I ran mine on Brad Penn oils when it was newly rebuilt for the reasons above. I now use mid range synthetics, silly really as the 'good stuff' is probably only £20 more, which is peanuts compared to the price of my engine. Stateside used to stock it, but I'm not sure if they still do. http://penngrade1.com/
This is what I use https://www.wilcodirect.co.uk/category/20w-50-oils, though I've get regular tappets. Get it same price in the shop. This is the cheapest I've found unless you know different.
I meant replace them with new hydraulic ones! Or it must be possible to refurb or even just clean the existing ones. I assume they just plop out like solid ones do!
Because you will have to change the cam too. Swapping lifters only will prematurely wear both old cam and new lifters. Both will be fecked after a few hundred miles.
you gotta laugh really at online recomendations for oil, halfords/gsf/euro all tell me it's 0/40 10/40 15/40 in either semi or mineral..... and we wonder why so many people ask! think i'll just stick with semi but go upto 15/40 from 10. (or see what's on offer!)
so i bought some oil today, went for a change to 15/40 mineral £13 for 5 litres was tempted to stick with 10/40 semi £9.99 4.5 litres but didn't.
Just get a van like mine with really bad leaks on the rocker covers,keep on topping it up and you dont need to change the oil! Brand new spanking rocker covers and bales in the post along with gaskets. After driving 750km I checked the colour of the oil and its only a very slight brown colour. When i left the UK it was dirty after i changed it but it actually got cleaner and cleaner as i was on the road,flushed all the dirt out! Good rust protection too for the back of the van!
VW engines have been used in light aircraft for over 50 years, one of the common faults found was crankcase corrosion. The engines were new built units, that did not leak oil, when Rollason Aircraft and Engines, the company converting the engines spoke to VW, they were told that the design in a vehicle relies on a certain amount of oil leakage and "mist" from the breather to stop corrosion. In the end the newly converted engines came with the crankcase clear laquered . Tony