Manx Club

What oil viscosity do you guys recomend for the Buggy?

You're going to get a lot of answers here and each one is going to be different. I talked to the local VW shop and was told they run 40wt in the summer and 30wt in the winter. Some run either 10w-40 or 20w-50 with a dose of zinc additive. It really depends on how you use your buggy, how often you change your oil, and what type of engine build you have. Of course there are other factors but there really isn't one right answer. As for me? I use 30wt with an additive.

Like Tom, I've use 30wt in the past ,,, but TBH when you think how long ago these old VW engines were developed and what was about 70 years ago, I reckon just about anything thats made today with around the right viscosity would work fine in a standard motor.. I've heard it said that oils intended for diesel engines are ideal to use in type one motors, but have used just about every kind of oil myself over the years including 15/30 semi synthetic,,,, universal engine/hydraulic oil for use in ferguson tractors and even oil for Briggs & Stratton lawn mowers,,, you name it and my old type 1 motors have dripped it, but never complained. As for summer grades, this is england, so we stick with the winter grades all year round!!,,,, must be nice to have the option of popping up to Oregon when driving a buggy gets too hot in So Cal LOL!.

I changed oil for the 1st time in the buggy today. I do not know what grade oil was in it but it looked clean. This was just routine maintanence. The buggy runs great. I replaced it with 10W30. I went for a drive on the freeway and the oil pressure dropped, at idle, to about 5-10 PSI when I got to the end of the offramp. This got me a little nervous. While cruising the pressure was about 40 PSI. The oil temp never went above 185. I got home and put 40wt in it and fired it up. The pressure was about 50PSI. I will test drive later. Just curious what all you guys use. It sounds like I will just keep and eye on it.

I run Valoline 30wt.

Slightly off topic, but still related. Oil is a very complicated subject. There are many things to consider, and many choices to make. The reason that desiel oils were popular was because of the additives in them. Unfortuneately, those additives have changed due to air quality regulations (just like the conventional car oils). Here is a link to a very extensive discussion on oil reformulation. http://rbcdunebuggy.yuku.com/topic/388

Valvoline 20W-50 with half a bottle of STP Oil Treatment (the Four Cylinder stuff in the red bottle). Stock engine, no filter or additional oil cooler. I run this year round, Southern California. The coldest it gets here in the winter is usually in the forties, and I don't drive the buggy much when it's that cold! The above combination works especially well in the summer, when I load the buggy up and drive it 100+ miles at a time on the freeway during my quests for solitude in the Mojave Desert. The oil pressure is typically 45-50 PSI at cruising speed, coming down to 7-10 at idle, engine hot. I have noticed that the 20W-50 actually works a bit better than straight 40. This might be because oil that is too thick will bypass the oil cooler.

I agree with Lee, any regular quality non synthetic multi grade like a 20/50 or a 15/40 will do, changed regularly and with 1/2 a bottle of STP or similar 4 cylinder oil additive or a full bottle if you've got extra capacity from an additional filter and/or deep sump. I don't suppose the STP's really necessary in a modern oil but I'm and old hot fan and my school books were covered in STP stickers back in the 60s...

[QUOTE="Manxdavid;15134"]I agree with Lee, any regular quality non synthetic multi grade like a 20/50 or a 15/40 will do, changed regularly and with 1/2 a bottle of STP or similar 4 cylinder oil additive or a full bottle if you've got extra capacity from an additional filter and/or deep sump. I don't suppose the STP's really necessary in a modern oil but I'm and old hot fan and my school books were covered in STP stickers back in the 60s...[/QUOTE] Ah, who could forget the good old STP stickers!! had one on my old mini back in the early 70's... I used to love the smell of that Castrol R40 racing oil too,,, must have been all those trips to Brands Hatch watching the bike racing back in the 60's & 70's.... In fact I loved that smell so much, that I used to mix it as two stroke for the bikes, and even used to put a bit in the gas tank of the old mini...... Kids today just don't know what they're missing by sniffing all that bloody glue!!

I used to run 30w all the time but now reading about most wear occuring on start up, I have been running 10w30 Castroil. My hot oil pressure is about the same as the 30w; ~20 at idle and 30-45psi. Is the multi-weight saving my motor over the straight 30w? As the oil pressure is fine I am not worried enough to send off for oil readings. Now if I was running a hot cam with double valve springs I would be using oil with enough Zinc to protect the cam and followers. My stock VW doesn't seem to matter. FWIW,

Thanks guys. Sounds like the straight 40 wt may be too thick. Maybe I should put it Multi.