VW oil specifications

Yuk · Jun 23, 2003

I have searched for years

for some sort of list of VW oil specifications...

Haven't found one

and more importantly no one has been able to explain what the specs I do have (ie: 502 00, 503. 01, 505 00, 506....etc.) mean....

I'd love to know what the heck these numbers mean and which one/ones are most applicable to my 1999 Passat 1.8T. Oh I hope I've finally found the answers here.

Tyrolkid · Jun 23, 2003

This was discussed not too long ago....dig through some of the older posts if nobody gives you the link.....

Neil Womack · Jun 23, 2003

Yuk

Here's a start.

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=002437

moribundman · Jun 23, 2003

Here, this is what I found on a German site:

For VW/Audi engines with Longlife-Service:*

VW 503 00 for gas engines
VW 506 00 for diesel without "Pumpe-Düse" (pump-injection)
VW 506 01 for diesel with "Pumpe-Düse"-TDIs
VW 503 01 for turbocharged motors in TT,S3 und RS4

For VW/Audi motors without Longlife-Service:

VW 500 00 and VW 502 00 for gas engines
VW 505 00 for diesel without "Pumpe-Düse" (pump-injection)
VW 505 01 for "Pumpe-Düse"-TDIs

*oil change interval up to 30k km (gas engine), 50k km (diesel engine). These cars are equipped with an oil quality monitoring system!

Longlife oil must not be used in engines that are not approved, because of lower high temperature viscosity.

In the US and Canada nobody seems to pay attention to the VW/Audi oil specs. Use what your manual recommends.

Yuk · Jun 23, 2003

Thanks guys! Exactly the info I was looking for!

You have managed to do what Volkswagen Canada was either unable or unwilling to do for the last 4.5 years. I'm so glad I found theoildrop. Thanks Bob.

Yuk · Jun 23, 2003

Moribundman, Which site did you get the info from? Thanks

moribundman · Jun 23, 2003

I found that info right here: http://www.michaelneuhaus.de/golf_frame.htm?./golf/golf4basteltip1.htm

Click on "Das richtige Motoröl"

PS: What VW calls Longlife-Service, they'd call here "extended drain interval"!

moribundman · Jun 23, 2003

Oh, and here is the list of oils that are approved by VW for "Longlife-Service" (extended drain) in Germany:

Leichtlauföle für Motoren mit Longlife-Service
nach VW-Norm 503.00, 506.00, 506.01
Stand 11/2002

Agip 7007 SAE 0W-30
Aral SuperTronic LongLife II SAE 0W-30
BP Visco 7000 LongLife II SAE 0W-30
Castrol SLX LongLife II SAE 0W-30
Esso Universal LD SAE 0W-30
Fuchs Titan Supersyn SL SAE 0W-30
Mobil SHC Formula LD SAE 0W-30
Shell Helix Ultra X SAE 0W-30
Vaps Vapsoil 50601 SAE 0W-30
Veedol Syntron LongLife II SAE 0W-30

I think Shell Helix Ultra might be available in North America.

JB · Jun 24, 2003

Download this and read the specs for various OEM standards (incl. VW, MB, etc) plus also API and ACEA.

http://www.ethyl.com/products/la/handbook/Crankcase.pdf

moribundman · Jun 25, 2003

JB, my computer won't let me open that file.

Quattro Pete · Jun 25, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by moribundman:
JB, my computer won't let me open that file.

You're missing out. I believe it's got everything you ever wanted to know about VW oil specs.

moribundman · Jun 25, 2003

My Mac won't let me open it, which is odd, because PDF files are usually no problem at all. Just my luck.

Anyway, a buddy just sent me screenshots of the VW charts. I'll have to take a good look.

moribundman · Jun 25, 2003

Okay, I took a good look at the VW oil spec charts.

Once again, going strictly by my manual, I should be using only 5W-30, 10W-30, 5W-40, or 10W-40 oils that fulfill VW 500 00.

VW 500 00 requires something regarding "Piston Cleanliness/Wear, something which I cannot find in the VW 503 00 (which as been replaced with VW 503 01; the chart is not up to date)

There is also something about HTHS at 160 degr C, in which the VW 500 00 requires more shear resistence than VW 503 00.

Maybe 0W-40 is not a good choice for my engine after all, since it's not VW 500 00 approved.

TooSlick · Jun 25, 2003

You want a VW 502/505 oil for use in an older Audi or VW engine. The M1, 0w-40 is just fine, since it meets both of these. The VW 503.01 and 503.00 specifications aren't the same ....

The other more generic spec to look for is ACEA "A3/B4", which is the basis for the VW specifications.

TS

moribundman · Jun 26, 2003

quote:

You want a VW 502/505 oil for use in an older Audi or VW engine. The M1, 0w-40 is just fine, since it meets both of these. The VW 503.01 and 503.00 specifications aren't the same ....

The other more generic spec to look for is ACEA "A3/B4", which is the basis for the VW specifications.

TS

Actually, my manual tells me to use VW 500.00, if I use a fullsynthetic. I compared the spec sheets for VW 500.00, VW 502.00, and 503.00. Looks to me like the VW 500.00 spec is more stringent in terms of hight temp shear resistence than the newer specs.

Just to amuse myself, I used the oil finder on the Mobil site, and although they list my engine (Audi 2.8 SOHC 12v engine code AFC), they say they don't have the required oil.

This is driving me nuts.

JB · Jun 26, 2003

moribundman...

Hmm... a shame you can't open that pdf file on your Mac. Don't see any reason why.

Anyway, that link is just to the crankcase section of the handbook. The whole handbook is available here: http://www.ethyl.com/products/la/handbook/HANDBOOK.PDF

Yes, it's a goldmine.

Dr. T · Jun 26, 2003

Moribundman, you need to download Adobe Acrobat reader free from their website in order to open this and any other PDF file.

moribundman · Jun 26, 2003

Guys, I got the file to open with Acrobat 4. My browser was buggy and froze my Mac.

Anyway, when comparing oil specs between the various VW specs, does anyone see any requirements in the VW 500 00 that are not met by M 1 0W-40? If you compare HT/HS of VW 500 00 with other VW spec oils (unfortunately VW 503 01 (M1 0W-40) is not listed), it seems like that might be a problem. I'm very supicious of lowered HT/HS viscosity in the new "longlife" oils.

I checked some full synhtetic oils that fulfill VW 500 00 and that are readily available in Europw, but not here. A good number of oils that have the same viscosity but fulfill other VW specs come with a warning that says NOT to use an oil that is VW 503 00 approved, if your engine requires VW 500 00. However, there are some longlife oils that do fulfill VW 500 00.

Here is a list of a few oils (none available here in the US, I think) that fulfill VW 500 00:

Aral SuperTronic SAE 0W-40:
1. API SJ/CF (incl. SH/CF and EC II)
2. ACEA A3-96/B3-96
3. BMW incl. turbodiesel (special oil list)
4. MB 229.1
5. Porsche
6. VW 500 00 and 505 00 (11/92)

Aral HighTronic SAE 5W-40 :
1. API SJ/CF (incl. SH/CF e EC)
2. ACEA A3-96/B3-96
3. MB 229.1
4. PORSCHE
5. VW 500 00 and 505 00 (01/97)

BasicTronic SAE 10W-40:
1. API SJ/CF
2. ACEA A3-96/B3-96
3. MB 229.1
4. PORSCHE
5. VW 500 00 e 505 00 (01/97)

Shell Helix Ultra SAE 5W-30:
BMW (Longlife-98), Mercedes-Benz (Blatt 229.3), VW (500.00, 502.00, 505.00, 503.01 Turbo

Shell Helix Plus SAE 5W-40:
ACEA A3/B3 und API SJ/CF
BMW (Longlife-98), Mercedes-Benz (Blatt 229.1), VW (500.00, 502.00, 505.00).

I start to feel like I'm developing a nice obsession here. Am I possibly beating a long-dead horse here?

williar · Jun 26, 2003

According to the Mobil1 website, M1 0w40 is "Approved against Volkswagen/Audi 502.00/505.00/503.01".

moribundman · Jun 27, 2003

Yes, and that's exactly why I wonder why people tell me that M1 0W-40 is okay to use. It may fulfill newer/different VW specs, but it does NOT fulfill VW 500 00, which may or may not have more stringent/different requirements in some regards (HT/HS).

That's the conundrum, and so far I havn't gotten a satisfactory explanation. I want hard facts, not opinion. Of course, I'm going to alienate everyone here by being so insistent.

VW oil specifications

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