Engine Oil Discussion

[3Putt]

Couple of things re. oil i've been pondering...

1. Should I change my oil more often then once every 15000km/12mths?

2. What is the best oil?

[sci_fianime]

1. Probably depends on your driving style (jackrabbit vs sedate), driving conditions (eg city vs highway), environment (4 seasons vs 2 seasons)... I normally change mine every 10k or less and try to make at least 2 changes in a year...

2. Usually use synthetic - have not discerned any difference between brands as long as they meet the highest standard (think it is SM now) and is of the correct viscosity...

[Jayse]

Hey 3Putt,

I just went in today to get a (wait for it...shock horror... FREE) oil top up from my dealer as the yellow oil symbol light had come up on my .:R36. After they finished i asked the service guy which oil they recommend and he said they use Castrol 5W-30(maybe CASTROL EDGE SPORT 5W-30). Hope this helps.

On another note, a "Check Tyre Pressures" warning message kept coming up on my MFD when i started the car. Asked them about it, they checked it out and said i had inflated the tyres to much. Told them, nope, havent inflated/deflated the tyres since i got the car (end of Nov '0. He goes, "whoops, we must of then before we gave the car to you."
I really hope this hasn't shortened the life of the tyres. He recommened 42psi.
FYI: check your tyre pressures on your new car or like others have said, get a wheel alignment.

Cheers,
Jayse.

[3Putt]

Good Old High School Physics!

Hey Jayse, rackin my brains (read Google), and I think its called the "Ideal Gas Law".. Basically the upshot of it is...

IN SUMMER YOUR TYRE PRESSURES WILL GO UP BECAUSE ITS HOTTER!

Need to let some air out every summer, and put some back in every winter.

Thanks for the info on the oil - gonna get a 'tweeny' oil change since the oil is now 6mths old.

P.S. The warning will go off (for 'partly loaded' setting) under 38psi. Don't know the upper threshold.

P.S.S. Did they have an explanation for the missing oil? That would be worrying the hell out of me. New car should not be consuming oil.

[Jayse]

Didn't ask about the over consumption.
Having done the Melb-Syd return trip got anything to do with it??

Good point on the air pressure, will keep that in mind.

[Autopia]

If you're concerned about fluctuating tyre pressures as the seasons change then one solution would be to use nitrogen. Many people use it as it is not as suseptable to temperature change so it maintains the tyre pressure at a far more constant level. If you've ever seen a car on the road with red valve caps it because they're running nitrogen. I use to run it in my Clio Sport and only ever got an increase of 1 PSI on a stinking hot day after some hard driving.

I've alway been a huge fan of Motul oil. One of the worlds most highly regarded oils especially amongst the racing fraternity. It's mighty expensive but the best always costs more.

[gerhard]

This topic has been done to death repeatedly.

Many VWs use oil early in their life.

VW dealers will happily top up for free between changes.

Learn to use your dipstick or fear being labeled a dipstick......

Learn to use a tyre pressure guage. More often than on season change. Put extra pressure in when fully laden, remove when not.

Read your manual, it's all in there.

Let search be your friend - it's all on the forum already as well.

Look in the Fuels and Lubricants section.

VWs require a VW approved oil or at least a reputable one that meets the spec for your engine.

[3Putt]

Thanks Gerhard for your blunt and arrogant response.

As many forum users know, a search will often bring up old, outdated and unspecific results. It is sometimes quicker to just start a new thread.

C'mon Gerhard, this forum is not actually being 'overun' with new threads. What's the harm in a new thread every day or two, even if the subject has been discussed elsewhere. I was specifically after comments from passat owners, hence the location of the thread.

My friend, you must have had a fight with the wife today, like me. Either that or you actually are German!!!

[gerhard]

Thanks Gerhard for your blunt and arrogant response.

As many forum users know, a search will often bring up old, outdated and unspecific results. It is sometimes quicker to just start a new thread.

C'mon Gerhard, this forum is not actually being 'overun' with new threads. What's the harm in a new thread every day or two, even if the subject has been discussed elsewhere. I was specifically after comments from passat owners, hence the location of the thread.

My friend, you must have had a fight with the wife today, like me. Either that or you actually are German!!!

No worries. Why call me friend when you really mean the opposite????

Passat engines are the same as Golf engines, and the tyres have air just like the golf & polo, etc. Therefore restricting your enquiry to Passat owners only will give you an entirely too small sample of potential responses.

With a Join date of April 2008 and 141 posts, I can't believe you haven't seen the very recent posts about oil consumption and which oils are suitable.

Surely you read more than just the Passat section ?

[gead]

cool....our own little passat flame war

[sci_fianime]

If you're concerned about fluctuating tyre pressures as the seasons change then one solution would be to use nitrogen. Many people use it as it is not as suseptable to temperature change so it maintains the tyre pressure at a far more constant level. If you've ever seen a car on the road with red valve caps it because they're running nitrogen. I use to run it in my Clio Sport and only ever got an increase of 1 PSI on a stinking hot day after some hard driving.

Where can I find a nitrogen pump in Sydney? How much for a fill / top-up?

Used to use nitrogen when overseas - one time cost when replacing the tyre and free top-ups for life... tyres ran cooler with more stable and consistent pressure...

[3Putt]

Sorry Gerhard, but I really DID have a fight with the Minister for Recreation and Finance today, so here goes...

I used the term 'my friend' not in the literal sense, but in the 'headmaster berating the insolent student' sense.

I started the thread on the topic of oil consumption - someone else drifted to tyre pressures, so my reason for posting here remains valid IMHO.

Now that u mention it, i do recall some discussion on oil consumption in new VW's. Maybe that was your one constructive point in your first post. Note to Jayse - maybe your car is A OK afterall.

Once again, the topic of oil consumption was not the reason for me starting this thread. I was more concerned with whether Passat owners were changing their oil more often than once every 15000km/12mths, and if so, what were they using.

Cool, i feel much better now. This venting thing really does work!

[gerhard]

Can be very cathartic

There are many theories on oil change interval, many people are uneasy with 1 year or 15000ks. Just as well VW decided not to use long sevice life intervals in AU, as these can go out to 30,000k on some vehicles.

I have in the past totally neglected my VL oil changes to the extent that the oil was like diff oil - Then junior took the car over and we gave it an oil change and he thrashed it mercilessly as they do, and it didn't have a single noise or blow a puff of smoke. Go figure. Sold at 240,000k with the engine as sweet as.

My Jackaroo which I purchased new 10.5 years ago got oil changes every 10,000k, which is the recommended interval for that engine. 156,000k now, and not a noise or a puff of smoke, tappets done at 150,000k and only 4 slightly out. This indicates lubrication good. Penrite oils used, currently using HPR10 in it.

The GTI is coming up to 6 months and currently 6000ks, has had a free top up of 1/2 litre and is down just under 1/ litre again, so 1 litre in 6mths and 6000ks. This is quite OK. I love checking it, it gives me a chance to admire the engine bay.

I'm going to give it an oil/filter change next weekend (6 months) and it's getting Penrite Enviro+ 5W-30 which has full VW 504/507 approval. Exceeds the requirements of the GTI engine but at $65 for 5 litres it's OK. I could also use Penrite HPR5 at around $40 as it meets the GTI requirement.

Penrite recommends HPR5 for your vehicle, 10,000k or 12 months interval.

There are many other suitable oils of course, but I like to support the Aussie one even though the car isn't an Aussie car .......

[3Putt]

Thanks for the info on Penrite oils. I had no idea you could go to a motor oil company's website and get a recommendation on which oil to use.

See how useful these forums can be!

So Gerhard, you go one up from the VW recommended oil or the Penrite recommended oil?

[gerhard]

The Penrite recommendation for the GTI is HPR5 for normal service interval 15000/12 months, and Enviro+ 5W-30 for extended service interval 30,000k/24 months. HPR5 is VW502 spec and the Enviro+ 5W-30 is VW504/507 approved. The GTI only needs VW502.

That's set me thinking - since I have a 20 litre drum of HPR5 in the garage I might use it for the interim oil change and keep the Enviro+ for the 12 month one. After that I don't plan on doing interim changes, it's only for the first period from brand new.