Thicker oil in a reconditioned DG engine?

[Sunray]

Got a oil leak on the way back from Glastonbury. It went from top of the line to less than the bottom of the line in about 30 miles. The 0.3bar pressure light was starting to flicker (custom oil pressure warning set up). I'd recently changed the oil and filter. It got there just fine. A fair amount dripped from the engine when I stopped. Recovered it just in case.

The garage can't find a major leak, there is a v minor leak, crank shaft seal I think, cant tell, no space, will live with that as it was so minor and the cost so big. They suggested that my oil got too thin and putting a thicker oil into the engine? I did notice the engine got hot quite quickly but it didn't over heat, though when I switched it off before recovery it was fizzing. Air lock perhaps.

I said OK to the oil, but was wondering if the thicker oil effects the hydraulic tappets. I have searched about but can't find anything to suggest it will. Its in air cooled engines but they get a lot hotter and therefore the oil is a lot thinner.

[itchyfeet]

Thicker 20w50 mineral is fine, i use it now as my dg is high mileage
if you used alot it either leaked out or got burnt, you need to find out which
Fill it up, go for a run until its hot, place a cardboard box under the engine and look for leaks later, crank leak clutch end needs sorting or your clutch will fail when it gets worse

[Sunray]

Thicker 20w50 mineral is fine, i use it now as my dg is high mileage
if you used alot it either leaked out or got burnt, you need to find out which
Fill it up, go for a run until its hot, place a cardboard box under the engine and look for leaks later, crank leak clutch end needs sorting or your clutch will fail when it gets worse

Thanks for the info. Might be nice to update the wiki which only talks about 15w40 for water cooled.

Its the crank end by the pulley wheel and its very tiny so not worth the cash unless or until it gets worse. Gear box end is dry as far as I and they can see.

Up until I changed the oil, it was fine. Perhaps it was 20w50 in there from the mechanic who did it last time? Cunning way to stop me complaining about the oil leak. These guys are also saying the tappits should have been adjusted at 1000 miles? Is that true? Nobody told me.

[fairwynds]

These guys are also saying the tappits should have been adjusted at 1000 miles? Is that true? Nobody told me.

They are hydraulic so no adjustment needed after the initial set up methinks....

[itchyfeet]

Its common to find garages these days know nothing about older engines as has been demonstrated by the tappet comment,
they rely largely on guesswork because they are used to pluging cars into a computer these days

so find yourself a garage with an older mechanic

you probably wont get anybody to update the wiki, if your engine needs 20w50 these is something wrong with it like old age wear or a leak, VW specified 15w40.

you say it happened after you changed the oil, did you fill the oil flter before fitting?
The oil filter is big and holds alot if oil, top to bottom of dipstick isnt so much oil, so if you filled to the top marker with an empty oilfilter and chcked after running for a bit it will have gone down alot.
the angle of the vehicle when you check also makes a big difference, need to check on the dead flat or at least in the same place to get a comparison

[Mocki]

The amount of oil tween the two dipstick markers is pretty much a litre.
It's normal for a wbx to use the top 20% and then stay at 80% on the stick until the next oil change . I never bother filling mine above 3/4 of the way up the stick markers now.

[itchyfeet]

The amount of oil tween the two dipstick markers is pretty much a litre.
It's normal for a wbx to use the top 20% and then stay at 80% on the stick until the next oil change . I never bother filling mine above 3/4 of the way up the stick markers now.

filters got to hold 1/3 of a litre i'd say? ^^ i don't fill above 3/4 either

[Sunray]

It was levelled in a campsite when I checked before I left.

About 1mm from the top of the line. I'd done 130miles to Glastonbury.

I filled the filter and left it a bit before fitting it. It does sink back when you fill it.

My usual garage isn't getting back to me and takes weeks to book in even then, going to Spain today via the ferry tonight. The garage has driven it and left it running and no leak. The Bentley has 20w50 as an oil spec, if there is a leak and it can get me past the next month that's great. Get it looked at then. Bad timing now.

[Sunray]

Got it back and it's probably better running than it's ever run since the new engine.

Identified a twisted out exhaust nut.

My last garage knew his stuff but his attention to detail was poor. Too many little things have added up to be a big thing.

Will continue with this garage , work is decent.