Best Oil Question, '14 Audi 3.0 TDI

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Too many choices and foreign brands that I'm not familiar with. If money was no object what would the top choices be? I have a garage full of Castrol GC, and many others, that I can't use in it. I just want to aim at getting deals on the best brands without taking a year to learn about them...
 
the easiest thing to do is look in the owners manual for what oil the manufacture spec and look for an oil that has those specs. Any common name brand would do.
 
Just trying to find out if one or more brands stick out from the rest. Not familiar with the names, Pentosin, LiquiMoly, Millers and a few others. When you go into the European repair shops they mostly use those brands and tell you that the M1s and other American oils are inferior. It's not just the spec., it's the base stocks, additives and overall quality of the oils. These cars have a 15k OCI so I would feel better using whatever oil (or oils)is considered is the best, this way I can start looking for sales and deals and start stocking up.
 
Originally Posted By: Quadrasteer
Just trying to find out if one or more brands stick out from the rest. Not familiar with the names, Pentosin, LiquiMoly, Millers and a few others. When you go into the European repair shops they mostly use those brands and tell you that the M1s and other American oils are inferior. It's not just the spec., it's the base stocks, additives and overall quality of the oils. These cars have a 15k OCI so I would feel better using whatever oil (or oils)is considered is the best, this way I can start looking for sales and deals and start stocking up.


What makes you think it's just not the spec that matters?
 
Follow the cert and weight recommended in your owners manual for warranty purposes, which should be 507.00 as 901Memphis mentions. The 507.00 cert only comes in 5w30.

Pentosin is the OE supplier for a lot of VAG fluids, and a solid choice. Castrol is actually OE supplier for motor oil now, at least in N. America. LiquiMoly and Total are good too. If you feel more comfortable with more common names, in addition to Castrol there is M1 ESP in 5w30 and Pennzoil and Valvoline probably have 507.00 oils but you may have to look a bit for them.

BoraParts and IDParts, among other websites, sell VAG oil-change kits with the proper oil and filter and new oil plug, washers, etc.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
the easiest thing to do is look in the owners manual for what oil the manufacture spec and look for an oil that has those specs. Any common name brand would do.


Good answer !

Too long here on BITOG can blind the obvious, sometimes behaving as an unlearned non member can help.
 
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Originally Posted By: BMWTurboDzl
Originally Posted By: Quadrasteer
Just trying to find out if one or more brands stick out from the rest. Not familiar with the names, Pentosin, LiquiMoly, Millers and a few others. When you go into the European repair shops they mostly use those brands and tell you that the M1s and other American oils are inferior. It's not just the spec., it's the base stocks, additives and overall quality of the oils. These cars have a 15k OCI so I would feel better using whatever oil (or oils)is considered is the best, this way I can start looking for sales and deals and start stocking up.


What makes you think it's just not the spec that matters?


I don't get this whole "It's a European car, you should use European oil" garbage. Specifications are there for a reason - they form a baseline for the minimum standards the oil should meet to be service worthy in that particular application. If you get a lower NOACK than required, etc., it's a bonus. But claiming American brands are "inferior" for use in a European vehicle is completely hogwash.

Companies like Mobil and Shell formulate their own base oils, which you won't get from most other brands, who buy their base oils. With that in mind, how's Mobil inferior?

Your application calls for VW 507.00 - go with Mobil 1 ESP Formula 5W-30 and worry about other, more important things in life.
 
Thanks for all the input, just trying to find the "best" without taking years to learn all the ins and outs of the different brands. Like the Dex VI I guess the spec is all important. Too many brands (and opinions) not enough time....Now I need to find a dipstick if they make one.
 
These cars have a 15k OCI so I would feel better using whatever oil (or oils)is considered is the best

15k oci may be good for the first owner but i doubt it works
out over a longer period. I would use a 10k oci, its not uncommon to find long oci Engines damaged at 100k due to sludge in the oilpump suction areas. And these Engines have had dealer service as recomended, funny it doesent happen to shade tree mechs...
 
I usually try for 7-10k...

I like M1 and use it myself but I doubt that it's better than some of the highly rated foreign brands. The word Castrol is written on the oil cap but they don't sell the Edge Professional LL03 5W-30 through retail stores in the states and it's their only 507 00 rated oil, they say you can purchase it from the dealer only.(?) I wonder what the dealers actually use?
 
Can't see why someone could not use GC in a modern diesel if it doesn't use oil. Before you all go; but what about DPF? Nothing really it will last 150k km this way or another. What about Euro petrols that are constructed around low saps C3 oils, and in North America use full saps due to dirty fuel. Do catalytic converters last shorter then on cars in Europe? Don't think so.

This is not an recommendation, just my opinion.
 
I have plenty of GC, bought it when I found out that they took the G out of it. There must be something in the 507 spec that it needs to have, not to mention warranty issues.
 
Originally Posted By: chrisri
Can't see why someone could not use GC in a modern diesel if it doesn't use oil. Before you all go; but what about DPF? Nothing really it will last 150k km this way or another. What about Euro petrols that are constructed around low saps C3 oils, and in North America use full saps due to dirty fuel. Do catalytic converters last shorter then on cars in Europe? Don't think so.

This is not an recommendation, just my opinion.

The problem is phosphorous retention. Not all the phosphorous will stay dissolved in the engine oil, and some phosphorous will get sucked through the PCV/CCV system.

Newer ZDDP formulas retain phosphorous better, but the lower the phosphorous, the lower the potential.

And gasoline engine catalytic converters are built differently than DPFs. That is why comparing a gasoline engine cat to a DPF isn't fair.

With all this in mind, I still see your point. CJ-4 oil has much more phosphorous than VW 507 oil, and somehow CJ-4 isn't a problem for a Dodge CTD, Ford Scorpion, or GM Duramax.
 
Phosphorus only damage petrol catalyst, DPFs are damaged by sulphated ash and sulphur from the fuel. GC have 1.0 ash level, C3 max level is 0.8. Basically the same.

A3/B4 oils do not really kill cat and DPFs, just use of low SAPS oil prolongs their life.
 
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Originally Posted By: chrisri
Phosphorus only damage petrol catalyst, DPFs are damaged by sulphated ash and sulphur from the fuel. GC have 1.0 ash level, C3 max level is 0.8. Basically the same.

A3/B4 oils do not really kill cat and DPFs, just use of low SAPS oil prolongs their life.


Diesel engines with DPF's will still have catalytic converters mate.
 
Originally Posted By: riggaz
Originally Posted By: chrisri
Phosphorus only damage petrol catalyst, DPFs are damaged by sulphated ash and sulphur from the fuel. GC have 1.0 ash level, C3 max level is 0.8. Basically the same.

A3/B4 oils do not really kill cat and DPFs, just use of low SAPS oil prolongs their life.


Diesel engines with DPF's will still have catalytic converters mate.


Yes, you are right mate. What I was trying to say earlier is that phosphorus doesn't harm DPF, and that level of phosphorus in A3 oils is not big enough to harm cat, both on petrol and diesel. Levels of ash content in GC is similar to C3 oils also.

On my last job we had small fleet of PUG 308 with DPF, few Ducato vans, couple 5 tonnes trucks. All those vehicles used same bulk 5w40 b4 oil after warranty expired. Numerous problems with EGRs and DPFs, limp mode every other week, but PSA tech actually told me they all do that no matter what oil used or how often is changed.
DPF is lousy system.
 
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