Oil weight??
- Thread starter dogger37
- Start date
jhinsc
Veteran Member
Sounds like your mechanic is an idiot - sorry to say. Can't possibly think why he's giving that advice out to anyone running gas or diesel these days. The ONLY thing I would consider running straight 30W oil is my lawn mower!
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Does he frequent the talking picture shows and dress up to ride in the aeroplanes, too? 
Even my 17 year old lawn mower runs a multi-weight oil, as Kohler specifies.
Even my 17 year old lawn mower runs a multi-weight oil, as Kohler specifies.
Rico567
Top Post Dawg
^^^^^^^
I love this. Is it detergent? (BTW, I'm old enough to remember oil for sale that was not only straight-weight, but non-detergent. And if I push my memory hard enough, I can remember the stations that had the oil racked up by the pumps in glass bottles with the tin funnels on top, because so many people had to throw in a quart or two every time they fueled up. People who long for the "good old days" are usually looking through a fairly narrow glass.
I love this. Is it detergent? (BTW, I'm old enough to remember oil for sale that was not only straight-weight, but non-detergent. And if I push my memory hard enough, I can remember the stations that had the oil racked up by the pumps in glass bottles with the tin funnels on top, because so many people had to throw in a quart or two every time they fueled up. People who long for the "good old days" are usually looking through a fairly narrow glass.
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Yeah, nowadays, people just let the engines blow up!
IndigoBlueWagon
TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
I ran my '57 Bug on non-detergent 30 weight, because the PO had done that. 1,500 mile oil change interval, too. Don't want to go back to that.
nord
Veteran Member
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I'm sort of surprised he didn't recommend cooking oil. After all, what do those silly engineers know? And then those clueless manufacturers and their warranty instructions.
Best to go with straight 30 weight. I'm sure this moron has the inside track and knows of what he speaks... Or maybe not!
Best to go with straight 30 weight. I'm sure this moron has the inside track and knows of what he speaks... Or maybe not!
IndigoBlueWagon
TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Mentioned this to a co-worker this morning. His comment: "Lead paint used to be great, too."
Bob_Fout
Oil Wanker
SAE30 oils are still common with small aircooled gas engines like those found in outdoor power equipment (OPE). Still spec'd and used in old diesel engines too.
Ever wonder why Rotella, Delvac and Delo come in SAE30? That's why. Several house and manufacturer brands, too.
tdiatlast
Top Post Dawg
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Time to find a new mechanic.
The only oil you should use is VW507 5W30. IF I were stranded in Mexico with a hole in my oil pan- and got the hole fixed, and only 30w was available- and I had armed robbers after me, id use it.
*Biased off of a true story from a decade ago when several friends and I drove my Civic to cabo and I had to use non SAE rated meixican off brand 30W in my civic's D engine after a chunk of steel blew threw the pan
My friends old 1946 TD14A dozer takes 30W winter and 40W summer!
*Biased off of a true story from a decade ago when several friends and I drove my Civic to cabo and I had to use non SAE rated meixican off brand 30W in my civic's D engine after a chunk of steel blew threw the pan
My friends old 1946 TD14A dozer takes 30W winter and 40W summer!
Last edited:
atc98002
Veteran Member
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Hey, the gas station I worked in during high school had those! I remember filling them from a bulk tank inside the service bays. Remember service bays?
FormerOwner
Veteran Member
I'd give him the Donald Trump- "Your're fired".
qmdv
Member
Bad analogy because lead paint is way better as far as holding up than what you get today. AS it was going out of style I bought all the white lead paint I could find for painting fences. Still looks great.
I still remember my public school brainwashed 11 year old boy (41 now) start crying cus he thought he would die if he had to paint with it. I told him if he did not drink it he would be fine.
Tim
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
That is not true, modern paint chemistry has taken GIANT steps in recent decades. The stuff you buy today is far superior than anything made during the lead paint era.
Netflix has a great documentary that deals with the subject. It helps I have a family member that had a 20 year history in the field at one of BASF's subsidiaries, too.
We just refinished the outside of a 100+ year old farmhouse with a Behr product that has a warranty that will still be in affect when I am a centurian, if I live that long. It will easily outlast any of the 5 previous layers of paint the house had been adorned with over the years.
Netflix has a great documentary that deals with the subject. It helps I have a family member that had a 20 year history in the field at one of BASF's subsidiaries, too.
We just refinished the outside of a 100+ year old farmhouse with a Behr product that has a warranty that will still be in affect when I am a centurian, if I live that long. It will easily outlast any of the 5 previous layers of paint the house had been adorned with over the years.
IndigoBlueWagon
TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Just to keep us off topic (the topic of this thread is silly, anyway), paint improvements are pretty recent. First paint job on my 19 year old house lasted 7 years. Second lasted another 7, and I was overdue for repainting both times. Had some trim rotting as a result. The current paint job (two years old) is some new age paint that seems to be lasting much better.
Paint is improving. But lead paint was better than what followed for some time before the better stuff started to appear.
nord
Veteran Member
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- All turned back to VW. Now a 2017 Hundai Tuscon. Not a single squalk in 10k miles.
OilHammer...
Centurion? You're planning on bringing back the days of the Roman Empire? Maybe you and Putin might get together.
Now "centenarian" I could understand. All that good clean living you do.
In any case Merry Christmas. Just promise to let us all know if you make a career change to centurion.
Centurion? You're planning on bringing back the days of the Roman Empire? Maybe you and Putin might get together.
Now "centenarian" I could understand. All that good clean living you do.
In any case Merry Christmas. Just promise to let us all know if you make a career change to centurion.
wyrosjr
Well-known member
For engines used in temperate climes and are run continuously without many cold starts. 30w is a superior oil, It doesn't shear as badly as multi viscosity oils. It will stay in grade longer. That is why it's still offered. Particularly for generators and long haul trucks.
Tinkertoy
Active member
Air cooled VWs do better on straight 30. They always seemed to burn up the multi weight oils faster. Plus, the oil cooler bypass valves were designed for the heavier oil.
My vw mechanic told me the air cooled motors would cook the additive that would thicken the oil as it got hotter, so eventually you would be running 5 weight oil in your motor.