Syn Oil Consumption

After putting 2,000 miles on my new engine (1600cc Type 1 Beetle), I
switched from Castrol petroleum to Amsoil 10-30 synthetic.

Prior to this switch last week, my engine used no oil. I put a little under
200 miles on the engine at normal highway speeds with the Amsoil, and used
1/2 pint. Any thoughts or theories on why, and is this likely to continue,
or is it possibly a temporary "adjustment" to the new oil?

--
Randall Brink
Author

1970 VW Type 1
1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D

What weight was the Castrol? If it was thicker than 10W-30 this may be
why.

I think that its normal for a new engine to use some oil during
break-in though.


Randall Brink wrote:
> After putting 2,000 miles on my new engine (1600cc Type 1 Beetle), I
> switched from Castrol petroleum to Amsoil 10-30 synthetic.
>
> Prior to this switch last week, my engine used no oil. I put a little
under
> 200 miles on the engine at normal highway speeds with the Amsoil, and
used
> 1/2 pint. Any thoughts or theories on why, and is this likely to
continue,
> or is it possibly a temporary "adjustment" to the new oil?
>
> --
> Randall Brink
> Author
>
> 1970 VW Type 1
> 1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D

The Castrol used for break-in (to 300 mi.) was straight 30W. After that,
Castrol 20W 50.

--
Randall Brink
Author

1970 VW Type 1
1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
"Dane Tyler" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> What weight was the Castrol? If it was thicker than 10W-30 this may be
> why.
>
> I think that its normal for a new engine to use some oil during
> break-in though.
>
>
> Randall Brink wrote:
>> After putting 2,000 miles on my new engine (1600cc Type 1 Beetle), I
>> switched from Castrol petroleum to Amsoil 10-30 synthetic.
>>
>> Prior to this switch last week, my engine used no oil. I put a little
> under
>> 200 miles on the engine at normal highway speeds with the Amsoil, and
> used
>> 1/2 pint. Any thoughts or theories on why, and is this likely to
> continue,
>> or is it possibly a temporary "adjustment" to the new oil?
>>
>> --
>> Randall Brink
>> Author
>>
>> 1970 VW Type 1
>> 1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
>

Well, half a pint is hard to measure. If you were parked at a slight
incline either way, the stick may read half a pint off. Too, I think
that 10W30 is too thin for a VW engine unless you are in a colder
climate. I use straight 30 weight, but I live in GA, and I've never had
any problems with my engines.

So many factors...just keep an eye on it and if it gets to where its a
quart (lower mark on dipstick) then that will be much more noticeable,
or at least half a quart.




Randall Brink wrote:
> The Castrol used for break-in (to 300 mi.) was straight 30W. After
that,
> Castrol 20W 50.
>
> --
> Randall Brink
> Author
>
> 1970 VW Type 1
> 1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
> "Dane Tyler" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> > What weight was the Castrol? If it was thicker than 10W-30 this may
be
> > why.
> >
> > I think that its normal for a new engine to use some oil during
> > break-in though.
> >
> >
> > Randall Brink wrote:
> >> After putting 2,000 miles on my new engine (1600cc Type 1 Beetle),
I
> >> switched from Castrol petroleum to Amsoil 10-30 synthetic.
> >>
> >> Prior to this switch last week, my engine used no oil. I put a
little
> > under
> >> 200 miles on the engine at normal highway speeds with the Amsoil,
and
> > used
> >> 1/2 pint. Any thoughts or theories on why, and is this likely to
> > continue,
> >> or is it possibly a temporary "adjustment" to the new oil?
> >>
> >> --
> >> Randall Brink
> >> Author
> >>
> >> 1970 VW Type 1
> >> 1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
> >

Synthetic oil in a beetle? Are you sure the oil seals are compatible with
synthetic, if not they will leak. I use 15/40 mineral oil from VW, it's
cheap and has much higher rating than the oil that was put in it in 1969!
Work great. In my transmission I have semi-sythetic 75/90 to help it in the
mornings, very good for old gearbox's - all IMO of course.

--Steve




"Dane Tyler" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Well, half a pint is hard to measure. If you were parked at a slight
> incline either way, the stick may read half a pint off. Too, I think
> that 10W30 is too thin for a VW engine unless you are in a colder
> climate. I use straight 30 weight, but I live in GA, and I've never had
> any problems with my engines.
>
> So many factors...just keep an eye on it and if it gets to where its a
> quart (lower mark on dipstick) then that will be much more noticeable,
> or at least half a quart.
>
>
>
>
> Randall Brink wrote:
>> The Castrol used for break-in (to 300 mi.) was straight 30W. After
> that,
>> Castrol 20W 50.
>>
>> --
>> Randall Brink
>> Author
>>
>> 1970 VW Type 1
>> 1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
>> "Dane Tyler" > wrote in message
>> ups.com...
>> > What weight was the Castrol? If it was thicker than 10W-30 this may
> be
>> > why.
>> >
>> > I think that its normal for a new engine to use some oil during
>> > break-in though.
>> >
>> >
>> > Randall Brink wrote:
>> >> After putting 2,000 miles on my new engine (1600cc Type 1 Beetle),
> I
>> >> switched from Castrol petroleum to Amsoil 10-30 synthetic.
>> >>
>> >> Prior to this switch last week, my engine used no oil. I put a
> little
>> > under
>> >> 200 miles on the engine at normal highway speeds with the Amsoil,
> and
>> > used
>> >> 1/2 pint. Any thoughts or theories on why, and is this likely to
>> > continue,
>> >> or is it possibly a temporary "adjustment" to the new oil?
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Randall Brink
>> >> Author
>> >>
>> >> 1970 VW Type 1
>> >> 1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
>> >
>

Pretty much all commercially available synthetics are compatible with regular oil seals. I run Mobil 1 15-50 in mine,
but I also only drive it in the summertime. It seems to work well.
"Tunafish" > wrote in message ...
> Synthetic oil in a beetle? Are you sure the oil seals are compatible with
> synthetic, if not they will leak. I use 15/40 mineral oil from VW, it's
> cheap and has much higher rating than the oil that was put in it in 1969!
> Work great. In my transmission I have semi-sythetic 75/90 to help it in the
> mornings, very good for old gearbox's - all IMO of course.
>
> --Steve
>
>
>
>
> "Dane Tyler" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> > Well, half a pint is hard to measure. If you were parked at a slight
> > incline either way, the stick may read half a pint off. Too, I think
> > that 10W30 is too thin for a VW engine unless you are in a colder
> > climate. I use straight 30 weight, but I live in GA, and I've never had
> > any problems with my engines.
> >
> > So many factors...just keep an eye on it and if it gets to where its a
> > quart (lower mark on dipstick) then that will be much more noticeable,
> > or at least half a quart.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Randall Brink wrote:
> >> The Castrol used for break-in (to 300 mi.) was straight 30W. After
> > that,
> >> Castrol 20W 50.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Randall Brink
> >> Author
> >>
> >> 1970 VW Type 1
> >> 1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
> >> "Dane Tyler" > wrote in message
> >> ups.com...
> >> > What weight was the Castrol? If it was thicker than 10W-30 this may
> > be
> >> > why.
> >> >
> >> > I think that its normal for a new engine to use some oil during
> >> > break-in though.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Randall Brink wrote:
> >> >> After putting 2,000 miles on my new engine (1600cc Type 1 Beetle),
> > I
> >> >> switched from Castrol petroleum to Amsoil 10-30 synthetic.
> >> >>
> >> >> Prior to this switch last week, my engine used no oil. I put a
> > little
> >> > under
> >> >> 200 miles on the engine at normal highway speeds with the Amsoil,
> > and
> >> > used
> >> >> 1/2 pint. Any thoughts or theories on why, and is this likely to
> >> > continue,
> >> >> or is it possibly a temporary "adjustment" to the new oil?
> >> >>
> >> >> --
> >> >> Randall Brink
> >> >> Author
> >> >>
> >> >> 1970 VW Type 1
> >> >> 1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
> >> >
> >
>
>

Actually, I must have been at a slight, imperceptible angle, because I
checked it again at the filling station, and it was at exactly the "full"
level. False alarm.


--
Randall Brink
Author

1970 VW Type 1
1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
"Dane Tyler" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Well, half a pint is hard to measure. If you were parked at a slight
> incline either way, the stick may read half a pint off. Too, I think
> that 10W30 is too thin for a VW engine unless you are in a colder
> climate. I use straight 30 weight, but I live in GA, and I've never had
> any problems with my engines.
>
> So many factors...just keep an eye on it and if it gets to where its a
> quart (lower mark on dipstick) then that will be much more noticeable,
> or at least half a quart.
>
>
>
>
> Randall Brink wrote:
>> The Castrol used for break-in (to 300 mi.) was straight 30W. After
> that,
>> Castrol 20W 50.
>>
>> --
>> Randall Brink
>> Author
>>
>> 1970 VW Type 1
>> 1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
>> "Dane Tyler" > wrote in message
>> ups.com...
>> > What weight was the Castrol? If it was thicker than 10W-30 this may
> be
>> > why.
>> >
>> > I think that its normal for a new engine to use some oil during
>> > break-in though.
>> >
>> >
>> > Randall Brink wrote:
>> >> After putting 2,000 miles on my new engine (1600cc Type 1 Beetle),
> I
>> >> switched from Castrol petroleum to Amsoil 10-30 synthetic.
>> >>
>> >> Prior to this switch last week, my engine used no oil. I put a
> little
>> > under
>> >> 200 miles on the engine at normal highway speeds with the Amsoil,
> and
>> > used
>> >> 1/2 pint. Any thoughts or theories on why, and is this likely to
>> > continue,
>> >> or is it possibly a temporary "adjustment" to the new oil?
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Randall Brink
>> >> Author
>> >>
>> >> 1970 VW Type 1
>> >> 1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
>> >
>

That's a good point about the seals. I don't know if my new engine was
designed for synoil. I'll look into it.

--
Randall Brink
Author

1970 VW Type 1
1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
"Tunafish" > wrote in message
...
> Synthetic oil in a beetle? Are you sure the oil seals are compatible with
> synthetic, if not they will leak. I use 15/40 mineral oil from VW, it's
> cheap and has much higher rating than the oil that was put in it in 1969!
> Work great. In my transmission I have semi-sythetic 75/90 to help it in
> the mornings, very good for old gearbox's - all IMO of course.
>
> --Steve
>
>
>
>
> "Dane Tyler" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
>> Well, half a pint is hard to measure. If you were parked at a slight
>> incline either way, the stick may read half a pint off. Too, I think
>> that 10W30 is too thin for a VW engine unless you are in a colder
>> climate. I use straight 30 weight, but I live in GA, and I've never had
>> any problems with my engines.
>>
>> So many factors...just keep an eye on it and if it gets to where its a
>> quart (lower mark on dipstick) then that will be much more noticeable,
>> or at least half a quart.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Randall Brink wrote:
>>> The Castrol used for break-in (to 300 mi.) was straight 30W. After
>> that,
>>> Castrol 20W 50.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Randall Brink
>>> Author
>>>
>>> 1970 VW Type 1
>>> 1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
>>> "Dane Tyler" > wrote in message
>>> ups.com...
>>> > What weight was the Castrol? If it was thicker than 10W-30 this may
>> be
>>> > why.
>>> >
>>> > I think that its normal for a new engine to use some oil during
>>> > break-in though.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Randall Brink wrote:
>>> >> After putting 2,000 miles on my new engine (1600cc Type 1 Beetle),
>> I
>>> >> switched from Castrol petroleum to Amsoil 10-30 synthetic.
>>> >>
>>> >> Prior to this switch last week, my engine used no oil. I put a
>> little
>>> > under
>>> >> 200 miles on the engine at normal highway speeds with the Amsoil,
>> and
>>> > used
>>> >> 1/2 pint. Any thoughts or theories on why, and is this likely to
>>> > continue,
>>> >> or is it possibly a temporary "adjustment" to the new oil?
>>> >>
>>> >> --
>>> >> Randall Brink
>>> >> Author
>>> >>
>>> >> 1970 VW Type 1
>>> >> 1975 Mercedes-Benz W115 240D
>>> >
>>
>
>

Last year Hot VW's had a very good article on seals and synthtics. No
problems.

href="http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4025706&a=30209382&vt=vp">Den's
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