Dave:
I agree. I use straight weight 40 Shell oil (about$1.25/qt. here) for 9
months of the year. Mobil One 15w-50 in the winter.
Filters: German are very good. Some internet site also rated Purolator
pretty good. I always dissect the filters on engines for about 10k miles
after a rebuild. Scarey how much aluminum swarf I found in the last
engine. It has rather poor oil pressure, but runs like a scalded dog.
It's got 55k miles on it now, pretty soon I'll find out what I did wrong.
Taking apart oil filters, I really see how much difference there is in
quality. Unfolded, the German filters have over twice as much filter
media as a Fram, and the workmanship is measurably better, too. I took
apart an Italian filter with American auto chain name- Motor ___
something- it was quite good, too.
Taking apart a filter is really quite easy. I just chuck it up in a vise
and usea a very sharp old wood chisel to slice the can right under the
rolled seam. Then you can pull the whole thing apart. Pretty
enlightening, really!
Al Brase
69 doublecab (fullflowed), 91, 87, 82, 80 Vanagons

dave wrote:

>  Read the manual for the Vanagon. Heavy weight oil is recommended.  If you
>put in the thinner stuff (ok for some modern engines) you will drop oil
>pressure dangerously low, ecspecailly if hot weather, and high load is on
>engine.
>
>  I know from experience that the 5W-30 oil  causes oil pressure problems.
>
>  i run Mobil 15-50 oil, I would prefer a 20-50, but mobil 1 does not make
>that (20-50 is recommended multi viscosity for hot (85F plus) weather)_
>
>  The problem with oil breaking down does not have to do with thicker oil
>breaking down sooner, the real problem is that multi viscosity oils tend to
>break down in viscosity much faster than straight oils.
>
>  VW even recommends straight 40 oil for hot weather operation, that is
>really what I'd like to use, but again, Mobil 1 does not make that product,
>so i stick with the 15-50.
>
>  As stated by other auuthor 5-30 oil is too thin unless you live in a
>freezing cold area.  Also of improtance is stick with a genuine Mann, or
>Mahle oil filter,    Fram filters have greater pressure drop, and do not
>have a good enough back flow valve.  Fram will cause my lifters to clack
>like crazy after sitting several days, OEM filters solved that problem.
>
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