Just change it to synthetic, no worries!
Unknown oil in used car -- changing Synthetic to Traditional??
- Thread starter Boaz
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What year is the car?What make is the car?Most important how many miles?
I don't think 20w50 is used in most cars.
Most use 5w30 or 5w20 &alot use 10w30.The 5w20 is usally a semi/syn mix.
From the sound of your car it seems older so a good dino might be in order or you might develop leaks.
But most people here will need more info from you first.
Good luck on your car.
I don't think 20w50 is used in most cars.
Most use 5w30 or 5w20 &alot use 10w30.The 5w20 is usally a semi/syn mix.
From the sound of your car it seems older so a good dino might be in order or you might develop leaks.
But most people here will need more info from you first.
Good luck on your car.
As M-D said, 20w-50 is not for everyone and for just a few.
Changing from syn to traditional should not cause any problems. I would not continue the 20W50 unless the owner's manual calls for it...which very few OMs today would do. I would ARX it and then run syn at ~7.5-10K intervals if, by travelling with it, you mean you will be doing lots of highway miles.
I agree, 20W50 could be a little bit thick, what engine is it? I would definetly not run anything nearly that thick when the lakes turn solid come winter. I wouldn't flush the engine, it's generally a bad idea especially if a chunk of sludge breaks off and becomes lodged in an oil passage and starves your engine of oil.
My suggestion would be to run whatever the owners manual says for viscosity and if you see consumption then if it suggests a 30 weight, you could go up to a 40 weight, something like a 5w-40, 10w-40, or 15w-40, but I wouldn't go much higher than that and I would recommend using something suitable for the winter when it comes.
What is the make, model, year, and mileage of the car? If you can see the insides of the engine from the oil fill cap, what do things look like in there?
You can use traditional oil all you want, there isn't really any circumstance where someone shouldn't change back if they want to.
My suggestion would be to run whatever the owners manual says for viscosity and if you see consumption then if it suggests a 30 weight, you could go up to a 40 weight, something like a 5w-40, 10w-40, or 15w-40, but I wouldn't go much higher than that and I would recommend using something suitable for the winter when it comes.
What is the make, model, year, and mileage of the car? If you can see the insides of the engine from the oil fill cap, what do things look like in there?
You can use traditional oil all you want, there isn't really any circumstance where someone shouldn't change back if they want to.
Wow! That's a lot of great info! In answer to several questions, the vehicle is a 1986 VW Westfalia (vanagon camper, with pop-top, fridge, stove etc) with 200,000km (120k miles). Several Westfalia-owners forum sites recommended 20w50, and that's what was in some of the previous owners receipts.....but it'd not indicated Syn or traditional.
All comments gratefully accepted and greatly apprectiated!
All comments gratefully accepted and greatly apprectiated!
VW Vans have lots of problems with engine temps. To me, that would mean the use of a mid/heavy-weight synth is indicated. To get to the point that a decent synth oil will do it's job and is worth the investment, you should try a few shortened intervals with 15w-40 diesel-rated oil to clean the engine up a bit. A good plan would be 2 oil changes per 1 filter change, about 1500-2000 miles each. Do that twice and then invest in a 40 or 50 weight synth for 5000-6000 miles runs...with a new filter everytime. If consumption is an issue, try Syntec 5w-50. If the internals and dipstick look perfect, fine then. If they look at all discolored, sludged or pitted from those high temps and ~unstable~ oil, an Auto-Rx treatment would be a very good idea.
Now that you said what it is sounds like 20w50 is want you should go with especially since that is what it is used to.
I'm almost positive it wasn't syntheic oil.
I'm also positive there will be big time leaks if you start to use syntheic at this stage of the game.I know people will not agree with me but thats my opinion.
A friend of just tried syntheic oil in his 130k 88 camry.Was fine before the syn but now had leaks.So why look for trouble.
I have nothing agaist syn as i use a semi/syn in my 99 Marquis with 103k.
I would never use a 20w50 in a 4.6 but for your 86 Vanagon i probably would.
Good luck and have a great trip.
I'm almost positive it wasn't syntheic oil.
I'm also positive there will be big time leaks if you start to use syntheic at this stage of the game.I know people will not agree with me but thats my opinion.
A friend of just tried syntheic oil in his 130k 88 camry.Was fine before the syn but now had leaks.So why look for trouble.
I have nothing agaist syn as i use a semi/syn in my 99 Marquis with 103k.
I would never use a 20w50 in a 4.6 but for your 86 Vanagon i probably would.
Good luck and have a great trip.
All points well taken, and will do some more testing to see how it all gums up (or not). MANY THANKS!
Castrol GTX high mileage 20w50 would seem to be a good match for this VW, IMO.
And you guys know me; I'd run a Mobil 1 oil filter on it, if one was available.
If you really want to run synthetic in it, why not try Valvoline Synpower 20w50? It always seems to be the least expensive (per qt.) synthetic in my area.
And you guys know me; I'd run a Mobil 1 oil filter on it, if one was available.
If you really want to run synthetic in it, why not try Valvoline Synpower 20w50? It always seems to be the least expensive (per qt.) synthetic in my area.
You got any pics of your VW van that you could post? I'm a fellow VW owner.....I'd like to see a pic of that sweet VW van.
Out of curiosity, what prompted you to buy that particualar vehicle? They're pretty rare in my neck of the woods.
Out of curiosity, what prompted you to buy that particualar vehicle? They're pretty rare in my neck of the woods.
It's the 6th old VW I've owned -- all previous were air-cooled. Which really means they have NO heat. This is Canada, cold a LOT of the time. No defrost either. The Vanagon period are excellent for travelling, good on gas (relatively), and basically you can live in 'em for short periods if need be. The pop-up roof means I can stand inside: No small feat since I'm 6'5". I don't yet have a photo of it, but here's the link from the guy I bought if from, if you're interested --
http://www.trader.ca/Search/Details...-1&UID=819ED8904EF24E5F99B1E3F874B60D05&CAT=5
http://www.trader.ca/Search/Details...-1&UID=819ED8904EF24E5F99B1E3F874B60D05&CAT=5
It seems the link didn't work for the ad -- here's another that may work better (it may be being truncated in the translation to the BBS
http://www.trader.ca/SendToFriend/Results.asp?id=1693826&adid=4522872
http://www.trader.ca/SendToFriend/Results.asp?id=1693826&adid=4522872
Nice van; I really like it. I've tried to talk my wife into letting my get an old VW bus or van to haul my mountain bike & gear around, but she always says: "You're not getting one of those VW vans....you're not a hippie!" She's right, I guess.
Does anyone know if changing from Syn to Trad will cause any problems?
I've got a used vehicle I just bought which I'm going to be travelling with, and don't know whether the oil was Syn or Trad -- the oil-changers didn't know either. Because I'll might need to add oil, I just went with trad 20w50. The oil-changers didn't do a flush. Think there will be any problems?
Thanks in advance! Great board!
I've got a used vehicle I just bought which I'm going to be travelling with, and don't know whether the oil was Syn or Trad -- the oil-changers didn't know either. Because I'll might need to add oil, I just went with trad 20w50. The oil-changers didn't do a flush. Think there will be any problems?
Thanks in advance! Great board!
I may have a bad hairdo......but it doesn't mean you've gotta be a hippie to drive one. My very elderly, very conservative parents got converted and bought one themselves once they realized how ultimately practical they are -- and how much smaller than any other camper they are. It fits in any parking spot, 'cause it's really only about as big as a mini-van. Perhaps you could sell your wife on it that way -- takes the mtn. bikes, and takes you camping, and takes her shopping. Without the requisite Cheech and Chong wardrobe, either. These newer shapes get many fewer "peace" signs from passersby. In fact, none so far. So the hippie connotation is more due to association than reality.......good luck. If you keep lobbying for it, it might just happen.
Maybe....but my wife is one of those dyed-in-the-wool SUV drivers. I don't think I'll ever convince her to downsize, not even to a mini-van.
Well, technically that's not 100% true. Right now, she drives a big 'ol 97 Ford Expedition, but she's been lobbying hard lately for a smaller late model used Mercedes SUV. Knowing me, I'll probably cave in the next few months. At least then we'll have two fine german autos in our garage. Or, I could sell my VW & take over the paid-for Expedition.
Well, technically that's not 100% true. Right now, she drives a big 'ol 97 Ford Expedition, but she's been lobbying hard lately for a smaller late model used Mercedes SUV. Knowing me, I'll probably cave in the next few months. At least then we'll have two fine german autos in our garage. Or, I could sell my VW & take over the paid-for Expedition.
Dureing the warm months a 20W50 is fine but if consuption is not an issue a 15W40 would work better in most cases. Once it gets cold XD3 0W40 would be my choice for that engine. If it does not have any comsuption issues XD3 0W30 and 0W40 would both be worth takeing a look at! They have a good track record in Canada for low consuption and good wear numbers and do not mind your cold temp!!!
Sound advice, Mr. Browning: I checked the invoices that were with the vehicle, they mostly show 20w50........I'm hesitant to try a 15W40 in case it develops leaks (just as I'm going away with it for a vacation to lands where VW vans are certainly FAR from the norm, for mechanics anyway).
"I'm hesitant to try a 15W40 in case it develops leaks"
Can't make an omlette without cracking a few eggs.
The leaking potential you refer to is likely varnished-over seals that need to be cleared and re-wetted with an oil (or additive) that will recondition and reset them. Cleaning oil then a Hi-Mi oil (GTX 10w-40) would be the ticket, imo.
Can't make an omlette without cracking a few eggs.
The leaking potential you refer to is likely varnished-over seals that need to be cleared and re-wetted with an oil (or additive) that will recondition and reset them. Cleaning oil then a Hi-Mi oil (GTX 10w-40) would be the ticket, imo.
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