Going back to the Stealers today!

[tdi guy]

Oil usage from soft run-in

I've seen this comment a few times now. I did not thrash my TSI during the first 7500k or since, as far as that is concerned (yes, I know, what a waste...), mainly boring commuting to and from the city. So far as I can tell, no unusual oil use (services at 7.5 and 15k, no mid-term 'top up', and no adverse comment from the dealer).

Is this a GTI thing?

TG

[Alfy]

I've seen this comment a few times now. I did not thrash my TSI during the first 7500k or since, as far as that is concerned (yes, I know, what a waste...), mainly boring commuting to and from the city. So far as I can tell, no unusual oil use (services at 7.5 and 15k, no mid-term 'top up', and no adverse comment from the dealer, though I might phone to check).

Is this a GTI thing?

TG

Its funny, as the dealer even said "Don't baby the car.. its designed to be driven enthusiastically". From what they said I obviously didn't redline the crap out of the car, it was just put under load, gears were used frequently, and the occasional squirt in 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear..

[Russ59]

I've seen this comment a few times now. I did not thrash my TSI during the first 7500k or since, as far as that is concerned (yes, I know, what a waste...), mainly boring commuting to and from the city. So far as I can tell, no unusual oil use (services at 7.5 and 15k, no mid-term 'top up', and no adverse comment from the dealer, though I might phone to check).

Is this a GTI thing?

TG

I'm not 100 % sure but I think that most turbo charged petrol cars will use a bit of oil, it's not just GTI's. I had a n/a Holden Apollo (Camry) many years ago, it was the 2.0 twin cam 16V motor, it used at least a litre of oil every 5000k's and according to Holden it was perfectly normal, (then again with Holden and Ford any problem is normal ) whereas other owners I had spoken to with the same car had very little oil usage. Sometimes I think you can just be unlucky with cars as well, it's like the old saying it happens

Russ

[kryten2001]

I'm not 100 % sure but I think that most turbo charged petrol cars will use a bit of oil, it's not just GTI's.
Russ

I also recall reading somewhere there's a huge difference between FSI and TSI engines in terms of oil usage.

[tdi guy]

I also recall reading somewhere there's a huge difference between FSI and TSI engines in terms of oil usage.

Just got off the phone to the dealer, who said the TDI and GTI both use a bit of oil (anything up to 1 litre per 1000km is 'normal'), whereas the TSI seems to use only a litre or so per 15k. Curious.

TG

[Russ59]

Just got off the phone to the dealer, who said the TDI and GTI both use a bit of oil (anything up to 1 litre per 1000km is 'normal'), whereas the TSI seems to use only a litre or so per 15k. Curious.

TG

I don't really know how VW can say it's perfectly normal for these engines to use this amount of oil, when not everyone's car does. So far (fingers crossed) mine doesn't appear to use any oil and I check it regularly, especially before and after going on short trips (2 -300 k's return). IMHO I feel that if an engine is using what you could consider excessive amounts of oil (say 1 litre per 1000k's) under normal driving conditions, then I would want answers or would at least be looking for a way of reducing it. If it was safe to do so without risk of damaging seals or anything would using a different grade of oil help to combat this excessive consumption ? I would think it would have to be a consideration if you wanted to avoid replacing rings etc....

Russ

[tdi guy]

I don't really know how VW can say it's perfectly normal for these engines to use this amount of oil, when not everyone's car does. So far (fingers crossed) mine doesn't appear to use any oil and I check it regularly, especially before and after going on short trips (2 -300 k's return). IMHO I feel that if an engine is using what you could consider excessive amounts of oil (say 1 litre per 1000k's) under normal driving conditions, then I would want answers or would at least be looking for a way of reducing it. If it was safe to do so without risk of damaging seals or anything would using a different grade of oil help to combat this excessive consumption ? I would think it would have to be a consideration if you wanted to avoid replacing rings etc....

Russ

I asked that very question (not about differences between the same type of engine, but between the TSI and GTI engines) and the service guy said something about mineral synthetic oils being 'used' by the engine (rather than the oil escaping the oil compression rings). I'm not a techie, so I can't quite 'get' what he is talking about... does the oil get 'ground down' into smaller particles and then escape?

TG

[PhilMart]

Perhaps VW have to have an oil consum,ption figure on the sticker like the fuel consumption figure and co emissions?

[benough]

Thanks for all of your replies guys, just got back from the dealer (denlo service) who again confirmed the usage of oil to be 1L every 1000kms thats crazy!!

Ask them about the MKV R32 they had that used 1L of oil every 1000km and how the engine got replaced and they sent the old one back to Germany.

Maybe NAs are different to Turbo cars but that's odd.

If they are a bit cagey speak to Jason the service manager (the bald guy) he is good value.

[smoothcall]

Thanks for all of your replies guys, just got back from the dealer (denlo service) who again confirmed the usage of oil to be 1L every 1000kms thats crazy!!

however when I gave him my manual he happened to pull out the service report from my 15,000km service and spotted that Nepean motor group used TDI oil in my car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I check my oil / other fluids once a month, and this time last month the dipstick was showing at optimal level. (I learnt my lesson from the 7,000km incident).

The car has been booked in for the 16/04/09 to get all of the stated issues checked out. Apparently they are going to do some oil consumption test, to see if the rings are gone, then a drive with me to hear the clunking when turning left, and lastly the cranking of the engine.

I hope they don't stuff me around like the "other" dealer..........

Umm there's no such thing as 'TDI' oil

What there is is a series of standards that VW specify.

Yes there are separate standards for petrol and diesel but most oils that comply to a particular diesel standard (either long life or time and distance) also comply to the equivalent petrol one. This is certainly the case with Castrol oils used by the dealers.

VW 502.00 or VW504.00 are what you are after – check that the oil they used complies with either of these standards.

[gregozedobe]

If you are lucky they used VW 504.00/507.00 oil, which is fine for your engine (what it should have, in fact). If it just says VW 507.00 (the latest VW TDI spec) then that will be OK too, as so far, all 507.00 oils are also rated as 504.00 (and vice versa). If it was not 507.00 oil (and therefore not 504.00) but some other diesel oil then I'd be changing ALL the oil out ASAP, at Nepean's expense (seeing as they made the error).

I just had a look at my Skoda owner's manual (it has a BWA 2.0 TFSI motor, same as current GTIs), and says that engine oil comsumption can be as much as 0.5 litres per 1,000Km, and possibly slightly more than that for the first 5,000Km. I think that is still more than what I would consider reasonable, but thankfully my particular example seems to use very little (the dip stick level has gone down by maybe 2mm in 5,000Km).

[Greg Roles]

It may not just be rings. Us "oilers" are currently all talking about EGR systems, and the sludge that builds up from oil vapour being re-introduced into the inlet to burn it. I'm pulling out several hundred mL between 7500km services with an aftermarket oil separator, but don't notice much drop on my dipstick to be honest! Also the turbo has total loss oil bearings, and it doesn't take much of a tolerance difference to have a turbo chewing more oil than another car. Finally add to that the rings and the "run in" the car had, and well there's plenty of reasons one car can use more oil than another.

Of course a 1400cc TSI won't use as much oil, it is a motorcycle engine afterall.

[Russ59]

I asked that very question (not about differences between the same type of engine, but between the TSI and GTI engines) and the service guy said something about mineral synthetic oils being 'used' by the engine (rather than the oil escaping the oil compression rings). I'm not a techie, so I can't quite 'get' what he is talking about... does the oil get 'ground down' into smaller particles and then escape?

TG

Which oil was he referring to Mineral or Synthetic ? I don't think they're combined into one. AFAIK these newer engines are run on full synthetic oil anyway, they have to to be able to cope with the high temperatures reached. I'm sure if they used a mineral oil in one of these engines it would start to burn it as soon as the engine got warm and certainly wouldn't offer the sort of protection they need. I'm not a Techie either so I can't really make comment about it, but all I can suggest to everyone concerned is to make sure you check your oil levels regularly and top them up as required, just don't wait for an engine oil warning light to come on

Russ

[tdi guy]

I'm not a Techie either so I can't really make comment about it, but all I can suggest to everyone concerned is to make sure you check your oil levels regularly and top them up as required, just don't wait for an engine oil warning light to come on

Russ

You read his mind - his suggestion was to rely on the warning lights...

TG

[Alfy]

You read his mind - his suggestion was to rely on the warning lights...

TG

Look I don't need your smart comment, as stated the dipstick was checked maybe a month ago (or earlier) and the oil was at optimum level. Within a month for it to consume so much oil is beyond me..

I appreciate the comments from everyone in trying to shed some of their light on the situation. As stated, I have the car booked in for a look over on the 16th of April, so once I get some answers I'll be sure to post.