Just on this in from amazon...
https://www.amazon.com/Valvoline-Racing-20W...tive&sr=1-1

Thinking it would save me some $$ after my initial break in of the 2056

15 qts for $66.00

IF my Math is right I saved about 25-30 bucks

Benefits over Brad Penn green oil (Amazon $92/12qrt), or just personal preference?
I guess you save a few bucks.

I run VR1. The benefit for me is the local Auto Zone carries it.

Brad Mayeur 914Ltd has me using this in my three cars.

P

New engine gets break in oil changes back to back.
I like to break in without synthetic oil 15 min run time' change...
Then new oil/filter to about 500 miles
Then new oil/filter for 3 k...

VR1 is good stuff. Not to start a debate but you can also get mobil 1 full synthetic 15-50 for about the same price at walmart. The 15w-50 has high zinc ppm of 1300 and phosphorus of 1200. I ran Brad Penn for a little while, car seemed to run warmer and its harder to get.


https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants/for-per...ox-pdsdatasheet

My VR1 locally is about $5 a quart. Sometimes they have singles, sometimes bigger like the ad.

I use it Nice to have something local to buy off the shelf
O'Riley's has it for 5.99 Quart

My other choice if I where to change from VR-1 is the Driven DT-50 But would have to order it

VR1 is a good choice for our cars. I would not use Mobil 1 in an air cooled Porsche

I have been running the Valvoline VR1 in all my air cooled cars for years. The high zinc is good for the motor, and it is available at any FLAPS. Brad Penn is good, but not available anywhere, so if I am on a tour and need oil, I can find it at any FLAPS.

Clay

Using VR1 20W 50 for a few years now.
It was the first widely available high zink/flat tappet compatable oil a few years ago.
Brad Penn cost and availability...... no Thank you.
Full synthetic in air cooled engines ?......another no Thank you

"Driven" oil the former Joe Gibbs Oil has a straight 30 brake-in oil used for dyno time only. I change it at 300 miles on a new engine then use the Driven 20/50 in the 914 and 10/40 in the Boxster. Remember I'm in Atlanta and the cars are in garage so the 914 does not get cold.

I use Driven DT50 full synthetic that is specifically formulated for air cooled engines. I believe that the synthetic oil flows better at cold startup which is better than conventional oil. Who knows if that is fact or marketing?

That's a good price.

Thanks for the tip. Just pulled the trigger on this - only bad thing is that I just gave Amazon more money.

I'm running Brad Penn 20W-50 now...I bought a whole bunch years ago, just about out. This is "partial synthetic"? just not sure...have to look at label when I get home.

if so (partial synthetic), is there an issue with going to Valvoline VR1 Racing SAE 20W-50??

thanks

I still have about 60 quarts of 20W-50 VR1 from the infamous AutoZone $1/quart sale a couple years ago.

Ben -

Pretty sure that is proven fact. I've been running full synthetic in all my vehicles since 1977 - EXCEPT for my vintage Triumph motorcycles and my 914....VR1 for me in it.

GN

Synthetic oil was invented in Germany in ww2 I'm sure that was what was used in all their engines. Penn oil was only used in Porsches move in the USA

https://www.aircooled.net/synthetic-vw-oil/

I still have some left from that too (that was Spring 2017). Thought I bought enough to last for a long time - had to have been 7-8 cases - but then I got a race 914 with a dry sump that uses 9 qts per oil change...

I just bought more. That's a good price.

I belong to the "more oil volume over a given time is better" school (better lubrication, better cooling, less hot spots, etc). I also like the way synths hold up to heat better. I go with 0/40 and 5/40 full synth European blend mobile 1. At the race last weekend another Porsche driver was eating lunch behind our cars and asked "wait... Why isn't there oil under your 914?". Not to jinx it but I haven't had leak issues with thinner full synthetic.

EXCELLENT article! Aligns with everything I've studied about synthetics over many years.

One question: Heard many times that synthetics have additives that dinos do not that break down brass - and old engines have bronze parts in them that are slowly broken down by synthetics.

Anyone know the truth about this?

As I am an Amsoil dealer, I'm going to go to Z-Rod, unless there are brass parts in the Type IV engine and the brass degradation is known to be true. Which weight?

Most damage to an engine is done at one of two points: start-up - due to lack of oil on the metal, and Max RPM, which most of us do not do. Synthetics stay on the metal better, so they are much better at start-up than dino oil. And, 10W is better than 20W at start-up, especially in colder temps. 10W in winter and 20W in summer for those of us who live where there are winter climes?

====================

A picky point - you all know I am anal retentive by now, right?

Author says, "Oil does not break down under normal use. This is true of both dino and synthetic oil and is also the reason why you take oil to the Recycling Center and not the trash dump. So if oil itself doesn’t ever degrade....."

Absolutely true.

But later he says, "With head temperatures normally between 300-350 degrees, synthetic will not breakdown while lubricating the valve train components at the heads." which IMPLIES that dino oils do break down in the high temps of the heads.

GN

Everything complicated, for example, long chain hydrocarbons, breakdown over time, and heat and pressure/abrasion only increase that breakdown rate. Even atoms break down over time. Whether that time is meaningful to us depends.

I have seen the data on synthetic oils surviving higher temperatures and forces for longer than dino oil, whether it really matters with our oil change intervals, I am not sure. Getting the oil into the galleries faster on start up and keeping it there after shutdown, can only be a good thing though.

That is why I have no fear of very low winter viscosities even in the summer. At startup my oil pressure is pegged anyway, obviously low w oil isn't an issue with oil pressure when cold. At high temps, for my car, I am at 45 psi cruising at 65 in fifth, more than enough pressure. Any rpm over 35 and it pegged at 65+. Hot off the interstate I still have 15 pounds at 800 rpm idle. My engine runs very cool though. 90 ambient and my temperature maybe moves 5 mm over the bottom the temp gauge line and cools rapidly when not being pushed. I can work comfortably in the engine bay right after stopping the engine (frequently playing with my timing).

That's $4.40 a quart delivered. That's a deal. Thanks for the tip, placing an order.