[Vwdiesel] '84 Diesel Rabbit Motor Oil 15W-40, 10W-40, 5W-40 . . .

[pmdolan at sasktel.net]

I use Delvac 1 (5W-40 full synthetic) in EVERYTHING in the yard, gas and diesel.  The comments you recieved are correct.

HOWEVER, your oil consumption is very high.  This is not cureable by changing the oil.  The probability is that your valve guide seals are dried up and cracked/baked - letting the oil get sucking into the intake port and through the valve.  It is also possible (but not too likely on an engine with such low mileage) that you have a ring that is broken or stuck.  A compression test and/or leakdown test will tell you that.  

I would still bet strongly on the guide seals.   They can be changed very easily with the engine in the car.  You need to make an "air hold" tool to keep the valve in place while you compress the spring (or if you are REALLY brave, let the valve press on the piston - a practice that I do NOT recommend).  You need the valve spring compression tools, seal removal pliers, installation drift, lash adjusting tools, cam alingment and timing tools.  If you don't have, find a friend or shop with the tools, lots of experience and patience and use them.

Pat

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bryan K. Walton" <bryankwalton at machlink.com>
Date: Friday, June 2, 2006 9:48 am
Subject: [Vwdiesel] '84 Diesel Rabbit Motor Oil 15W-40, 10W-40, 5W-40 . . .

> Hi guys,
> 	So I've got an '84 Rabbit with about 122K miles on it. I've
> been running Cenex Superlube TMS motor oil in it (15W-40 weight).  But
> I thinking of switching over to a full synthetic oil.  My reasons for
> considering this are:
> 
> 1. Extending my oil change interval (I've been doing it every 3000
> 	miles).
> 2. To see if I can lower my oil consumption (I've already 
> installed a valve
> 	cover baffle.  Right now my consumption is about a quart every 1000
> 	miles.)
> 3. To see, first hand, whether I can boost my mpg with synthetic oil.
> 	I know many synthetic oil users claim to have seen a mpg
> 	increase.  I'm a mpg geek, so if I can squeeze out even another
> 	1 mpg, it would be cool in my book. 
> 4. I only put about 6000-7500 miles on my rabbit a year. So, I 
> think I
> could get away with an annual oil change with a synthetic. I live 
> in 
> southeastern Iowa.  When I first started considering this switch 
> to a
> synthetic, I thought that a fully synthetic 15W-40 might work better
> in the winter than a dyno-based 15W-40.
> 
> However, when I started looking for fully synthetic 15W-40s, I didn't
> find very many:
> 
> a)Amsoil
> b)Redline
> c)Royal Purple
> d)Neo
> 
> So, I posted a question on the bobistheoilguy.com forum to see what
> people thought of these various options (they are all much more
> expensive than the dyno options -- but cost is probably one of the
> least important concerns of mine).  But I was unprepared for the
> response I got:
> 
> "Any of the listed oils will do you fine in your Rabbit. However, even
> though your manual states the use of 15w-40, it was published before
> widescale availability of synthetic 5w-40 heavy duty engine oils,
> which would be more than great for your little Rabbit.
> You see, a 5w-40 synthetic oil will provide better cold weather flow
> properties, and will also protect better than conventional 15w-40s at
> high temperatures. It's the best of both worlds!"
> 
> I hadn't even thought about using a 5W-40 before reading this 
> reply. 
> So, my question to you guys: is anybody running 5W-40 in their diesel
> A1?  Is there any reason why I should stick to 15W-40?  Or is this
> poster correct, that 5W-40 is beats the 15W-40 in every fashion?
> 
> Thanks!
> Bryan Walton
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