Polo GTI High Oil Usage - Discussion Thread

[kevinctr]

Break-in my PGTI MY12 CAVE engine the hard way and change oil out at 1000km and at least every 5000km with Mobil 1 5w30. No obvious lost of oil.

12000km swap to a VW 504/507 approval oil from Pennzoil Euro L 5w30 and oil dropped to the minimum knurled mark after 3000km. I was shocked and I drain it out and replace back with normal Mobil 1 5w30 and the oil has not dropped after 3000km!

I just purchases Mobil 1 5w30 ESP series which is also a VW 504/507 approval oil. Going to try see how this goes next week.

Btw, I am old school and I change my lubricants and spark plugs as often as I could without breaking the bank.

[gavs]

Polo GTI High Oil Usage - Discussion Thread

Must have deep pockets my friend to change out these spark plugs every 5000kms!

Another case of different oils burning at different rates...

[Zakarados]

I hope you are changing the Oil filter as well.

Purchased an Oil filter from VW yesterday while my car was in for the DSG update, does it always come with a new sump plug? I find that very strange. Will be looking into different oils after they finish my consumption test.

[gavs]

Polo GTI High Oil Usage - Discussion Thread

You are meant to replace the sump plug due to the use of an aluminium crush washer on the plug.

[Zakarados]

You are meant to replace the sump plug due to the use of an aluminium crush washer on the plug.

Oh, the washer isn't removable? I didn't look at it closely, that is very interesting.

[kevinctr]

Must have deep pockets my friend to change out these spark plugs every 5000kms!

Another case of different oils burning at different rates...

Oil and filter every 5000km or less depending on my driving pattern, Plugs every 10,000km.

[gavs]

Polo GTI High Oil Usage - Discussion Thread

Plugs last 60,000kms in these cars, they're iridium plugs.

No, the washer can't be removed.

[brad]

Agreed. I was just curious that they didn't want to use the oil that is in the car, they are draining it and re-filling with their oil.

They had made the passing comment to me before the consumption test to use a 'thicker oil' (their words)......so I'm wondering if that's what they could be doing

A proper consumption test starts with a known baseline. So even if you were using the worlds best oil that cost $5k/L, they would still have to bin it & put there own oil in.

[prcurrie]

A proper consumption test starts with a known baseline. So even if you were using the worlds best oil that cost $5k/L, they would still have to bin it & put there own oil in.

So they are using Castrol Longlife Professional 5W30 in the car for the consumption test and so far after nearly 400kms it hasn't moved a ML! WTF?

So I'm going to get back there and they're going to be all like 'your consumption is 10ml per 1,000kms' and make me look like a whinger. If that's the case, how can different brands of oil (same viscosity - 5W 30) give such different results.

Out of the factory it chewed oil, I serviced it and put Liqui Moly and it chewed it and now on the consumption test and it's behaving.

There's no consistency to these cars - does my head in!

[ATYPIC]

So they are using Castrol Longlife Professional 5W30 in the car for the consumption test and so far after nearly 400kms it hasn't moved a ML! WTF?

So I'm going to get back there and they're going to be all like 'your consumption is 10ml per 1,000kms' and make me look like a whinger. If that's the case, how can different brands of oil (same viscosity - 5W 30) give such different results.

Out of the factory it chewed oil, I serviced it and put Liqui Moly and it chewed it and now on the consumption test and it's behaving.

There's no consistency to these cars - does my head in!

Give Penrite Enviro a try. I understand others have used LiquiMoly with success, as did I for periods in the first 15K, but I soon discovered my levels dropping until I began using the Penrite about 5K before the 15K service and ever since then it hasn't moved. Not only this but the specialist European service centre I go to won't use anything but Penrite across the board.

I also recently had to get a broken oil filter replaced at VW (that's another story)...now obviously once removing the filter there is a loss of oil which meant a top up was necessary, so it will interesting to see what happens with the mixture of Castrol and Penrite oils in the engine. If it starts to burn again I'll be draining the lot and starting again.

[nomadx38]

You will be surprised how different oil runs/burns in an engine. My dads Hyundai i40 chewed 400ml of oil (5w-30) in 5000km with the original oil from the first service. After an oil change with some Castrol it appears to have stopped but the engine was not as free flowing so I assume it was thicker. Now using some Penrite enviro 5w30. See how that goes...

On another note I have been using the Castrol long life 3 in my Polo TSI recently (though I have never had oil consumption problems after 45,000km) and I can definitely say its thinner than the Shell oil that came with it. I can hear more engine noise than before but I noticed that it doesn't break down as fast as the Shell. At 15,000km the shell oil was BLACK. Now due for an oil change again and after 15k with the Castrol its still dark brown.

As they say "Oils ain't Oils!"

[alexz]

You will be surprised how different oil runs/burns in an engine. My dads Hyundai i40 chewed 400ml of oil (5w-30) in 5000km with the original oil from the first service. After an oil change with some Castrol it appears to have stopped but the engine was not as free flowing so I assume it was thicker. Now using some Penrite enviro 5w30. See how that goes...

On another note I have been using the Castrol long life 3 in my Polo TSI recently (though I have never had oil consumption problems after 45,000km) and I can definitely say its thinner than the Shell oil that came with it. I can hear more engine noise than before but I noticed that it doesn't break down as fast as the Shell. At 15,000km the shell oil was BLACK. Now due for an oil change again and after 15k with the Castrol its still dark brown.

As they say "Oils ain't Oils!"

Black oil is GOOD. If my oil was brown after 15000km I'd be worried. Black means it is cleaning and collecting all the carbon deposits. Better captured in the oil then sitting in your engine...

[nomadx38]

Just means the oil is burning and can't take the heat of the engine. You do not want black sludge going round the engine cloging up the pin hole sized pipes that cool the piston and your cams/valves/timing chain. Not to mention that the viscosity changes and can't provide basic cooling and lubrication to the essential parts...especially my turbo!

[brad]

So they are using Castrol Longlife Professional 5W30 in the car for the consumption test and so far after nearly 400kms it hasn't moved a ML! WTF?

So I'm going to get back there and they're going to be all like 'your consumption is 10ml per 1,000kms' and make me look like a whinger. If that's the case, how can different brands of oil (same viscosity - 5W 30) give such different results.

Out of the factory it chewed oil, I serviced it and put Liqui Moly and it chewed it and now on the consumption test and it's behaving.

There's no consistency to these cars - does my head in!

I have no idea what oil they put in. Not all dealers use Castrol LLP. The one I used to go to used valvoline. The problem is that some people (not you) either lie through their teeth or haven't a clue & act as if they have, so you have to start with knowns & discount unknowns.
Viscosity is not the only characteristic of oils, there are other characteristics that affect oil consumption.

How do you know how much oil has been used? Don't they tape off the filler cap & dipstick?

[alexz]

Just means the oil is burning and can't take the heat of the engine. You do not want black sludge going round the engine cloging up the pin hole sized pipes that cool the piston and your cams/valves/timing chain. Not to mention that the viscosity changes and can't provide basic cooling and lubrication to the essential parts...especially my turbo!

sorry i should clarify. you don't want black SLUDGE or thick with bits floating in it, but it should certainly discolour into a near black like colour after 15000km.