DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Which Grade Motor Oil for 4 Cyl are you using? By default I have used 15w 40 Castrol GTX.

Did a quick google but I couldn't find a recent source to confirm the zinc content of GTX. Older links suggested 600ppm which isn't enough for that engine.

Look for an oil with 1200+ ppm of zddp.

Over my head....Doh!

Valvoline VR1 Racing has a decent zinc content and is a popular option here on DDk.

Have you tried some of that slightly brown looking slippy liquid stuff?

Sorry - thats the extent of my oil knowledge

Zinc is needed in oil to help hi-stress (for the oil) areas of the engine like the lubrication of the surface between the lifters and the cam. Most modern oils don't have Zinc in anymore, as I understand it this is to reduce polutants and the fact that cars don't have these high impact/friction surfaces like lifters anymore.

More reading here.

http://www.drivenracingoil.com/news/dro ... motor-oil/

So for us old-school guys with cams & lifters we should really put oil in our cars which has zinc in (like in da old days). I've used this in my race engines for many years

http://www.drivenracingoil.com/dro/dt50 ... w-112html/

and it has performed perfectly. A few years back my old race engine (that's now in the bug) I took the opportunity to strip it and check it out before I put it in the bug. After 5 years hard graft I thought it would be a good idea. The lifter and cam surfaces looked as good as new. It's a good oil that's proven it's worth to me that's for sure, I wouldn't put anything else in my motors

Mr Pharmacist wrote:Have you tried some of that slightly brown looking slippy liquid stuff?

Sorry - thats the extent of my oil knowledge

Me too....for real. Can anyone direct me to what I'd buy from Halfords or Wigan Motor Factors etc?

Shell Rotella was recommended in years past for VWs, it's better at dealing with the extremes of temperature in aircooled engines. It has a high zinc content but apparently cats don't like it.

eitnurg wrote:Shell Rotella was recommended in years past for VWs, it's better at dealing with the extremes of temperature in aircooled engines. It has a high zinc content but apparently cats don't like it.

+1 - I have always used old-fashioned (but what was recommended in the day) HD30 oil in all of our air cooled engines, and never yet had a problem that was oil related.

JW

Been using the Valvoline VR1 for years, good quality oil with the right additives for these engine, not that expensive from Euro Car Parts.

So is Castrol GTX 15/40 no good...

Hi Lenny,

I ran my standard 2.0 engine on Castrol GTX with no problems. She was a bit smoky on the over-run when I first got her (she had been in storage for 10 years) & initially used a bit. However, this improved very quickly with use & in my last year of ownership, when I did about 1500 miles, I only had to top up by about 0.5 of a litre before the next oil change. When I sold it last year compression measurements were fine. Hope this helps. Also ran my '73 Beetle with a 1600 cc engine on GTX with no problems.