2008 VW Rabbit - 4958mi - Factory Fill

[JHZR2]

Here is a little different one... the factory fill of my wife's 08 rabbit. THe Manual stated to do an oil change at 5000 miles, then you can do 10k mile OCIs after that.

I left it in, since I didnt have any data stating one way or another. I probably should have swapped it earlier, as the oil looks relatively weak, and wear metals were high. TBN was still OK, but definitely not a 10k mile oil (though I suppose it is not by design). Nothing was added. She drives with lots of cold or semi-cold starts, and does between 15-45 miles per day for work.

Anyway, here it is:

Code:


Sample Date 9/7/08

Unit Age 4958

Comp Age 4958

Time on Oil 4958

Time on Fltr 4958

Oil Maint. Changed

Fltr Maint. Changed

Fluid VW FF



Fe 60

Cr 0.5

Ni 0.3

Ti 0.1

Ag 0

Al 16

Pb 5.1

Cu 49

Sn 0

Si 39

Na 5.2

K 4.9

B 46

Ba 6.4

Mo 0

Mg 25

Ca 1401

P 710

Zn 746

S 2093

Cd 0

Mn 0

V 0

Sb 0

Soot(%) 0

Oxid(PA) 22

Nitr(PA) 12

Sulf(PA) 12

ZDDP 0

Kv@100°C 12.2

TAN 3.08

TBN 4.4

White Metal NONE

Babbitt NONE

Precipitate NONE

Silt NONE

Debris NONE

Dirt NONE

Appearance NORML

Odor NORML

H2O(Emul) NEG

H2O(Free) NEG

 

[Steve S]

The mfg has a reason for a lower mile initial oil change. Lots of stress on the oil whit the break in wear and heat.

 

[JHZR2]

Yep...

Still, Id rather have not waited the full 5000 mile interval (half of the typical interval) on this one... There is sound basis, the UOA is not THAT bad, but still...

BTW, I refilled with Amsoil 5w-40 Euro. After we hit 5000 miles on it (coming up soon), Ill be filling with Schaeffer's 9000 5w-40, which now sports a "meets" VW 502/505 on its label. I doubt its truly on the approved list, but it effectively gets me to one oil for all the cars!

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
The mfg has a reason for a lower mile initial oil change.

Yet VW upped it to 10k miles starting with the 2009 model year, same engine.

 

[JHZR2]

No, iti is 10k on synthetic oils for the 2008 MY as well. It is ONLY the first change - the factory fill, that gets changed at 5000.

 

[saaber1]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
No, iti is 10k on synthetic oils for the 2008 MY as well. It is ONLY the first change - the factory fill, that gets changed at 5000.


Interesting, on my 08 GTi they spec 5k OCI for first one, 5k OCI for second one, and 10k after that. But 09 GTIs with TSI engine they say every 10k

 

[GMFan]

Our 1999 VW Jetta w/ the 2.0L (non turbo) specs a 10k OCI in the owners manual....and it doesn't even mention synthetic anywhere. It only says "must meet VW 502 spec" or whatever....which one would then have to research on their own.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
No, iti is 10k on synthetic oils for the 2008 MY as well. It is ONLY the first change - the factory fill, that gets changed at 5000.

I know. I meant that starting with 2009 MY, the first oil change is at 10K miles, so they want you to go 10k on the factory fill.

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: GMFan
Our 1999 VW Jetta w/ the 2.0L (non turbo) specs a 10k OCI in the owners manual....and it doesn't even mention synthetic anywhere. It only says "must meet VW 502 spec" or whatever....which one would then have to research on their own.



VW 502 oils do not have be fully synthetic oils anymore. The spec is about the oil's performance and not about its pedigree. Back before VW502, only fully synthetic oil could meet VW 500.00.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: GMFan
It only says "must meet VW 502 spec" or whatever....which one would then have to research on their own.

If looking at the back of the oil bottle in the store is called research, then yeah.

But if most VW/Audi dealers didn't do that "research" either, then I see how the general public would be even less likely to pick up on it.

 

[GMFan]

Originally Posted By: moribundman
Originally Posted By: GMFan
Our 1999 VW Jetta w/ the 2.0L (non turbo) specs a 10k OCI in the owners manual....and it doesn't even mention synthetic anywhere. It only says "must meet VW 502 spec" or whatever....which one would then have to research on their own.



VW 502 oils do not have be fully synthetic oils anymore. The spec is about the oil's performance and not about its pedigree. Back before VW502, only fully synthetic oil could meet VW 500.00.



VW: NA Approved Oils

Browsing through the list, I see only a handful of oils that are anywhere near common in the US that meet VW 502 spec and they are....Mobil 1, Valvoline Synpower, Castrol Syntec and Kendall Synthetic. Those are the only oils I see that are readily available here in the states and all are synthetic.

Where are the conventional oils on there?

 

[moribundman]

The oils you list are not necessarily all "full synthetic" oils (Group IV and up). Many VW 502 oils are HC oils.

 

[GMFan]

Thank you for clearing that up...I forget sometimes that synthetic doesn't always mean "full synthetic."

 

[moribundman]

No problem.

 

[FZ1]

When in doubt;Change it out! Better to wait till the engine is well broken in before extending ocis. I don't like to envision all thoose break in metals flowing thru my engine.

 

[SubLGT]

Have you seen this UOA on an '08 GTI, done at 1100 and 5000 miles on the factory fill. Interesting data.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4147914

 

[whitesands]

With 5,000 miles on the factory fill it looks pretty good...

 

[addyguy]

Sorry to sound ignorant, but would either of these oils be 'Castrol SLX LL3 5w30'?

The first one, in JHRZ's ride, is most likely a 40-weight orginally that sheared down to 12.2 cst, so it is 'most likely' Syntec 5W-40; while the one in the vwvortex forum is at 11.19cst, so it is most likely the 5w30, which starts at 11.9 cst....

 

[JHZR2]

Our rabbit was built in Germany. Just because VW uses castrol 5w-40 here, it isnt necessarily the same oil.

Is there a VOA/UOA on castrol 5w-40 to verify that this is what the oil is? Various levels of adds seem very low, so I have to wonder if it is some specific "new engine oil".

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Our rabbit was built in Germany


... on the 'NA Export Only' assembly line.