Used 0w20 instead of 5w40

[HondaBroMike]

Originally Posted By: AVG
Hi there, I'm hoping you can advise me on correcting a mistake I made.

I have a VW GLI with a 2.0 TSI that calls for VW 502/3/4 5w30 or 40 synthetic. I accidentally added our Subaru Outback oil, which is 0w20 synthetic, about 1 to 1.5 litres. I am about 5,000 km away from a service, which should be in the dead of winter. Should I worry about this, and change the oil now? Or is there an averaging effect, where 5w40 gets diluted down to 4w30 or something like that? I'm guessing not, that a part of the oil will behave differently than the rest of the oil. I've tried to read up on how viscosity works, but don't understand when thin is too thin.

Any help would be appreciated.


You think using a 0w-20 is harmful for the requirement but let me tell you that Honda specs a 0w-20 for a Severe Climate and temp environments and these are people whose other turbo forays called for HTO-06 which is Honda's turbo spec and these 0w-20s don't even have it but thats why better (read: more expensive) base oil will allow you to use lower VIIS and ultimately formulate a more efficient oil in all working conditions (cold, hot and in between) How can one explain how a zero weight of any kind can have a KV100 in the mid 8.5s and Viscosity Index close to or in some cases over 200s.

 

[double vanos]

How about just rolling it for a short OCI? Think of it as a mercy flushing....

 

[Dallas69]

You just made a little thinner oil.
No big deal.
If it bugs you just change it out sooner than normal.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Just drain the oil. Chalk it up as a mistake and fix it properly.


^^This isn't useful advice^^

;
It's not based on any fact at all.
;

You didn't hurt a thing - - run it to your normal interval.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Take the car to a shop that does PCM tuning and have them install a 2000 RPM rev limiter to the PCM.
As long as the engine is kept below 2000 RPM, it should be OK.


WHAT substance have you been smoking?!?!?

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Linctex
WHAT substance have you been smoking?!?!?


LOL!

 

[Nick1994]

While I doubt it'll do any harm whatsoever, I'd change it just for that warm fuzzy feeling.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: AVG
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Take the car to a shop that does PCM tuning and have them install a 2000 RPM rev limiter to the PCM.
As long as the engine is kept below 2000 RPM, it should be OK.


Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Maybe even find a way to limit the travel distance of the accelerator pedal.


Hmmm, maybe I'll go with your second suggestion...much cheaper

He was joking

See Merk! I've now got to go around telling everyone about you and CKN teasing everyone, they think you guys are serious!

Seriously though, keep it up

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Use the new Carquest 0w16 at Advance/CQ

But seriously, VW and other European cars are very picky about the oil you use. But you can probably with driving easy on it for a few hundred miles until you can change it again as soon as reasonably possible

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
While I doubt it'll do any harm whatsoever, I'd change it just for that warm fuzzy feeling.


How much does it cost to change? Probably less than a new car. Just do it, and sleep better. Done. So much else in life to worry about.

 

[AVG]

No worries, Nick, I wasn't about to hobble my ride for the sake of an oil change. I got it

Although at least one other had serious questions

 

[SilverFusion2010]

It's fine. If it's going to keep you up at night then change it out, but it will be fine for 5000km

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Just drain the oil. Chalk it up as a mistake and fix it properly.

^^This isn't useful advice^^

;
It's not based on any fact at all.
;

You didn't hurt a thing - - run it to your normal interval.

VW 502 is based on A3/B4.

If he adds an A3/B4 to that 1.5l of 0W-20, he will have a much lower viscosity and film strength than required.

Are you going to replace his cam follower for him?

Nowhere in his manual will 0W-20 be printed. It's not an acceptable lubricant for his engine. Period.

 

[KL31]

I don't think it's super important but if it's a car I paid a lot of money for and was relatively new, I'd probably get OCD and change it.

If you do a lot of short trips and not much highway, it will be fine too. If you get on the highway and get the oil temps really high, then that's the only time it might get too thin.

 

[Merkava_4]

The best thing to do is jack up the radiator cap and slide a new car in underneath it with the correct engine oil.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Its going to get much colder in Toronto, Ontario soon you just provided you car with a better winter oil. Drive on until your next OCI.

 

[SilverSnake]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
The best thing to do is jack up the radiator cap and slide a new car in underneath it with the correct engine oil.


Yep, and a week later, get a new radiator cap.

 

[jongies3]

I would change it, only because VW's can be funky about what oil they have in them.

 

[fdcg27]

Your VW calls for an HTHS 3.5 minimum oil unless I'm seriously mistaken.
Any 0W-20 is a quality oil from any deposit control point of view, but it does not meet anything close to the minimum HTHS viscosity VW's recommended oils have. This mix will also likely have higher NOACK volatility than would VW cert oil.
You have reduced both the KV and the HTHS viscosities of the oil in your VW's sump.
Personally, I'd run this mix for another 3K miles. It is getting colder now so some loss in viscosity and increase in volatility should be okay.
I would avoid running the car really hard, and 70-75mph jaunts up a four lane limited access divided highway doesn't count as hard.
Your call, but I personally can't see any harm running this unintended mix out to your planned OCI.
How long did it take the VW to use this 1-1.5 liters of oil?
It may be that you can play amateur blender again before the end of this OCI and can use something much thicker for your next add, sort of evening things out.
Engines will typically do just fine on a wide range of KV grades, contrary to what some here believe.
We even had a now long-banned member who posted a series of UOAs from VAG turbo engines using API/ILSAC syns that didn't even pretend to meet VAG certs and these oils looked just fine in their UOAs, not beat up at all.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
The best thing to do is jack up the radiator cap and slide a new car in underneath it with the correct engine oil.
Oh my god I laughed way too hard at that