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VR6 Engine oil recommendations?

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  • VR6 Engine oil recommendations?

    Hello,

    Have a 96 VR6 with approx 280 000kms on it, not sure the exact recent service history, although know the previous owner who was pretty good with his servicing / care of the vehicle etc.

    Just curious what type of oil / viscosity to use, dont mind spending up to around $80 for a good bottle of oil?
    96 VW VR6 Golf (Daily driver)
    65 VW Beetle (Under restoration)

  • #2
    I used to use the Fully synthetic Fuch's Super Titan 10w-40 but my VR used to drink it. It was then suggested that I use Castrol Magnatec (which is also a 10w-40).

    Personally I settled on Castrol GTX2 which was a 20w-50, although they have just renamed and re-released it so it's now called just "GTX" and is in a white bottle. Plenty of people have said this it too thick an oil, but the counter to that is that the VR6 runs damn hot and the specs were written for Germany... where is snows more and doesn't do 40C+ days so often... Meaning it's heats up and runs fine anyway.

    I have been running this for years without issue and haven't noticed any adverse effects or anything unusual when doing oil changes (which I do every six months).

    If it has an engine or heartbeat it's going to cost you.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Weeds View Post
      Hello,

      Have a 96 VR6 with approx 280 000kms on it, not sure the exact recent service history, although know the previous owner who was pretty good with his servicing / care of the vehicle etc.

      Just curious what type of oil / viscosity to use, dont mind spending up to around $80 for a good bottle of oil?
      i personally run penrite 0W40
      other choices would be a 5W30 or 10W40
      just never run anything too thick say 20W50

      being an overhead cam engine with hydro lifters they like a thinner oil
      but if your valve guides are shot in the head they tend to burn fair bit of oil

      remember the first number represents how thick the oil is when cold and the second represents how thick it is when
      hot

      the thinner the oil is when cold the better
      Wide Steelies For Sale
      http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/foru...ies-76972.html

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      • #4
        Originally posted by The_Hawk View Post
        I used to use the Fully synthetic Fuch's Super Titan 10w-40 but my VR used to drink it. It was then suggested that I use Castrol Magnatec (which is also a 10w-40).

        Personally I settled on Castrol GTX2 which was a 20w-50, although they have just renamed and re-released it so it's now called just "GTX" and is in a white bottle. Plenty of people have said this it too thick an oil, but the counter to that is that the VR6 runs damn hot and the specs were written for Germany... where is snows more and doesn't do 40C+ days so often... Meaning it's heats up and runs fine anyway.

        I have been running this for years without issue and haven't noticed any adverse effects or anything unusual when doing oil changes (which I do every six months).
        fair enough man cant argue with personal experience
        but i would be running something a bit thinner than 20W50

        even a 10W50 would be a lot friendlier on start up

        for reference

        a 5W50 is the same thickness as a 20W50 when hot
        Wide Steelies For Sale
        http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/foru...ies-76972.html

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        • #5
          Nice, thanks guys, was considering magnatec but that was with no prior use of the product, so wasnt sure what it was like.

          This engine doesnt appear to use any oil for the 2 months I have had it
          96 VW VR6 Golf (Daily driver)
          65 VW Beetle (Under restoration)

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by mk3pete View Post
            fair enough man cant argue with personal experience
            but i would be running something a bit thinner than 20W50

            even a 10W50 would be a lot friendlier on start up

            for reference

            a 5W50 is the same thickness as a 20W50 when hot
            Fair enough, I'm always open to suggestion, for me it was a way to kurb the oil consumption, although I have been thinking about switching and testing out Magnatec at the next oil change, so this is just another gentle nude in that direction

            If it has an engine or heartbeat it's going to cost you.

            Comment


            • #7
              i ran magnatec for ages and it was ok mainly cause it was cheap and it didnt burn much
              but eventually realised it breaks down faster than what im using now
              if that makes sense
              Wide Steelies For Sale
              http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/foru...ies-76972.html

              Comment


              • #8
                define "faster"??

                I change my oil every 6 months anyway (and don't do lots of km anyway)...

                If it has an engine or heartbeat it's going to cost you.

                Comment


                • #9
                  after an oil change i noticed it would go black with in a few days or more
                  using penrite i noticed it took at least 2 weeks for it to go dark
                  Wide Steelies For Sale
                  http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/foru...ies-76972.html

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by The_Hawk View Post
                    Fair enough, I'm always open to suggestion, for me it was a way to kurb the oil consumption, although I have been thinking about switching and testing out Magnatec at the next oil change, so this is just another gentle nude in that direction
                    Penrite HPR15, it is 15W60 semisynthetic and it is one very tough oil. It is ideal oil if you don't drive too often or if you drive too much.

                    It is lighter than the 20W50 so it will flow faster during cold start ups and it will stay longer in the engine (will burn less). It's my favorite oil for the cars that done well over 100k km.
                    Performance Tunes from $850
                    Wrecking RS OCTAVIA 2 Link

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Weeds View Post
                      Hello,

                      Have a 96 VR6 with approx 280 000kms on it, not sure the exact recent service history, although know the previous owner who was pretty good with his servicing / care of the vehicle etc.

                      Just curious what type of oil / viscosity to use, dont mind spending up to around $80 for a good bottle of oil?
                      Hopefully, the engine is in a good enough condition not to warrant the use of extra thick oils.

                      Any oil that meets "ACEA A3/B4" is suitable - preferably xxW-40 if the engine is in good condition, or alternatively xxW-50 if oil consumption is excessive.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I have run:
                        Fuchs Titan Super GTO 10w-40
                        Penrite SIN 15w-40
                        Motul Turbolight 10w-40
                        Castrol Magnatec 10w-40

                        All were fine, although the engine burnt fuchs at a much higher rate then the others.
                        SIN was amazing stuff but total overkill.
                        Motul was very nice but honestly these engines arent hard pressed or in a high state of tune, so i've been running Magnatec for a year or so without problems.

                        ps. this topic has been covered a million times in the mk3 forum. Do a search!
                        1996 Golf VR6 Colour Concept Green

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Too bad one can't search for terms with less than four characters, such as "oil" (boo!).

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by MattyT View Post
                            I have run:
                            Fuchs Titan Super GTO 10w-40
                            Penrite SIN 15w-40
                            Motul Turbolight 10w-40
                            Castrol Magnatec 10w-40

                            All were fine, although the engine burnt fuchs at a much higher rate then the others.
                            SIN was amazing stuff but total overkill.
                            Motul was very nice but honestly these engines arent hard pressed or in a high state of tune, so i've been running Magnatec for a year or so without problems.

                            ps. this topic has been covered a million times in the mk3 forum. Do a search!
                            Aren't forums for people too lazy to search the internet :p

                            but yes doing a search on oil brings up everything and considering the kms on the engine, thought I would ask...
                            96 VW VR6 Golf (Daily driver)
                            65 VW Beetle (Under restoration)

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Sorry one more quick related question, having never owned a Euro car before, are your standard Ryco type oil filter ok or do you need to buy manufacturers?
                              96 VW VR6 Golf (Daily driver)
                              65 VW Beetle (Under restoration)

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