Engine Oil Grade, recommendations.

[sailor74]

Just had vw local dealer service my 2017 gti PP, (UK model) they filled engine with shell LL 0W-30, I was surprised as it has previously always had ll 5w-30 either castrol edge, or Shell equivalent fully synthetic..
I queried it and they said that was the current recommendation. I do have only 37000 miles and a vw extended warranty, all component. SO if engine fails, I should be covered. the only advantage of going to 0W-30, I can think of is that the 0W will give it a lower viscocity when cold. is that better or worse???

 

[OLD MEN RULE]

Owning a GTI MK7.5 0W20 508.00 required. I see 0W advantage should be very quick to have oil flowing to the engine very fast.
Also probably better for fuel economy.

 

[scrllock]

Unless you live in scandinavia, fine to use 5w. The viscosity difference when close to freezing is marginal.
You're also pre-2019, so spec says 5w30 is totally fine.

 

[Daks]

I use 5w40; 2016

 

[Saleta]

5w40 GTI pp 2014 166.000 kms

 

[mrmatto]

Castrol Edge 5w40. It’s hot where I am and I drive my car hard. And it’s usually cheap.

 

[ReadTheBook]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zl927cptzyhmwxe/1997-2020 VW Approved Oils.pdf?dl=0

You can feel safe using any oil on that list as long as the oil has the 502.00 spec. That’s what your 2016 uses.

 

[tigeo]

Question 1 always is (w/r to oil and VWs)...what approval does your car call for? This is likely for a 2017 in Europe VW502 00 or more likely, VW504 00 which is a long drain low SAPS (for higher quality low sulfur fuels). Answer that. Then ask, does the oil they are using (here a 0W30 grade) have that approval? If yes, then you are fine. If not, then use an oil with the appropriate approval. 0W gets folks all worked up but a 0 and 5 winter rated oil will be for all intents/purposes, unless it's -40 deg F out, the same for cold starts etc. Either one is fine.

 

[tigeo]

Castrol Edge 5w40. It’s hot where I am and I drive my car hard. And it’s usually cheap.

A 0W40 will also be appropriate (502 00) even if you are in a warm climate. Keep in mind they use M1 0W40 in Porsche race cars. Both are 40w oils.

 

[tigeo]

Owning a GTI MK7.5 0W20 508.00 required. I see 0W advantage should be very quick to have oil flowing to the engine very fast.
Also probably better for fuel economy.

Only if it's -40 degrees F out. 5 and 0 winter rated oils will flow "the same" in normal temps.

 

[tigeo]

Folks...a 0 or 5 winter rating on a 40w oil is effectively the same w/r to cold and hot viscosity. I always get the feeling folks think a 0 winter (0W) oil is thinner than a 5W but it is not for the same grade (30, 40, etc.). M1 0W40 for examaple is a very stout full saps oil having all the Euro approvals (less BMW LL-01) and has the Porsche A40 approval which has a track use component to the testing. Unless it's well below zero (F), these oils act "the same" w/r to cold flow. In fact, 0W oils are often made with higher-quality base stock to achieve the viscosity spread you see.

 

[mrmatto]

A 0W40 will also be appropriate (502 00) even if you are in a warm climate. Keep in mind they use M1 0W40 in Porsche race cars. Both are 40w oils.

Yeah I’m sure it’s fine, but 5w40 is usually easier to find on sale or as a discounted bundle. Essentially no difference. I go for whatever is cheap and the right spec!

 

[ReadTheBook]

Folks...a 0 or 5 winter rating on a 40w oil is effectively the same w/r to cold and hot viscosity. I always get the feeling folks think a 0 winter (0W) oil is thinner than a 5W but it is not for the same grade (30, 40, etc.). M1 0W40 for examaple is a very stout full saps oil having all the Euro approvals (less BMW LL-01) and has the Porsche A40 approval which has a track use component to the testing. Unless it's well below zero (F), these oils act "the same" w/r to cold flow. In fact, 0W oils are often made with higher-quality base stock to achieve the viscosity spread you see.

Except in my experience each of the 4 MK7s we’ve owned burned that M1 0w40 while I haven’t experienced that with LM or AMS 5w40 at all. My 2017 sport ran M1 for ~27k of its 37k miles before losing an engine.

Just my empirical opinion but I won’t run it anymore, certs or not and I’m fairly certain you’ve seen me post the M1 rebate threads up when it would happen back in 2016-2019. I ran the shit out of that stuff in a lot of cars.

Stick to 5k changes using LMs excellent oil and am also using a fuel additive by Driven racing oils to help with uncontrolled ethanol amounts permitted by the govt in both summer and winter months.

This was an interesting, data and real world experience driven, watch.

 

[ReadTheBook]

Yeah I’m sure it’s fine, but 5w40 is usually easier to find on sale or as a discounted bundle. Essentially no difference. I go for whatever is cheap and the right spec!

I’d stick to one brand. Oil will build up that protective layer based on its detergent composition/additive pack and base. You go in with another oil and it has different detergents and it’ll spend time breaking down the other stuff you’ve built up, another logical point referenced in the above tech talk video.

 

[tigeo]

Except in my experience each of the 4 MK7s we’ve owned burned that M1 0w40 while I haven’t experienced that with LM or AMS 5w40 at all. My 2017 sport ran M1 for ~27k of its 37k miles before losing an engine.

Just my empirical opinion but I won’t run it anymore, certs or not and I’m fairly certain you’ve seen me post the M1 rebate threads up when it would happen back in 2016-2019. I ran the shit out of that stuff in a lot of cars.

Stick to 5k changes using LMs excellent oil and am also using a fuel additive by Driven racing oils to help with uncontrolled ethanol amounts permitted by the govt in both summer and winter months.

This was an interesting, data and real world experience driven, watch.

Will give it a watch for sure. Why the concern with varying e content? These cars happily run e-blends without issue and there is no issue anymore with corrosion etc. in the fuel system like on older vehicles.

Edit. Watched the pertinent parts - nothing new to me but good content! Seemed like possiblely a bit of a plug for Driven products. I'm a bit of an oil nerd and have spent a lot of time to understand the various oils, approvals, chemistry, etc. (go hang out on bobistheoilguy fourms!). For my VWs, I have used primiarly LM products which are the standard Euro 5W40s but these oils really have nothing special about them and carry all the approvals...any approved oil should provide the same performance which is the nice thing with approvals. I like to use a can of their DI Jectron (w/PEA) each oil change. Currently I'm using a more boutique oil by High Performance Lubricants in the Sportwagen as it sees some track time - high group IV/V base stock but honestly, no real need....the normal Euro oils all work more than fine but it's fun to try things and use more exotic products at times.

My M1 story is this - MK4 Jetta bought new in '99, M1 0W40 for most of my 220K/14 year ownership using a lot of 10K change intervals, it's what sold me on it. No consumption issues etc. I ran it one time in my Sportwagen just to collect some data, nothing really to report beyond "normal". To your points, I have read stories of M1 0W40 causing more startup noises etc. than other oils for folks and consumption so your comments jive with some others I've read. I don't believe that has anythign do with the zero winter rating or it is harmful and keep in mind Porcshe has used this (as have others) in race cars...it's a stout oil with a lot of group IV PAO "real synthetic" base stock vs. most 5W40s that are primiarly group III/hydrocracked. Your experience with a blown engine most certainly had nothing to do with the M1 or using a zero winter rated oil but I get it and probably would do the same! 0W40 is a typical grade for many high power cars including the C8 Vette.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...race-team-apparently-uses-m1-0w-40-fs.344435/