I am the king of short trips and hard driving. Advice needed.

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rekced

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Portland, Or
posted January 03, 2006 02:46 AM
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I currently life less than 2 mile away from work. Most of my friends life less than 5 miles from me. All the places I shop are less than 2 miles away.

The result: 3-7 complete cold starts per day. I'm talking about 1-2 hours cool time, then back up. I often don't take the time necessary to let the car warm up unless it's been sitting all night. For every cold start, I give it about 30 seconds, then go. I drive it very easy until I hit 190*.

Once the car is all warmed up, I don't show a lot of mercy. I drive it hard because, well, I like to.

The car is a 2003 VW GTi 1.8T.
I'm currently using:

German Castol green/bown mix
OEM filter (Bosch)
5000 mile drain intervals.
Typical temp in Portland is 20-50*F this time of year.

Is there anything I can do to persevere my engine with the kind extreme conditions it encounters?
Thanks in advance!
 
I'm guessing that once the car is 'warmed up," the oil probably isn't up to temp. Maybe you should think about blocking part of your radiator during the winter?

Your scenario wouldn't be too bad if:

1: You took it on a 15min highway trip (or just a journey where the car wasn't off for about 30 minutes, could be city) every 2-3 days to burn off the moisture

2: You didn't drive it hard when you know that the engine oil isn't happy with you.
 
The OEM filter isn't made by Bosch. It is either made by Mann or Mahle. I had a 02 GTI 1.8T. I used Mobil 1 0W-40 at the time. It was new back then. There are better oils on the market, GC is one of them. If you plan on keeping the car a long time, and you can afford it. I would do OCI's at either 6 months or once a year.
 
Just take it out on the highway 1 or 2 times a month for at least 45 minutes if that's possible - it will begin to wear on a car being a short trip city driver.

However, if you can do a highway adventure at least once a month - specially when it's winter time, it'll do you good.
 
In a cold weather (20-50F), you're able to get the coolant temp up to 190F and drive hard on a 2 mile commute??

I ask because in winter (not in Florida) it would take about 4-5 miles for the coolant in my 1.8T to reach operating temp, and then another 4-5 miles until the oil reached operating temp. BTW, I also used GC 0w-30.

I concur with others, you should take it on a longer drive once a week. Either take some longer way to work/friends or just hit the hwy and stretch its legs.

Also, how long time-wise does it take you to reach 5K miles?

And I hope you let the turbo cool off a bit before you shut down the engine after hard driving.
 
Every thing I have learned here tells me that the above posters are correct - take the car out on the highway and now and then give it a good half hour run at least. Besides that, 5000 mile OCIs with any good dino oil - as long as you use LC20 and FP60. If you don't use these products, stick with synthetic.
 
Personanly with those conditions and IF you do not want to have to drive on the highway for that time I would change the oil around 2000 miles becuase of moisture contamination.

With a Quality Dino Like Havoline

Synthetic for this is unnessecarry. IMO.
 
I think you are doing the best thing you can do for your engine by using a first class synthetic and 5000 mile changes. This should handle the most severe conditions just fine. I would use a better oil filter ie WIX,Purolator,Mann or NAPA GOld but your oil is just great. Mann is the best of all the above and they make it for your VW.
 
ITS A 1.8T FOLKS -- ALWAYS USE A VW 502 APPROVED OIL (GC 0W-30 IS EXCELLENT).
Keep on using the OEM filters and if more capacity is required, move up to the older diesel filter (recommended now for Audi 1.8T's) or the older early 70's Porsche filter. Change the oil annually or every 8K to 10K Kms. Run it hard after it has warmed up and get it chipped if you want 20% more power.
 
Don't think GC 0W-30 is VW502 approved. It's a great oil, but if you are under sludge warranty I'd stick with VW502 only! If not under sludge warranty, or you don't care about it, then obviously the GC is just fine.
 
Quattro Pete,

According to VW/Audi TSB's, GC 0W-30 is not on the approved 502.00 list. According to Castrol, via your link, it is. The TSB I looked at was July 2005, so unless the change has been made since then, GC 0W-30 is NOT 502.00 approved.

Wonder which one is accurate? I'd hate to see someone challenged under sludge warranty for using GC if VW doesn't recognize it as approved.

Thoughts anyone?
 
I can't remember the exact text of the VW/Audi TSB now, but I thought it wasn't a closed list. They just listed a bunch of recommended oils to use, but did not prohibit you from using other 502.00 oils.

On the other hand, there was this VW brochure that not only requested that 502.00 oil be used, but also specified the grades: 5w-40, 5w-30, 0w-40. Not sure why they did that, but this would leave the GC 0w-30 out. On the other hand, the owner's manual of my 1.8T said that the car was filled with 0w-30 at the factory (possibly a GC), so their info is inconsistent.
 
QP,

Sounds like we read the same stuff. I don't recall ever seeing an 0W30 wt on any VW502.00 list. However, the Castrol link you provided clearly says that GC is VW502 approved. I've also seen pictures of the GC bottle where it clearly states VW502.00 approved on the back.

Here is the TSB I referenced from July 2005. It is much more comprehensive than the original list provided in 2004.

http://www.audiusa.com/common/images/Audi_Approved_Oil_Chart.pdf

Maybe GC has been recently added, or VW is just slow in updating stuff. Regardless, I still think GC is a great oil, VW502 approved or not.
 
blmqzjc,

What... VW say/write something confusing? They'd never do that...
rolleyes.gif
That TSB is not the "last word", or the definitive VW corporate statement, on oils which properly meet VW requirements. It is simply an outdated and incomplete compilation that appears to have been hurriedly put together. I'm way more interested in seeing the necessary specifications on my preferred bottle, rather than see my preferred brand on an incomplete list.

quote:
Personally with those conditions and IF you do not want to have to drive on the highway for that time I would change the oil around 2000 miles because of moisture contamination.

With a Quality Dino Like Havoline

Synthetic for this is unnecessary. IMO.
Click to expand...
I think anyone who knows anything about the 1.8T's history would strongly advocate the use of a properly specified/certified synthetic oil. I used Castrol Syntec 5w-50 (an ACEA A3 rated oil) in my 1.8T for 60,000 miles at 5,000 OCI and still got sludge.

I've used dino in my Passat during Auto-Rx treatments, but felt very guilty doing it. My advice is: DON'T EVER USE DINO IN A 1.8T!
 
Yuk,

You may be right about confusing, even outdated or incomplete. But if my 1.8T got sludged, and I went to file a sludge warranty claim, I'd rather point to a VW document showing I used an approved oil, than a vendor list which may or may not be recognized by VW. After all, VW is paying for the sludge repair, not Castrol, Valvoline, Mobil, etc.

You used 5w-50 in Alberta? Does it get warm there in the summers? I would think a 5w30 would be fine year round there, unless you drive it really hard. As you now know, 5w-50 is not VW502 approved either, but I assume you used this before all **** broke out with the sludging circa 2004.

I fully agree with you on the dino, except with ARX clean cycle. BTW, did ARX do a good job of cleaning up your sludge?

Good Luck
 
I wouldn't even drive if everything/everyone was so close to me. I'd get a bike or some rollerblades or something and just "hoof" it where I needed to go. If you must drive, use a synthetic and change it every 3000K miles-your usage is considered servere service.
 
I think he is a good candidate for 0/5W-20 Synthetic oil...With his short trips his oil never warms up so 20 wt should be more then enough...
 
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