run clean, since it has weak filtration. Run semi or fully syn.

It's a water-cooled 1.9L wasserboxer - and it uses the same Mann/Mahle spin-on filter used on VW's 4-cylinder engines.

 

[Trav]

The water boxer had head corrosion and gasket problems from not changing the coolant often enough but were otherwise okay.
20w50 is not the oil for these that was more for the old air heads. A good HDEO 15w40 is all they need in that climate, in cooler climates 5w40 is okay.

Check the fuel injectors on these carefully, these early Bosch units had a habit of body rusting under the plastic top cap and splitting it.

 

[Matt97]

Worked at a VW dealer in the late nineties .20w50 was used all day every day on anything from boxer motors to VR6 .Biggest problem on boxer motor is all the oil leaks ..

 

[fdcg27]

We had an air cooled Vanagon and I gave it HD30 summers and 10W-40 winters.
Upon teardown at around 106K, due to seized pilot bearing and what I found to be cracked heads, which were common with they Type IV, the cylinders still had their cross hatching visible all the way around and the engine was very clean internally.
The crank was perfect although there was main bearing wear.
Since the liquid cooled version of this engine, which is what the Wasserboxer was, can only run cooler, I wouldn't use a 20W-50.
Maybe a 15W-40 HDEO, but I'd bet that a 10W-30 HDEO would work just fine.
20W-50 is too often the default grade when people think that an engine is being worked hard. You need to consider just how hot the oil gets as well.

 

[BrocLuno]

Then you are like me. Going from the North Bay to anywhere means long climbs on big hills (80 over Sierra's, I-5 over the Cascades, Altamont, etc.). That motor will run hard pushing a box into the wind, and for a reward, it gets to go up hill for an hour at a time ...

So piston heat will be higher than the average Joe-blow car. For that reason, if it were my WasserBoxer, it would get Rotella T6 (synthetic). I'd run an oversized oil filter for more area and some extra capacity, and I'd consider an oil cooler.

The coolant issues have been mentioned, but you have to do some serious looking to make sure the coolant system is OK. If it is, you'll actually have a nice rig to run around in

Always wanted a Vanagon X

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno


The coolant issues have been mentioned, but you have to do some serious looking to make sure the coolant system is OK. If it is, you'll actually have a nice rig to run around in

Always wanted a Vanagon X

When we replace the coolant hoses, I plan on switching it over to G-05 or G-48(aka G-11 in VW-speak) but the 2-EHA in the latter is a little scary for a engine that uses a metal ring and a rubber O-ring to seal its cylinders.

 

[Coconuteater64]

I had a Wasserboxer Vanagon from 1988 to the end of 1991. I got it with about 30K miles and drove it seven days a week, lots of city driving and long times idling in traffic. Still had good compression at 110K miles. I only ever used 10W30 bulk oil in that thing with 5K OCI. Never failed to start ever.

Much more critical on that engine is coolant.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
... For that reason, if it were my WasserBoxer, it would get Rotella T6 (synthetic). ...



My thoughts exactly. 5w40 synthetic FTW.