Re: [T3] I GOT IT! but......

["Keith Park" <topnotch@nycap.rr.com>]

OK, here are my thoughts, experience, and numbers on this.

When an engine is new, it needs an oil thin enough to pass through the close
bearing clearances, and thin enough to keep the oil pump from putting out
enough pressure to blow out the oil cooler or its seals (despite the relief
valve).  The reccomendation of breakin is 20W for the first 1000 miles and
no higher than 10W30 after that.  A new, non full flow engine, stock, should
have 12-14PSI at idle when at temperature in the summer and 38-40 PSI at
70MPH on the highway on the hottest day  (here in the Northeast).  I found
that full flow systems tend to reduce the hot idle pressure to about half
the number above.

    That being said, the idiot light senders tend to only show a light when
you have virtually no pressure, although the spec is something like 5-6PSI,
so Id eather try a different sender or better yet put a pressure gauge on
there even if its only one mounted on the cooler.

If your getting a light at idle, with a good sender, on a new engine, with
ANY oil greater than 20W, you have a real problem.  Think about it this
way... if you have a light now, how will the engine ever last the 125Kmi
that it should and still have sufficient oil pressure?  You may be able to
keep the light out with a heavier oil but your just masking the problem...
and if your losing pressure because some of the bearings are loose you may
not get sufficient lubrication to the ones that are at spec with the thick
oil when its cold.

    The usual culprit is .030 under cranks, followed by cases that needed an
align bore and didnt get it or didnt get it done correctly.  Other causes
that are much easier to do something about include cheap or worn oil pumps,
covers installed with too thick a gasket or with gasket sealer;  worn, stuck
or damaged oil pressure control or releif valves. Someone else may have
another to chime in with too.

I have 91K on my Stock Squareback engine, and it still idles hot at about 7
PSI even after pulling the boat over the mountains in the summer... and Ive
never seen an oil light even at a 600RPM  idle.  So if your seeing it with a
new engine you need to find out why...

Keith


> Are you sure?I'd hate to make a fatal,(to the engine anyhow).
> mistake at this point.From what I've read,opinions on oil
> weight are all over the place.The reason I went with the 20w50
> was because of the oil light being on STEADY after idling for
> 20-25 minutes or so.Though this was occuring after playing with
> timing,air bleed for idle and MPS tweaking and such.That also being
> the cause for the SOS about oil cooling.
>
>
> I just drove home from my mother's heated garage about 10 miles or so.
> Stayed off the highway,hit lots of lights and stopsigns and did light
> lugging up a
> couple of not so steep hills.Got home and no light at all.Pulled the
> dipstick
> and oils not too hot or too cold.Maybe the carbon monoxide from the engine
> and
> the salamander has finally left my bloodstream.
>
>
> David V.N
> rmcevoy1@NOSPAMtwcny.rr.com
> Remove NOSPAM to reply
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Keith Park" <topnotch@nycap.rr.com>
> To: <type3@vwtype3.org>
> Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 7:42 PM
> Subject: Re: [T3] I GOT IT! but......
>
>
> > >Watch those thick oils... this is WAY too thick for a new engine,
> > especially in the winter.  The thick oil wont flow properly through the
> > tight new bearing clearances.
> >
> > Keith
> >
> >
> >  >oil grade,
> > >
> > > 20w50(10w30 for break-in)
> >
> >
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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> >
>
>