Synthetic. Group Base oil

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Oil Performance in descending order with 2 or more entries.
Mobil 1 TDT CI4+ 5W40 API 8
Mobil 1 Delvac ESP CJ4 5W40 API 3
Schaeffer S9000 CJ4 5W40 API 2
Amsoil DEO CJ4 5W40 API 2
Elf LLX 504/407 5W30 VAG 6
Castrol Pro 505.01 5W30 VAG 3
Amsoil AFL 505.01 5W40 VAG 2
Elf CRV 506.01 0W30 VAG 4
Castrol SLX III 504/507 5W30 VAG 5
Shell Rotella T CI4+ 5W40 API 6
Mobil 1 ESP 504/407 5W30 VAG 2
Elf DID 505.01 5W40 VAG 6
Motul Specific 505.01 5W40 VAG 3

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=205814

You have no doubt seen this more focused UOA posting.
 
Exactly my plan at this point...I have ordered a UOA kit from Blackstone which should be here in a couple of days. I will test the oil just prior to the next change and the installation of a bypass filter during that change. (approx 2200miles from now). But change to what? This question generated this desire for information as the respected VW techs that I know from TDICLUB have all switched to 507.00 in all of the cars they service as well as their own PDs and some UOAs are showing up with solid numbers in PD engines; but my manual says that 5w-30 is only to be used when the "proper" oil,(5w-40) is unavailable and should be changed as soon as the opportunity becomes around. My question then became:
1. Have the oils and additive packages become so advanced that a -30 oil works better in a PD engine? The Lubrizol relative performance comparison tool clearly suggests that 507.00,(only available in the US as 5w-30) outperforms 505.01,(available worldwide in 5w-30 and 5w-40) but 507.00 came out less than 12months behind 505.01...why not just have 507.00 as it was clearly available in Europe in 2004?

or 2. In the move to make cleaner oil for emission components and at the same time moving to a single standard for VW gas and diesel cars; have the specific needs of PD engines been short changed?

So whatever oil used this next change;I will then be able to compare these results to see if I am in the ballpark with the UOA with Motul in my BRM engine and similiar mileage and other oils in a BRM with similiar mileage. And yes I know that the sample sizes are too small to be of great value...but I am hoping that my values fall within 1 Standard Deviation and I think that this might be somewhat more valid because the samples are random in that climate, driving habits, labs variability and maintence practices are not known to me and should even out the data.

I truly do not believe that cam failure is a big issue for my car. The only folks who post are the ones who have experienced failures. I dont know how many BRMs were sold in the US or the number of camshaft failures of those vehicles but VWoA in not currently under a recall (which would suggest the percentage is small; nor a TSB that I can find has been issued by VW. Many of the cam failure posters claim that they have made reports to the govt and VOA. I believe that VW specified oils for the PD engines because they anticipated potiential problems because of the design trade-offs made into the PD engine and they know statistically how many predicted failures in any manuf. product should occur which of course is what drives warranty periods.

In the end I know that I am making way too much of the oil decision but I love cars and owning a diesel and so this feeds my curiousity about oil. I put together a spreadsheet comparing all of the Mobil oils for diesel vehicles based upon specifications from Mobil I will be happy to send to you via e-amil...as I do not know how to post it here to further our discussion

Thanks again
 
Let's clear up one thing right off, Castrol 505.01 is not and never has been full synthetic. Read the bottle. My understanding is it is a blend of II and III, with mostly II. However, I have also been told it is at least part simple refined Group I. This makes me so suspicious of Castrol I don't want their oil near any of my engines. I went with Motul 505.01 because it appeared to be Group III and the flash and pour points looked good from a synthetic point of view. I understand Motul 507 is Group V, esther based which is supposed to both cling to metal surfaces better for less start up wear, and clean the engine better. The cleaning the engine better part could, it seems to me, give higher iron numbers in an oil analysis, at least for the first couple UOAs.

I would switch to Mobil 1 or Shell Rotella T in an instant if I was sure they offered better engine protection. The annecdotal evidence supports the theory that M-1 is fully adequate with regular oil changes, but so far I have been scared to change over.

My interval has been 5,000 miles but I have just switched over to 6,000 with the last oil change. I might still switch back. It is only 2 miles to my office and most days my engine does not warm up.

I would also like to know more about changing something so less soot ends up in the oil, but not at the cost of damage to my engine.
 
The obvious would be in the form of a duo decision tree: first, select and USE your SPECIFIC specification oil 5W40 (VW 505.01) in the descending order. (in the post I linked to http://www.tdi.com)
Second, (in the worst case again) in descending order the VW 507.00 oils.

Third is default: do nothing, stay the course and continue to use the Motul you have been using.

I too CAN switch FROM Delvac One 5w40 TO my specific VW specification 501.01? (I forget anymore), Mobil One even has 1 (0w40). A great oil I might add. But as it turns out, not only has it been UOA'd (almost to death) showing it is probably one of the better if not the best (commonly available Group IV PAO) 2003 (on back) TDI oils, it is also the cheapest (debateable @ 4.20 to 4.88 per qt) But I have been running 20,000 to 25,000 miles OCI's. It is commonly available (now) Probably the best reason, because I can !!

On the 2009 VW Jetta TDI I went with Total Quartz 5w30 VW 507.00 (aka ELF) as the Mobil One ESP 5w30 VW 507 is in almost NO supply:

1. my normally get ANYTHING, local distributor can't get it and doesn't stock it
2. logistics wide HUGE back orders
3. and it rubs me funny to pay 30 bux for shipping.
4. The other, good rumor has it, the VW Jetta TDI oem fill IS indeed Total Quartz 5w30 VW 507.00. (even as VW dealerships market Castrol VW 507.00 specification oils.
 
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Good points to consider...If you are looking for the Mobil 1 ESP 507.00 check with your local Dodge Dealer as they carry it for the Dodge Sprinter diesel and most dodge dealerships are begging folks to buy their inventory up with some cutting special deals to take their full supply on hand...I just haven't been able to get my mind around changing to a -30 oil...The only other source in the USA is AvLube.com and with shipping it runs about $9.50 to $9.75 per liter.
 
Originally Posted By: 1quartlow
Good points to consider...If you are looking for the Mobil 1 ESP 507.00 check with your local Dodge Dealer as they carry it for the Dodge Sprinter diesel and most dodge dealerships are begging folks to buy their inventory up with some cutting special deals to take their full supply on hand...I just haven't been able to get my mind around changing to a -30 oil...The only other source in the USA is AvLube.com and with shipping it runs about $9.50 to $9.75 per liter.



Isn't the stuff sold at Dodge, Chrysler, and M-B dealerships Mobil 1 ESP Formula M 5w40? similar but not identical to the 5w30 stuff that meets VW507.00?

You are discussing, I believe, what oil to use during the warranty period? After the warranty, then you may choose to look at the API-rated oils. FWIW, a recent UOA posted at TDI Club -- a PD engine with a bypass filter, using Shell Rotella T 5w40 CJ-4 -- was just outstanding.
 
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