I wanna use a non VW approved "thin" oil in my GTI

[skyactiv]

The VW GTI in my signature is no longer under warranty. I think VW is living in the dark ages requiring approved VW oil specs to have a minimum HTHS value of 3.5. If I were to use Quaker State Ultimate Durability 5W30, would I have more wear vs using something like a VW approved oil such as Castrol Edge Titanium 0W40? I'm not doing VW's 10K OCI's as outlined in the owners manual. I have been doing 5K OCI's on my GTI.

 

[JC1]

I doubt you'd see more wear. Get a UOA for both the approved oil and a 5w-30.

 

[DemoFly]

Negligible. QSUD 5w-30 is only a scoche thinner than Edge 0w-40 when hot.

 

[gregk24]

If a car manufacturer was bucking the trend to use thinner oils for better fuel economy, I would think they have a good reason. Whenever the girlfriends 2014 Jetta 1.8T is out of warranty I'll be using an approved Xw40 grade for sure.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

I wouldn't do it.

VW doesn't make the best cars, and they are picky on oil, and barf when fed the wrong [censored]. You didn't buy a VW for low maintenance costs, and the correct oil doesn't cost much more than the QSUD you're considering.

Buying something with the correct spec should be within reach. Walmart has M1 and Edge 0w40. The parts stores sales usually include VW-compliant oils like the ones mentioned above, and also Edge 0w30 and Synpower MST 5w30 and 5w40.

 

[JXW]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
The VW GTI in my signature is no longer under warranty. I think VW is living in the dark ages requiring approved VW oil specs to have a minimum HTHS value of 3.5. If I were to use Quaker State Ultimate Durability 5W30, would I have more wear vs using something like a VW approved oil such as Castrol Edge Titanium 0W40? I'm not doing VW's 10K OCI's as outlined in the owners manual. I have been doing 5K OCI's on my GTI.


Redline, why have a performance oriented and sophisticated machine with run of the mill average lubrication?

I mean it is your german car to do what you wish...

 

[GSCJR]

Use some conventional SuperTech 5w-20; It's exactly what your looking for.
It's thin non-approved oil.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
The VW GTI in my signature is no longer under warranty. I think VW is living in the dark ages requiring approved VW oil specs to have a minimum HTHS value of 3.5. If I were to use Quaker State Ultimate Durability 5W30, would I have more wear vs using something like a VW approved oil such as Castrol Edge Titanium 0W40? I'm not doing VW's 10K OCI's as outlined in the owners manual. I have been doing 5K OCI's on my GTI.

What are you trying to fix/gain by running an oil with lower ht/hs viscosity?

 

[javacontour]

Are you going to shorten the interval? I think part of the VW specifications is you can go the specified interval.

If you can't go that interval with a replacement, is it worth switching?

 

[HerrStig]

He's smarter than the engineers who designed the thing.

 

[Pontual]

Isn't speced for 5w40? Why 5w30? FE?

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
He's smarter than the engineers who designed the thing.

The engineers who design/test the GTI for what usage ? They tested it in Germany on Autobahn where they can redline the engine for many miles. Where in US you can redline the GTI more than a minute ?

Oil temperature at redline is much hotter than at 3000-3500 RPM, xW40 at much higher temperature is thinner than xW20 or xW30 at normal operating temperature around 80-100C.

I had been running xW20 in my E430 for about 7-8 years now, and the engine is much smoother than M1 0W40.

If a German engine is mostly running below redline by 50-60% then no need to use recommended oil for European market.

 

[BrocLuno]

Rotella T6 and cruise on. It's on the thin side for the rating and it still has a 40 on the label. Everybody's happy

 

[ryanm8]

I wouldn't run QSUD in my VW. If you are set on a thinner oil you could try GC 0w30. Expensive though. For cheaper oil you could try Delo or Rotella 10w30. I think all those would do a better job than QSUD.

However, I would still run a 0w40 if it were me.

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
He's smarter than the engineers who designed the thing.

The engineers who design/test the GTI for what usage ? They tested it in Germany on Autobahn where they can redline the engine for many miles. Where in US you can redline the GTI more than a minute ?

Oil temperature at redline is much hotter than at 3000-3500 RPM, xW40 at much higher temperature is thinner than xW20 or xW30 at normal operating temperature around 80-100C.

I had been running xW20 in my E430 for about 7-8 years now, and the engine is much smoother than M1 0W40.

If a German engine is mostly running below redline by 50-60% then no need to use recommended oil for European market.


The oil recommended in the US owners manual and US service manual for a US spec car driven in the US is the recommended oil for the European market?

I see nothing to gain by using an xW-20 or a non 502/505 xW-30. Use at your own risk and let us know when your cam follower or bottom end fails.

 

[expat]

What do you hope to gain by going against the manufacturers recommendations?

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
The oil recommended in the US owners manual and US service manual for a US spec car driven in the US is the recommended oil for the European market?

I see nothing to gain by using an xW-20 or a non 502/505 xW-30. Use at your own risk and let us know when your cam follower or bottom end fails.

Originally Posted By: expat
What do you hope to gain by going against the manufacturers recommendations?

The last time my E430 had M1 0W40 around 2008 it sounded like a tired 20 years old diesel engine. The PP 5W20 quieted it down as it was brand new.

The owner manual was translated to English for US owner, there isn't separate engine spec for US vs European spec. The same oil is used in Germany and in US. Do you think European has different oil spec for European spec vehicles ? What would they be ? xW50 or xW60 ?

One question for you, what are oil temperature of the same engine running at or near redline for 1 hour and running at 30-40% of redline in the same 1 hour ? Are oil temp the same for both cases ? If not, which one is hotter ?

 

[RooflessVW]

Got it. Your old tired engine was quieted down with thin oil. I'd be willing to bet trying Pennzoil Platinum in the proper weight would have yielded the same results. Mobil 1, whether based on fact or speculation, is noted to be "noisier."

Your application and his are not the same. He has a high pressure fuel pump driven off of the camshaft, and has a very high specific output at very low RPM. Both situations require an oil with a higher film strength.

Let's not forget the turbo charger.

The best oil for a modern German car is one that carries the most German Manufacturer approvals. 502/505 is minimum required, but if the oil carries 502/505, LL01, M229.5, and Porsche A40 then you can be assured of excellent protection in all situations.

 

[Pagophilus]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The engineers who design/test the GTI for what usage ? They tested it in Germany on Autobahn where they can redline the engine for many miles. Where in US you can redline the GTI more than a minute ?


Rubbish. Not every road in Germany is an autobahn. And it's not only Germany that VW cars are made for. The cars are designed to drive in all circumstances, from stuck in city traffic, to 180km/h+ on the autobahn, from -35 Celsius and below in the arctic, to 40 Celsius and above in the desert. The oil spec is designed to perform in ALL the above circumstances. And it's designed for the particular way that VW design their engines.

If you really want to go outside VW approved oils, at least choose an oil with similar spec such as Mercedes Benz. But going outside spec, you're playing Russian Roulette, and knowing VW, I'd say you will be shortening the life of your engine considerably.

You won't gain any real advantage, so just buy the correct oil (or a higher-specced VW oil that is backwards compatible).

 

[virginoil]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
The VW GTI in my signature is no longer under warranty. I think VW is living in the dark ages requiring approved VW oil specs to have a minimum HTHS value of 3.5. I................... I have been doing 5K OCI's on my GTI.


OEM living in the dark ages ?

Not a bright question IMHO.