vw does it again o4 tdi's need 505.01 only!!

[heyjay]

I'm looking at buying a 2004 VW Jetta Wagon with PD for good commuting fuel economy. However, it REALLY bothers me that I can't get a straight answer from VW Canada or from ANY North American oil company what oil I should use.

All I've gotten is that "deer in the headlights" look. You know what I mean

Good thing we have the Internet.

VW Europe is FAR more willing to share information with you, so is Mobil EU.

According to VW UK, the PD has a new synthetic 0W-30 oil co-developed by Castrol: Castrol SLX LongLife II. In Europe, you can go up to 50,000km or 24 months before an oil change.

http://www.vw.co.uk/services/servicing/longlife_service_regime

There is a link to a PDF that goes into good detail. In Europe, the car maker can demand you use whatever oil they specify, otherwise your warranty is SOL.

Also went to the Google UK site at:

http://www.google.co.uk

and clicked on "pages from the UK" to search this topic only for the UK.

Even received a hit from "Kuwait Oils" in the UK:

http://www.q8oils.co.uk/prod_passoils.htm

In Europe you can use Mobil SHC Formula LD 0W-30 to meet the PD factory-fill spec, also it looks like Mobil Synt S Special V 5W-40 meets the older VW spec.

I doubt we can get those oils here. Since the Castrol oil appears to be specially designed for extended PD service intervals, have to resign myself to using it if I ever take delivery.

I was hoping I could use the Mobil Delvac 1 5W-40 I currently use in my commercial equipment. That would be almost too easy.

Anybody have thoughts on this??

 

[heyjay]

Uh-oh, something is amiss here.

I stopped in yesterday at the VW dealer and really pestered the Service Department. Can tell I made some new friends there HAHA

They DO use the WIV, but only up to 12 months, not 24 months like in Europe. They claim this is due to the higher sulfur diesel used in Canada. Though Canada is supposed to lower sulfur levels to Europe standards by 2005, so VW will reexamine the issue then.

The Service Manager then showed me the oil. It's a Castrol SLX LongLife II 0W-30, and right on the bottle it states approval to VW-Porsche-Audi 506.00 and 506.01 for the WIV (Flexible Service Interval).

It also mentions applicable to PD motors and is the primary recommendation.

From what I've been able to easily get from VW UK off their URL, and from what I've been able to extract from torture from the VW Canada dealer (Well, just about - cripes!)the Castrol SLX LongLife II 0W-30 should ONLY be used in the motors calling for 506.00 and 506.01.

That would be some of the newer gasoline motors and the PD motors, except for the V8 diesel used in the Audi A8 in Europe.

The Canadian VW service manager claims the 0W-30 is good to about -35 C for pumping. Of course, they recommend plugging in and only an idiot would try to start a diesel unassisted at a temp like -35 C.

FWIW they want $12 a liter. After the initial recommended oil change at 1,500 km, it should be good for one year or 40,000km. So it won't break the bank changing the oil once a year.

 

[FowVay]

I've looked at a lot of TDI VW's and I have yet to see one in North America that had the monitoring system attached to the oil pan. And nowhere have I seen corporate VW recommend a 1500km initial drain interval.

At least your dealership stocks oil that meets Volkswagen specifications,,, whether they're the ones your manual recommends is yet to be seen. What does your owners manual recommend for your 2004 PD TDI?

 

[heyjay]

I spent almost all day Friday pestering the VW service manager. He explained the WIV (Wechsel Intervall Verlangerung)is simply a software program inside the PCM that keeps track of the following: start cycles, run time (How many km's), and even idle time (Hours). He didn't mention anything about a gadget hooked up to the oil pan.

I mentioned my 2000 GMC Sierra also had this feature and will scroll CHANGE ENGINE OIL in amber letters. The VW service manager said the GM Oil Life Monitor is quite similar, the exception being it's easy for the owner to reset by himself (No scan tool needed).

The service manager then asked how long I intended to keep the car, and I stated until I expired or the car expired, whichever occurs first.

He then suggested after about 1,500km initial, that I come in for the first service. After that, one year or 40,000km, whichever first.

The service manager did seem to genuienly take interest once I proved I was smarter than a box of rocks and wanted to keep the car forever.

I asked about all the confusing VW oil specs, as I had brought along a page I printed off www.agip.de. Cripes: 500.x, 502.x, 503.x, 505.x, 506.x, etc in different grades (5W-30, 5W-40, 0W-40, 0W-30, etc).

The service manager claimed that VW actually designs the oil specs for much different motors, and generally the oil specs are not translatable. That is, you shouldn't use a 506.x oil in a VW needing a 500.x oil.

I haven't had a chance to look at the VW Jetta Wagon owner manual. Heck, I haven't even had time to DRIVE one yet!. I did sit in the one they had in the showroom and it was quite nice.

FWIW: check out the confusing oil choices at Agip's German web site:

http://www.agip.de/html/Schmier/Produkte/Automotiv/m_pkw.html

 

[Primus]

quote:

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Originally posted by TooSlick:
Given the pour point and CCS viscosity, it's probably a PAO/Ester based oil.

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This is what we would like to have. But most of European 505.01 oils represents a blend of Hydrocracked and PAO oils.