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[rocco16v at netzero.net (L F)]

  > 2) I have heard lots of old wives tales about synthetics/conventional/seals
  > and don't believe a word of it.  My experience has been that switching back
  > and forth will NOT create new leaks.

  This is, as my previous note states, is not true. 

  Sorry, David, while you may not believe it or your own experience may be different, I am not lying to you.  My experience is quite true.  

   However, you are not 
  completely wrong...  Synthetic oil does not specifically create new leaks, 
  exactly.  The molecules of synthetic oil are smaller, and they are therefore 
  more likely to find their way past the seals because of this.  It is not that 
  they actually cause wear on the seals, this is not the case...  I put 5-40 
  Castrol synthetic in my 83 GTi, with over 180K on it...  It blew so much oil 
  everywhere that the engine bay went from silver to black...  I had to install 
  new seals, and once I did, I did not have any problems...  I also did this on 
  another GTi years ago, and had the same trouble...  Fewer miles, still over 
  100K, same results...

  > 3)I use a 20/80 synthetic/conventional mix in the Scirocco.  Have for four
  > years and have had no problems. 

  The length of time that you use it has no effect on leaks.  If you put it in 
  and have no trouble, you will not have any more trouble more so than mileage 
  might cause alone...

  I agree with you on this, and my original statement was not intended to be indicitive that length of use affects seals.

   It's better (from what I've read) than
  > straight conven, but not as good in a crisis as full synthetic.  Face it;
  > synthetic is only an advantage if/when you have a near melt-down situation
  > and your oil temp goes WAY up.

  This is also not true.  Synthetic also does not take on the heat like dyno oil 
  does. 

  Another urban legend.

   Aircooled engines in most applications will not work well with 
  synthetic because of this (so sayeth the prophet Gene Berg, before his 
  untimely death).  

    Otherwise, a quality conventional oil does
  > just fine.  And don't be swayed by high-mileage claims for the synthetics;
  > it's not the OIL that wears out, it's the additives.
  > 
  Well, not to be an ass again, but not true.  The additives, once added, become 
  part of the oil. 

  Sorry, not in the chemical sense, which is the only one that means anything in this context.
  Larry
  movin' on...

   Now while some parts of the additive package might loose 
  their effectiveness, because of the fact that it is in synthetic (better heat 
  isolative properties), the additives do last longer...  I have used synthetic 
  for 10-15K mile intervals in Audi 5K turbos, with NO INCREASE IN WEAR...  How 
  many turbos, you ask?  Either four or five, I cannot recall...

  Hopefully that helps,

  David