Date:         Mon, 04 Jul 94 12:22:40 CDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      Re: Frequency of Oil Changes

On Sun, 3 Jul 94 23:06:23 CDT Will Self said:
>Thanks, Joel & Jamie.  If Jim and Joel and Jamie all recommend 2500 miles,
>why then, 2500 miles it shall be!  That's plenty good for me!  How convenient,
>I'm at 95,000 miles right now.

that'll work. but just remember, you need to find out what works FOR YOU.
don't do it just because WE do it. :)  i can't say that 2500 is any better
(or worse) than 3000 or even Steve's 5000. it just makes me feel better to
do it at 2500, based on MY experiences.

**by the way, did i mention that my bus 'uses' about 1/4 quart in 2500 miles?
which is another reason i change at 2500 ... so as not to let the level get
too low.  which is a bit funny, cause all the vw's (expecially the air-cools)
i've ever had 'used' about 1/4 to 1/2 quart in 3000 miles. that is, it would
go down from the 'full' mark on the dipstick, to just about the 'add' mark
in one oil change.  which is one of the things that makes me a bit suspicious
of the 7500 mile 'recommended' changes.

now, having said that, i will remind the group that 7500 is 'recommended'
for cars driven 'normally' ... that is, 7500 highway miles! if you check
around in the owners manual, you can decipher the wording and come up with
the conclusion that what we call 'normal' driving (stop-and-go city driving,
back and forth to work, grocery stores, wal-mart, etc.) is called 'severe
conditions' in the book. and that rates a quicker oil change.  at least,
all the owners manuals (vw, honda, mercedes, porsche, even ford) that i've
looked at. but you should check your own (look in the back part, under
Severe Driving Conditions or something like that).

>Now, any recommendations on additives?

ah, yes. Miracle Cures for Whatever Ails You. :)  well, i admit it: i tried
Slick 50. $20 for one quart! it's been two years since i tried it and i keep
pretty good records of my gas usage and maintenance, and i have noticed
NO change whatsoever. none. zip. nada. zilch.

so: what do i think? well ... i don't think i'll use it again. i can do two
changes with regular oil for the price of one quart of Slick 50. so i think
i will. i'm getting old and much more sceptical of 'miracle cures'. even
splitfire plugs. i've heard they erode the electrodes much quicker ... but
the Bosch Triple-electrode i have in the bus seem to be doing excellant,
thank you. :) and are a lot cheaper than the splitfires.  but i digress ...

i also saw (but cannot for the life of me find it in all this printed junk
i have laying around this pig-sty) something about vw NOT recommending stuff
like Slick 50 in their engines ... it seems that it causes some probems with
engine seals. but i can't prove it cause i can't find the piece of paper or
letter or magazine article. anybody else see that?  naturally, i saw it AFTER
i had already run the stuff through my engine. :(  <and that might have a
bit to do with my opinion of it. :) >

so my opinion (in case you can't guess) about additives is: they are probably
not worth it. especially the ones with the more extravagent claims of higher
mileage and less engine friction.

question: if Slick 50 and its ilk are so good, wouldn't the large trucking
companies, railroads, airlines, etc. be using it like crazy? but you don't
hear anything about Roadway, and J.B. Hunt, and those trucking companies
using stuff like that in their trucks. and they need every 0.10 mile per
gallon they can squeeze out. just a thought.

joel
<and no, i'm not sure what all that was about: i just got up. yawn. :)
don't eat toooo much barbecue/whatever/firecrackers!>