With maintenance carried out on time, shortcomings and malfunctions of the car that affect its durability and road safety can be identified and eliminated in a timely manner. In addition, regular checks contribute significantly to maintaining the proper characteristics of the vehicle and its driving characteristics.
Depending on the operating conditions, different requirements are imposed on engine oils. Therefore, it is very difficult to accurately predict the effects of various conditions on the oil. In engines running for a long time at high speeds or under full load, the oil heats up to a high temperature. Under the influence of it and the oxygen contained in the air, the oxidation of the oil begins. Oxidation products thicken the oil and can form a varnish-like film on piston tops, piston ring grooves and valve guides.
If the engine cylinders are over-enriched, and there are few or no heavy engine loads, or if the engine is operated almost cold (city driving), the result is incomplete combustion of the fuel. Soot, oil deposits, unburnt fuel and water condensation lead to the formation of deposits, acids and other harmful products. Unburned fuel flows down the walls of cold cylinders and enters the oil sump. The consequence of this is the deterioration of the lubrication of the pistons and the dilution of the oil, which, in turn, reduces the quality of the oil due to the presence of gasoline in it. In case of increased oil dilution, it must be replaced earlier than the prescribed period. Since the gasoline components in the oil evaporate under extreme engine operating conditions, the oil level should be checked more frequently, especially in winter (since usually numerous attempts to start a cold engine occur, resulting in an increase in the gasoline content in the oil).
Every engine consumes oil. Normal oil consumption for VW Kafer car engines is approximately 0.5 liters per 1000 kilometers. The engine wear limit is indicated by oil consumption of more than 1 liter per 1000 km.
The viscosity of the oil also changes with temperature. As the temperature rises, the oil thins out. This reduces the thickness and strength of the oil film. In the cold, it thickens and becomes more viscous, increasing friction. In this regard, it is preferable to use such an engine oil, the viscosity of which changes little with temperature.
In a cold engine, the oil must be thin enough not to obstruct the operation of the starter, and so that the oil reaches all lubricated points as quickly as possible when the engine is running.
The viscosity of an oil is equivalent to its internal friction, and its degree is expressed in terms of the SAE system (Society of Automotive Engineers): e.g. SAE 30, SAE 10, etc. A high SAE indicates high viscosity, a low SAE indicates low viscosity. However, the lubricating properties of oils are not explained by viscosity. For the engines of the described cars, both seasonal and all-season oil can be used. Preference should be given to all-weather, as it is suitable for a wide range of ambient temperatures.
All-weather oil is made on the basis of conventional oil (e.g. 20W), to which the so-called thickeners are added. They stabilize the oil at high temperatures, so that the desired lubricating properties are achieved under any operating conditions. If a multigrade oil is used, then modern oils with a wide viscosity range should be selected (e.g. 20W-40, 15W-50).
Anti-friction oils are multigrade oils that have been formulated with friction reducing additives, among others, resulting in approximately 3% fuel savings. When buying oil with such additives, you need to pay attention to the fact that it complies with the TL-VW 500 00 standard.
In VW Kafer car engines, HD oils improved with various additives should be used. Additives provide greater resistance to corrosion and oxidation, have less tendency to form slags, and greater ability to self-clean and dissolve deposits.
Solvent and cleaner additives not only reduce carbon deposits in the engine, but also break up carbon deposits and other contaminants, which are then washed out when changing the oil and oil filter.
The quality of engine oils is determined by the API system (American Petroleum Institute - American Petroleum Institute). This system has also been adopted by European manufacturers. The designation consists of two letters. The first letter indicates the scope:
- S (Service) - oil is applied to petrol engines;
- WITH (Commercial) - oil is applied to diesel engines.
The second letter indicates the quality of the oil (In alphabet order). The highest quality oils currently have SJ class oils for gasoline engines and CG oils for diesel engines. There are also oils that are suitable for both gasoline and diesel engines. In this case, two designations are given on the oil package (For example, "SF/CD").
Volkswagen recommends using only engine oils for Kafer vehicles that meet at least one of the following specifications: Oils with anti-friction additives (VW-500 00), high power engine oils (VW-500 00 and VW-505 00), all-weather oils (VW-501 01). Oils that meet the above specifications are usually inexpensive. But if it is not possible to purchase oil that meets the VW specification, you can temporarily use regular or multigrade oil with API SF quality.
For all variants of the Kafer vehicle described in this manual, the following oil viscosity classification applies.
Since the temperature ranges of use of neighboring SAE classes overlap, short-term temperature fluctuations can be ignored. It is permitted to mix oils of different viscosity grades if the ambient temperature no longer corresponds to the viscosity grade of the oil in the engine.
If the ambient temperature is constantly below -20°C, it is recommended to use SAE 5W-20 oil.
When using oils from SAE 10 or SAE 5W-20, avoid prolonged operation of the engine at high speeds when the temperature exceeds the limit corresponding to the viscosity grade.
Attention! It is not allowed to use multigrade oil SAE 10W-50 in the described vehicles!
Attention! Active lubricant additives - regardless of their type - must not be added to fuels or lubricants.
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