VW OIl Recommendations

[James71]

I just bought a used 2002 VW Passat with the 2.8l v6. I need to do my first oil change. I looked in the owners manual and it calls for 5w40 or I can use 5W30 if I cant find 5w40. In my Subaru which has over 85k I have used Valvoline Max life 5W30. Had great luck with it and with blackstone oil analysis I was getting 9000 miles between changes. Now I have read somethings that the VW engines are very finicky about their oil tastes. Does anyone know if the Valvoline High Mileage 5W30 will work in the VW or is there some other oil that I need to use that meets the VW 502.00 specs.

Thanks

 

[Quattro Pete]

How frequently are you planning to change the oil in it? If you'll follow the standard VW OCI, which is 10K miles, then I'd be inclined to stick to an oil meeting the VW 502.00 spec, which assures it can handle the distance.

Both M1 0w-40 and Castrol 0w-40 are readily available and reasonably priced and meet this spec.

 

[kschachn]

So does the owner's manual call for the spec or just a grade? If it calls for a spec (turn on broken record here), then the grade is more or less irrelevant.

 

[KGMtech]

Your engine is not turbo charged, it will be fine with almost any 5W30 - 10W30 - 5W40 oil. The choice is yours, no warranty coverage concerns.

Given where you live, stick with 5W30.

 

[robertcope]

Nearly impossible to go wrong with M1 0W40. Don't overcomplicate it. I've got pictures somewhere of my 2.8L 24V VR6 rod bearings after many track days and 100K+ miles. They were perfect looking.

robert

 

[RD_3]

I loved my old '02 24v VR6, paired with the 6 speed manual, it was a great car...M1 0w40 and your good to go!

 

[Bluestream]

I would go with GC 0W30...at least it wont shear down on you

 

[robertcope]

Originally Posted By: AKA
I loved my old '02 24v VR6, paired with the 6 speed manual, it was a great car...M1 0w40 and your good to go!


Yeah, I miss that car, honestly. Motor and transmission were fantastic and sounded GREAT.

robert

 

[SR5]

You can't use just any synthetic 5W30 or 5W40 oil.
At a minimum it needs to be Euro spec ACEA A3/B4, and since you are already in the Euro oil section, it should have the VW spec in your owners manual. These Euro oils have a HTHS of 3.5cP or more.

According to my Maxlife PDS, the 5W30 is ILSAC GF-5, so it's HTHS should be below 3.5. (A minimum of 2.9).

As people have already said: M1 0W40, Edge 0W40, PPU-Euro 5W40 would be three suitable high quality oils.

 

[ryanm8]

You could get away with 1 qt. of the 5w30 per oil change. That's what I'd do until you use it all.

 

[LX289]

Go with Mobil 1 0w-40 and don't look back.
I have it in my MK4 Jetta 1.8t 5 speed manual and it is a very quiet running engine at operating temperature. Your car requres the VW 502.00/505.00 spec.
Run at 5000k and change. This is what i have been doing and it works excellent.

 

[RD_3]

Originally Posted By: robertcope
Originally Posted By: AKA
I loved my old '02 24v VR6, paired with the 6 speed manual, it was a great car...M1 0w40 and your good to go!


Yeah, I miss that car, honestly. Motor and transmission were fantastic and sounded GREAT.

robert


Nothing compares to the sound of a VR6...so unique and unmistakable

 

[mojocvh]

So the oil spec's back from 2002 match today do they

 

[Finklejag]

The B5.5 Passat didn't have the VR6, it had the 30V V6.

Just go to your local Walmart and pick up Mobil 1 0W-40 or Castrol Edge 0W-40 and call it a day.

 

[robertcope]

Originally Posted By: mojocvh
So the oil spec's back from 2002 match today do they

Actually, yes, VW 502. I believe the spec was modified at some point, but I may be remembering something else.

robert

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: mojocvh
So the oil spec's back from 2002 match today do they

In the US, VW 502.00 is still a current spec, being recommended for all new gasoline powered VWs.

 

[BobFout]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: mojocvh
So the oil spec's back from 2002 match today do they

In the US, VW 502.00 is still a current spec, being recommended for all new gasoline powered VWs.


As is 504.00, which I find interesting. (at least for the Golf, GTI and R). Come spring the GTI is getting ESP 5w30.

 

[robertcope]

Originally Posted By: BobFout

As is 504.00, which I find interesting. (at least for the Golf, GTI and R). Come spring the GTI is getting ESP 5w30.


You might want to read your owner's manual again. The one that I've read says very plainly, in bold letters, that VW 504 is not suitable for most markets, only where fuel meets a very specific European spec. This is in line with things that have been discussed here and other places.

robert

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: robertcope
Originally Posted By: BobFout

As is 504.00, which I find interesting. (at least for the Golf, GTI and R). Come spring the GTI is getting ESP 5w30.


You might want to read your owner's manual again. The one that I've read says very plainly, in bold letters, that VW 504 is not suitable for most markets, only where fuel meets a very specific European spec.

Our Q5 owner's manual does not make that distinction.

I looked at a 2014 Jetta owner's manual, and it's the same as well.

 

[mojocvh]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: mojocvh
So the oil spec's back from 2002 match today do they

In the US, VW 502.00 is still a current spec, being recommended for all new gasoline powered VWs.


I was talking about OIL spec.

I believe that the majority of oils today, particularly those that "match the spec" provide less than optimum engine protection viz some environmentally driven agenda...