Valvoline straight 30 wt. VR1. all I use on a 40hp. Mild climate. Be carefull of higher viscosity or you will close the bypass to the cooler. Stick to the owners manual and you can't go wrong. On my engine, 2.6 qts puts the level in between the marks. That way the strainer acts as a pool skimmer. Overfilling to the high mark will not strain the floaties The only thing I have ever found in the strainer is bits of cork valve cover gaskets. My engine loves the zinc!! Good info Mike!
Hey man Kevin here from Australia. Very informative video. We do get complacent around our cars life just gets too busy. And I'll own up I've been slack with checking my oil the correct way. Anyhoo thankyou for sharing this video . ✌ Peace
Good video I've had that fuel issue happen so bad on lawn equipment that I go hey I'm out of gas! Yeah it leaked pass the float and filled the crank case....and had it happen on my 74 charger! Always caught it quick..... I also always look at condition of oil and check if there is any foreign matter are metal flakes in the oil just in case....on air cooled engines I own I've always changed the oil sooner they are harder on oil than water cooled counterparts..... just taking the extra time to keep up on your oil can save you a lot of money down the line.
Excelent content Mike, as always. This 36hp engine os awesome. I've a VW Bus with the same engine, but with a 28PCI carb and a centrífugal distributor (no vaccum advance).
Thank you for this video..allot i didn't know and very important info..Am new to owning a 68 beetle and going through the ins and outs but happy i came across this or i would have been that guy..lol..For those who are used to working on American cars you need to be aware that with old VW's its a whole different animal..
Great video as usual I run mobile 1 in all my vehicles new or old all the way back to my 1942 Indian chief through my 58 beetle and through my brand new van all my vehicles run mobile 1. I've never had a problem with leakage. I just make sure I run the right viscosity, the engines seems to run quieter on it when they get hot
FYI, on a full flow oil system, use a 1/2” ntp one way check valve on one of your oil lines to prevent oil drain back into the case and overfilling the case.
Great informative videos/tutorials as always, many thanks for your time. Regarding oil weight for stock engines do you recommend 10w-40 for freshly built engines with tight tolerances and 20w-50 for engines with high mileage? Do stock engines have small oil galleries which can by pass the oil cooler? Thanks for your help
Thanks Mike. Oil very big deal. Just brought home a 73 baja bug sat for 15 years, before i did first start pulled dip stick its very high on it so think prob water in it...smelled it and its mostly gas
I heard that synthetic oil doesn't convect heat as well so not ideal for aircooled motor. It stays cooler and not getting hot and letting heat out of motor. More insulative quality good for maintaining viscosity and being thinner for cold starts.
Can I ask about the carb you are running on the red vehicle. It looks like a Weber progressive mounted backwards. In guessing it’s not, but Is it? Asking because that would sure make access to the mixture screws easier, but would mess with the accelerator linkage.
it is called an Egas carb. similar to the progressive but both open at the same time. Much easier to jet, has chokes, and 38 38. really good carb for single reliable driving. and still has lots of performance. www.ebay.com/i/172946214290?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=172946214290&targetid=935431405133&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9031487&poi=&campaignid=10877149822&mkgroupid=108755327964&rlsatarget=aud-412677883135:pla-935431405133&abcId=9300400&merchantid=114737488&gclid=CjwKCAiAiML-BRAAEiwAuWVggp1U-YfYQrDw96FqYniFDi_IFL4LxyIRlxDvd2-HmMK1LQRr_PiyeBoCQtkQAvD_BwE
actually here is where I get them Empi also sell them for a premium dollar. swperformanceparts.com/product/428carb/?gclid=CjwKCAiAiML-BRAAEiwAuWVggk0HZcZmujlzMDvDv8fUjbhGk1DEY_J_wYUTj9BzFl4QrMt_Omo_YxoCTPoQAvD_BwE fits on the same manifold. as the progressive. and I think you need a linkage kit.
It took 9 minutes to say: If your oil level increases then there’s a chance fuel is inside and castrol is better because it has the same viscosity when old and new
You got into the oil discussion more than I would. Most of the crap you hear about Synthetic oils is crap. They are fine to run in your VW. The only thing I tell people is to make sure they use high zinc oil or additive, I’ve seen what happens over the long haul when they don’t. Oils have changed a lot over the years and aren’t the same as they were in the 80’s or 90’s.
synthetics are good. but one of the selling points is they last longer. In a vw with no oil filter best to keep it clean. with castrol being clean my buddies are getting as much as 150k miles out of a vw engine. now that is not a stroker.
I'm confused...with the added oil sump and the extra capacity inside the oil lines going to the external cooler, the original dipstick marking MUST be inaccurate. (with all that additional stuff, you're probably adding an extra quart or two)
Aqui no Brasil usamos oleo para motor diesel 15w40 ele é melhor para limpeza do carter tirando as borras , mas a VW recomenda o oleo 20 w50 , ai na america se usa oleo de motores diesel nos VW air ?
Bom Dia, but that's all the Portuguese I know. we have diesels, but there are a minority. I do not know how diesel engine oil is different, but since you operate at different temperatures and pressures, maybe you a different film thickness ? Think of it as two mountain ranges, one on top of each other and the oil film rides between those ridges preventing contact. If the film is to thin, the ridges hit and you get bearing wear and short engine life. At the stores, there are different engine oils. I use 20W50. I used to use 20w50 in my 1974 Porsche 911 in the summer. And if VW recommends it, then that probably is a good choice. Is it possible to find that viscosity for your Fusca ?
@@DanTheManIOM Ola Dan ! sim aqui nos temos o oleo 20w50 mas existe alguns seguidores do oleo para motores diesel ele é mais fino e descarboniza bem o carter e da uma lubrificação melhor no meu entender, embora concordo com voce e fico na duvida , mas acho que o correto mesmo é usar o 20w50 que é recomendado pela VW , encontrei um da Castrol que descarboniza e é 20w50 vou usar na proxima troca, muito bom seus videos Dan sempre assisto , saudações do Brasil
Do you use zinc additives in your oil? I have always used Amsoil Z-Rod (zinc is in it) with really good luck 8:53 i noticed on that car you have a lot of those small plaques over the engine air intake. I see that are slightly lifted off the vent but do you think it hinders the air flow?
I had some gas in my oil in my 1969 VW the other day. I was checking the dipstick and it smelled of gasoline and the di[pstick was about the top line. I drained to old oil with gas and I replaced the old fuel pump and push rod. I then filled my cc1600 motor with 2.5 quarts of oil. And a funny think very little oil showed up on the dipstick. What could that be about>>>
some guys use that. I have on occasion when I needed to change it and that is all I have. castrol or kendall are fine. Plus sometimes a put a 1/2 pint of lucas.
Great topic, Mike, the life blood of our air-cooled VW's is the oil, and probably the best definitive reference on this subject every VW owner should read is "Rob and Dave's Air-cooled Volkswagen Pages": www.vw-resource.com/engine_oil.html Well worth the read, explains the science behind the rationale for using a specific type of oil (zinc, viscosity, high detergent, blah blah blah) in air-cooled VW's...check it out👍
Old school guys say single weight but I always use 20/50 sometimes in the winter 10 40 if there is none available. I think the singe weight thing was for the old oil formulas back in the early 70s before castrol or Kendall
The single weight oils diddnt have the modern detergents and the particles would sink to the bottom as a sludge. In those engines no oil filters were used so the idea was to clean the oil pan and the screen at oil changers. Early lawn mower engines were the same .
@@Mikefngarage 20/50 sounds good. I'll go back to Castrol. I am trying with my latest oil change Lucas 10/40 for classic cars. It has more zinc. I thought that might be useful. On a non-related note, I bought DOT 4 brake fluid by mistake. If I were to flush the system of the old DOT 3, what does experience say about using DOT 4 synthetic instead?
In all of my vehicles I've owned since the 1960's, I ONLY check the oil after it has been fully warmed (preferably driven) and then left to sit for at least 5 - 10 minutes. (If you've ever owned anything with a dry sump oil tank (like a Harley engine) you will know why this is critical.) Never, ever over-fill! Always check on level ground. This sounds obvious, but so many people don't understand why this is so important. Two designs on the original VW engine that I have never understood is why the total oil capacity is 2.5 quarts in an engine that depends on air and oil to cool it and why the "oil filter" is the worst design ever for keeping the oil clean. Don't get me wrong, I love the boxer engine and I want to love the original Beetle. But my Gen 2 Corvair engine was far superior to VW in so many ways! Subaru's boxer engine would be good if they hadn't let the head gasket problem go on for decades. I've always liked quirky engines. I drive an old VW Rabbit 2.5 I-5 right now and love it! Enough of my rambling....carry on.
good stuff. excellent oil. havent tried it yet. partly because I change it so often because no filter. the reason the synthetic is so good is because it lasts longer and lubricates better longer. So i havent used it yet in my vw engines. In my Jetta I use german spec synthetic only.
@@Mikefngarage that's the only down fall, expensive. I can't tell that it works any better than conventional Castrol gtx, I change my oil often too,as soon as it gets dirty. My 1500 single port and 1600 do have ran for years, they leak a little.
I switched to Royal Purple HPS in my bug. Royal Purple HPS oils are fortified with a high level of zinc / phosphorus. I still change it regularly though. It gets way below zero (F) where I live, which is why I switched. I have noticed my engine is a little quieter on synthetic, and no, it didn't cause any leaks. www.royalpurple.com/product/hps-high-performance-street-motor-oil/
cool. that oil is great stuff. Yea I would have thermostats on that one. or if you dont put a piece of wood over the fan for a few minutes to warm it up then dont forget to move it over to the other side of the engine while driving.
Valvoline straight 30 wt. VR1. all I use on a 40hp. Mild climate. Be carefull of higher viscosity or you will close the bypass to the cooler. Stick to the owners manual and you can't go wrong. On my engine, 2.6 qts puts the level in between the marks. That way the strainer acts as a pool skimmer. Overfilling to the high mark will not strain the floaties The only thing I have ever found in the strainer is bits of cork valve cover gaskets. My engine loves the zinc!! Good info Mike!
Hey man Kevin here from Australia.
Very informative video.
We do get complacent around our cars life just gets too busy.
And I'll own up I've been slack with checking my oil the correct way.
Anyhoo thankyou for sharing this video .
✌ Peace
Good video I've had that fuel issue happen so bad on lawn equipment that I go hey I'm out of gas! Yeah it leaked pass the float and filled the crank case....and had it happen on my 74 charger! Always caught it quick..... I also always look at condition of oil and check if there is any foreign matter are metal flakes in the oil just in case....on air cooled engines I own I've always changed the oil sooner they are harder on oil than water cooled counterparts..... just taking the extra time to keep up on your oil can save you a lot of money down the line.
Excelent content Mike, as always. This 36hp engine os awesome. I've a VW Bus with the same engine, but with a 28PCI carb and a centrífugal distributor (no vaccum advance).
Another great video man! Thank you
really good vid. THanks for posting!
Took your advice on fuel type and changed to 98 proof ......subtle but worth the changeover !
I leaned some things…. Thank you great video!!!
Thank you for this video..allot i didn't know and very important info..Am new to owning a 68 beetle and going through the ins and outs but happy i came across this or i would have been that guy..lol..For those who are used to working on American cars you need to be aware that with old VW's its a whole different animal..
I use Penrite mineral oil which has plenty of zinc and is rated 10W-60.
Lol... I did, I did... great stuff Mike as always!
I did too 😂
Great video as usual I run mobile 1 in all my vehicles new or old all the way back to my 1942 Indian chief through my 58 beetle and through my brand new van all my vehicles run mobile 1. I've never had a problem with leakage. I just make sure I run the right viscosity, the engines seems to run quieter on it when they get hot
Thanks for sharing
Thanks Mike!
Great video Mike! I have Kendall in Rusty's engine!
Right on
Awesome info for us newbies
WTF? Is that click bait? Great video and I use the same logic in oil. Great info on the bus oil system with longer lines.
Thanks, for the information
Some other fuel pump leaks show outside between fuel ,engine block
yea the old fords and chevys had that weep hole . the vws dont and it leaks into the engine case. Horrible.
FYI, on a full flow oil system, use a 1/2” ntp one way check valve on one of your oil lines to prevent oil drain back into the case and overfilling the case.
cool I do like to drain them when I change the oil though. I wonder if that interferes with that
Good information Mike !
Thanks 👍
This happened to me about 40 years ago in a Ford Escort, very quickly filled the main drag into town with smoke while I was driving.
Yes very important! Some has seen me smell my oil stick and look at me strange. I prefer Castrol. My father swore by Kendall, since the 70s
I hear Brad penn is like the old Kendall oil. Porsche guys are all about it.
@@calliope1 I see a lot of folks like Brad Penn. especially for the extra ZDDP.
I use 15w40 Rotella diesel oil. High zinc content. Works mint on air cooled dubs
When checking oil...do u pull dipstick straight out,?...or do you first rotate the dipstick handle back n forth, then pull out?...thanks
Great informative videos/tutorials as always, many thanks for your time. Regarding oil weight for stock engines do you recommend 10w-40 for freshly built engines with tight tolerances and 20w-50 for engines with high mileage? Do stock engines have small oil galleries which can by pass the oil cooler? Thanks for your help
mostly 20 50 but 10 40 is also good IMO. in the winter.
Thanks Mike. Oil very big deal. Just brought home a 73 baja bug sat for 15 years, before i did first start pulled dip stick its very high on it so think prob water in it...smelled it and its mostly gas
yea could have been gas from carb if it has a tank in the rear or bad fuel pump. gotta smell that sucker.
I heard that synthetic oil doesn't convect heat as well so not ideal for aircooled motor. It stays cooler and not getting hot and letting heat out of motor. More insulative quality good for maintaining viscosity and being thinner for cold starts.
Do you use 10w 30
Which Castrol, Monograde HD 40 or 30? How does it compare to Shell Rotella T1 single grade? Im in FL, pretty hot here too. Thanks!
I have always used multiride. castrol. 20 50 keeps its viscosity. with these oils you dont really need single weight. like the old school.
Can I ask about the carb you are running on the red vehicle. It looks like a Weber progressive mounted backwards. In guessing it’s not, but Is it? Asking because that would sure make access to the mixture screws easier, but would mess with the accelerator linkage.
it is called an Egas carb. similar to the progressive but both open at the same time. Much easier to jet, has chokes, and 38 38. really good carb for single reliable driving. and still has lots of performance. www.ebay.com/i/172946214290?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=172946214290&targetid=935431405133&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9031487&poi=&campaignid=10877149822&mkgroupid=108755327964&rlsatarget=aud-412677883135:pla-935431405133&abcId=9300400&merchantid=114737488&gclid=CjwKCAiAiML-BRAAEiwAuWVggp1U-YfYQrDw96FqYniFDi_IFL4LxyIRlxDvd2-HmMK1LQRr_PiyeBoCQtkQAvD_BwE
actually here is where I get them Empi also sell them for a premium dollar. swperformanceparts.com/product/428carb/?gclid=CjwKCAiAiML-BRAAEiwAuWVggk0HZcZmujlzMDvDv8fUjbhGk1DEY_J_wYUTj9BzFl4QrMt_Omo_YxoCTPoQAvD_BwE
fits on the same manifold. as the progressive. and I think you need a linkage kit.
It took 9 minutes to say:
If your oil level increases then there’s a chance fuel is inside
and castrol is better because it has the same viscosity when old and new
You got into the oil discussion more than I would.
Most of the crap you hear about Synthetic oils is crap. They are fine to run in your VW. The only thing I tell people is to make sure they use high zinc oil or additive, I’ve seen what happens over the long haul when they don’t. Oils have changed a lot over the years and aren’t the same as they were in the 80’s or 90’s.
synthetics are good. but one of the selling points is they last longer. In a vw with no oil filter best to keep it clean. with castrol being clean my buddies are getting as much as 150k miles out of a vw engine. now that is not a stroker.
I'm confused...with the added oil sump and the extra capacity inside the oil lines going to the external cooler, the original dipstick marking MUST be inaccurate. (with all that additional stuff, you're probably adding an extra quart or two)
Aqui no Brasil usamos oleo para motor diesel 15w40 ele é melhor para limpeza do carter tirando as borras , mas a VW recomenda o oleo 20 w50 , ai na america se usa oleo de motores diesel nos VW air ?
Bom Dia, but that's all the Portuguese I know. we have diesels, but there are a minority. I do not know how diesel engine oil is different, but since you operate at different temperatures and pressures, maybe you a different film thickness ? Think of it as two mountain ranges, one on top of each other and the oil film rides between those ridges preventing contact. If the film is to thin, the ridges hit and you get bearing wear and short engine life. At the stores, there are different engine oils. I use 20W50. I used to use 20w50 in my 1974 Porsche 911 in the summer. And if VW recommends it, then that probably is a good choice. Is it possible to find that viscosity for your Fusca ?
@@DanTheManIOM Ola Dan ! sim aqui nos temos o oleo 20w50 mas existe alguns seguidores do oleo para motores diesel ele é mais fino e descarboniza bem o carter e da uma lubrificação melhor no meu entender, embora concordo com voce e fico na duvida , mas acho que o correto mesmo é usar o 20w50 que é recomendado pela VW , encontrei um da Castrol que descarboniza e é 20w50 vou usar na proxima troca, muito bom seus videos Dan sempre assisto , saudações do Brasil
Do you use zinc additives in your oil?
I have always used Amsoil Z-Rod (zinc is in it) with really good luck
8:53 i noticed on that car you have a lot of those small plaques over the engine air intake. I see that are slightly lifted off the vent but do you think it hinders the air flow?
yes sometimes I use Lucas small amounts on stock engine
@@Mikefngarage ok thanks
I’d love to know what viscosity of z rod being used. I run amsoil in everything and would like to keep it that way.
Carb stand/ manifold icing will allow gas into the crankcase as well.
yup need that preheat tube. I always have one
I had some gas in my oil in my 1969 VW the other day. I was checking the dipstick and it smelled of gasoline and the di[pstick was about the top line. I drained to old oil with gas and I replaced the old fuel pump and push rod. I then filled my cc1600 motor with 2.5 quarts of oil. And a funny think very little oil showed up on the dipstick. What could that be about>>>
How do you feel about diesel oil? Higher zink I heard.
some guys use that. I have on occasion when I needed to change it and that is all I have. castrol or kendall are fine. Plus sometimes a put a 1/2 pint of lucas.
👍
Great topic, Mike, the life blood of our air-cooled VW's is the oil, and probably the best definitive reference on this subject every VW owner should read is "Rob and Dave's Air-cooled Volkswagen Pages":
www.vw-resource.com/engine_oil.html
Well worth the read, explains the science behind the rationale for using a specific type of oil (zinc, viscosity, high detergent, blah blah blah) in air-cooled VW's...check it out👍
What has been your experience with multi-weight vs single weight?
Old school guys say single weight but I always use 20/50 sometimes in the winter 10 40 if there is none available. I think the singe weight thing was for the old oil formulas back in the early 70s before castrol or Kendall
The single weight oils diddnt have the modern detergents and the particles would sink to the bottom as a sludge. In those engines no oil filters were used so the idea was to clean the oil pan and the screen at oil changers. Early lawn mower engines were the same .
@@Mikefngarage 20/50 sounds good. I'll go back to Castrol. I am trying with my latest oil change Lucas 10/40 for classic cars. It has more zinc. I thought that might be useful. On a non-related note, I bought DOT 4 brake fluid by mistake. If I were to flush the system of the old DOT 3, what does experience say about using DOT 4 synthetic instead?
In all of my vehicles I've owned since the 1960's, I ONLY check the oil after it has been fully warmed (preferably driven) and then left to sit for at least 5 - 10 minutes. (If you've ever owned anything with a dry sump oil tank (like a Harley engine) you will know why this is critical.) Never, ever over-fill! Always check on level ground. This sounds obvious, but so many people don't understand why this is so important.
Two designs on the original VW engine that I have never understood is why the total oil capacity is 2.5 quarts in an engine that depends on air and oil to cool it and why the "oil filter" is the worst design ever for keeping the oil clean.
Don't get me wrong, I love the boxer engine and I want to love the original Beetle. But my Gen 2 Corvair engine was far superior to VW in so many ways! Subaru's boxer engine would be good if they hadn't let the head gasket problem go on for decades.
I've always liked quirky engines. I drive an old VW Rabbit 2.5 I-5 right now and love it!
Enough of my rambling....carry on.
I've always used Castrol synthetic, never had any problems.
good stuff. excellent oil. havent tried it yet. partly because I change it so often because no filter. the reason the synthetic is so good is because it lasts longer and lubricates better longer. So i havent used it yet in my vw engines. In my Jetta I use german spec synthetic only.
@@Mikefngarage that's the only down fall, expensive. I can't tell that it works any better than conventional Castrol gtx, I change my oil often too,as soon as it gets dirty. My 1500 single port and 1600 do have ran for years, they leak a little.
Specifically, what castrol do you use?
standard 20w 50
@@Mikefngarage really 20 50?
@@modotvideo yea guys run straight 40 too. but I rather have the multiweight. Remember engine oil temp is much higher on vw than most cars.
I switched to Royal Purple HPS in my bug. Royal Purple HPS oils are fortified with a high level of zinc / phosphorus. I still change it regularly though. It gets way below zero (F) where I live, which is why I switched. I have noticed my engine is a little quieter on synthetic, and no, it didn't cause any leaks. www.royalpurple.com/product/hps-high-performance-street-motor-oil/
cool. that oil is great stuff. Yea I would have thermostats on that one. or if you dont put a piece of wood over the fan for a few minutes to warm it up then dont forget to move it over to the other side of the engine while driving.
"you dipstick" ;)