I have a friend who wants to try Mobil 1 in his bug. I was thinking 5w-30 or 10w-30 EP or SM but the Mobil 1 site recommends 0w-40. Which would be the best choice?
Question about VW Beetle
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The real Beetle, or the new one?
If it's under warranty, use the 0W-40.
If not, and it's the 1.8T engine and it does not burn much oil, the 5W-30 (EP or SM) works very well: easier cold starts, equal or better UOAs on average, and the 5W-30 is actually more tolerant of high temps in the turbo. If it burns oil, out of the choices you listed, I'd use the 0W-40.
I don't know enough about the 2.0l engine to offer solid advice but I hear that many of them are oil burners. If this one is, a 30 weight Mobil oil is probably not the best choice.
There is no good reason to choose a 10W-30 Mobil oil over a 5W-30 Mobil oil, since the 5W-30 is already very sheer stable.
If not, and it's the 1.8T engine and it does not burn much oil, the 5W-30 (EP or SM) works very well: easier cold starts, equal or better UOAs on average, and the 5W-30 is actually more tolerant of high temps in the turbo. If it burns oil, out of the choices you listed, I'd use the 0W-40.
I don't know enough about the 2.0l engine to offer solid advice but I hear that many of them are oil burners. If this one is, a 30 weight Mobil oil is probably not the best choice.
There is no good reason to choose a 10W-30 Mobil oil over a 5W-30 Mobil oil, since the 5W-30 is already very sheer stable.
1998 Beetle with the 2.0 gas engine with a 5-speed. It has about 35k miles on it.
For that engine I'd use Mobil 1 T&S 5w40 or Shell Rotella T 5W40 which is what i use in my Jetta 2.0.
My Beetle is a 2000 with the 2.0 AEG engine. The recommended oil is 5w40 as per the owner's manual. The manual also states that a 5w30 can be run if need be.
Having said that, I run a 0w40 (Esso XD-3). There are problems with some 2.0 litre engines where the piston rings were installed upside down or something (hey, that's quality control for you, eh?), and this is the cause of the excessive oil consumption on some vehicles.
Having said that, I run a 0w40 (Esso XD-3). There are problems with some 2.0 litre engines where the piston rings were installed upside down or something (hey, that's quality control for you, eh?), and this is the cause of the excessive oil consumption on some vehicles.
In that case, definitely use the 0W-40, since VW is hardcore about owners using a 502.00 approved oil.
if there is no oil consumption then i dont think there is anything to worry about. i use M1 5w40 in my fiances 98 beetle and it seems to like it. depending on the supply of M1 5w40 5qt jugs it will continue to get that or rotella 5w40. it is probably out of warrenty so you can run what ever oil you like. another choice would be the castrol 5w40.
He's going with the Mobil 1 0w-40 since it meets the VW specs.He's also going to try 10k miles but will be checking and adding as needed. Filter will be a Pure One.
that is a good choice. shouldnt have an issue with 10k mile oci since the new ones do it. i went with the M1 5w40 (or the rotella 5w40 if need be) because of price and availability. our 98 doesnt use a drop. i hate it because they are known to drink oil and my neon uses more oil than the stupid beetle.
M1 0w40 + PP1 filter = Top notch!
It's the same combo that I'm running in my 2000 GTI 1.8T.
It's the same combo that I'm running in my 2000 GTI 1.8T.
Hey wavinwayne, what type of driving do you do and what OCI do you use? Also, please verify whether you have a 5 qt. sump, versus a Passat or A4's puny 4-quarter.
If its a 98, then its probably out-of-warranty. M1 EP 10w-30 or 0w-40 SS would both work fine with a PureOne filter. EP 10w-30 purchased in a 5qt jug at Walmart costs about the same as 0w-40 SS purchased at your local auto parts store.
I still like EP 10w-30 better than the 0w-40 SS if the car is out-of-warranty, as the EP 10w-30 formula is more robust and easier to obtain.
I still like EP 10w-30 better than the 0w-40 SS if the car is out-of-warranty, as the EP 10w-30 formula is more robust and easier to obtain.
Hey wavinwayne, what type of driving do you do and what OCI do you use? Also, please verify whether you have a 5 qt. sump, versus a Passat or A4's puny 4-quarter.
My driving consists of mostly 75 mph highway driving, 80 miles round-trip per weekday. Several times a month, on a deserted stretch of road near my home, I run the GTI up to around 100 mph for a mile or so, then coast another mile to the end of the road.
My OCI's are roughly every 6k miles. I'll use any readily available VW 502 approved oil. I went 7250 miles once on GC. My GTI has 62k miles on it currently.
I didn't start using synthetic oil until the GTI hit 36k miles. I purchased it used with 15k miles on it, with an unknown prior service history. From 15k to 36k miles, I ran Castrol GTX & SuperTech 5w30 dino oil in it, along with Fram Extra-Guard oil filters. It was, however, serviced once at 22k miles at the VW dealer, so they may have used synthetic oil then. The work order doesn't specify.
My GTI has a 4.8 qt. oil capacity using the stock size oil filter. I can bump that up to an even 5 qt's by using an oversized oil filter.
[ December 20, 2005, 10:12 PM: Message edited by: wavinwayne ]
My driving consists of mostly 75 mph highway driving, 80 miles round-trip per weekday. Several times a month, on a deserted stretch of road near my home, I run the GTI up to around 100 mph for a mile or so, then coast another mile to the end of the road.
My OCI's are roughly every 6k miles. I'll use any readily available VW 502 approved oil. I went 7250 miles once on GC. My GTI has 62k miles on it currently.
I didn't start using synthetic oil until the GTI hit 36k miles. I purchased it used with 15k miles on it, with an unknown prior service history. From 15k to 36k miles, I ran Castrol GTX & SuperTech 5w30 dino oil in it, along with Fram Extra-Guard oil filters. It was, however, serviced once at 22k miles at the VW dealer, so they may have used synthetic oil then. The work order doesn't specify.
My GTI has a 4.8 qt. oil capacity using the stock size oil filter. I can bump that up to an even 5 qt's by using an oversized oil filter.
[ December 20, 2005, 10:12 PM: Message edited by: wavinwayne ]
We changed the bug over to the Mobil 1 0w-40 and the engine seems smoother now compared to 5w-30 dino.
"For that engine I'd use Mobil 1 T&S 5w40 or Shell Rotella T 5W40 which is what i use in my Jetta 2.0."
Same here. I will only use a 5W40 in the VW 2.0 and I personally use M1 5W40. A 5W30 is too thin because these engines use low tension rings. You should only use 5W30 in a "emergency" or to top up when you don't have any 5W40 lying around.
Same here. I will only use a 5W40 in the VW 2.0 and I personally use M1 5W40. A 5W30 is too thin because these engines use low tension rings. You should only use 5W30 in a "emergency" or to top up when you don't have any 5W40 lying around.
And to think I said that and then considered using 5w30 in my Jetta. Shame on me.
I use Amsoil European 5W-40 in the wife's '01
1.8T Beetle. She seems to love it. BTW it may
be a good thing to use Mann, VW brand, or
other German filter speced for this engine.
The oil pumps in these engines are higher
PSI pumps and using a cheap or filter with a
lower tension bypass spring can result in the
filter being in bypass mode all the time.
So I use the Mann filters.
Craig
1.8T Beetle. She seems to love it. BTW it may
be a good thing to use Mann, VW brand, or
other German filter speced for this engine.
The oil pumps in these engines are higher
PSI pumps and using a cheap or filter with a
lower tension bypass spring can result in the
filter being in bypass mode all the time.
So I use the Mann filters.
Craig
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Up to 250 psi in my 2.8 V6 A4, I believe.
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