yet another Passat sludge saga

[sammymaudlin]

Advice? I'm 10,000 overdue for an oil change (shame on me) and the oil pressure alarm went off last night. I pulled over and was almost empty on oil (being an idiot I was waiting for an idiot light) and added a quart and a half. The alarm kept going off every few minutes. Drove the 5 miles home. Got up and drove to Jiffy Lube hoping an oil filter would make a difference. No alarm on the way there (2 miles) or back. Went out in the afternoon 10 miles no problem. Got on a freeway, accelerated and it went off again only a mile from home. Researching suggests that sludge is a prob for these engines and my negligence didn't help. What should I do? Take it/tow it to the VW dealer? Overnight some Auto RX???? Any help is appreciated.

 

[wavinwayne]

Fellow VW owner here.....Sorry to hear about your sludger. Since you didn't specify, I'll assume we're talking about a 1.8T. If so, get some ARX in there ASAP. Follow the directions EXACTLY. Use a good name brand 15w40 oil for clean & rinse phases. Use the oversized VW oil filter, I believe it is part #068 115 561B.

Then do a second ARX treatment.....and a third just for good measure, then report back. After your third ARX cycle, USE ONLY VW 502.00 APPROVED OIL. & stick to 5k mile OCI's MAX.

Three ARX treatments will cost you less than having the VW dealer just LOOK at your car. Then if you have sludge, their resonse will be: "You need a new engine; That'll be $8000."

Bes wishes to you going forward. And, oh yeah......I bet you'll never forget to change your VW's oil again.

p.s. Just out of curiosity, I have to ask:

1. Prior to your visit to Jiffy Lube, when was the last time you had the oil changed?

2. How many miles did you have on the oil when the warning buzzer came on?

3. What kind of oil & filter were you running when the warning buzzer came on?

4. What kind of oil & filter are you running now?

[ August 21, 2005, 09:13 PM: Message edited by: wavinwayne ]

 

[sammymaudlin]

Changed oil last November at around 22,000. The VW service department did it so whatever filter and oil they use was put in. I'm now at about 35,000 when the alarm went off. Jiffy Lube put in 15w40 Penzoil and I don't know the filter. Do you think the ARX will work? What do you think the VW service guys would tell me if I brought it in? and if I did bring it in can I drive it?

 

[Hootbro]

Jiffy lube filters are usually Pennzoil branded filter which are made by Fram and Fram filters are crap. Get the filter changed.


Hootbro

 

[deepsquat]

quote:

---

Originally posted by sammymaudlin:
Changed oil last November at around 22,000. The VW service department did it so whatever filter and oil they use was put in. I'm now at about 35,000 when the alarm went off. Jiffy Lube put in 15w40 Penzoil and I don't know the filter. Do you think the ARX will work? What do you think the VW service guys would tell me if I brought it in? and if I did bring it in can I drive it?

---

I think they would tell you you violated the warranty by going 12,000 miles between changes!

get some ARX and cross your fingers...your oil pressure sensor probably is gooped up , and giving a bad reading ...nothing the VW shop can't fix for $8000.00

 

[Schism]

Get some auto rx in there asap. Do as the instructions say, and do it atleast 2 times. VW will charge you quite a bit just to find out what is wrong unless it is under warranty, and even then, you voided the warranty anyhow, so you will have to pay to fix it.

 

[Willy_G]

10k over? I don't think we can blame VW for this one!

Oil light on!?!? My gawd, STOP DRIVING IT!

Shame on you is an understatement! So did you go 15K or 20K on one oil change?

If this were my 1.8t, I would tear the motor & turbo down, de-sludge it, install new oil pump and anything else that was worn or too sludged to come clean.

This $2000 repair may save you $6000.

----

Oil change, $30. New engine, $8000.

For everything else there is MasterCard.

 

[Tosh]

Sometimes it takes a loud wake-up call to wake up from hibernation. Everyone should have this experience, and embrace the eager willingness to learn new things during the period immediately following.
But I think we might make a convert out of you, Sammy. But to help you we need details. First of all, have you actually seen any sludge? Like on the dipstick or through the oil fill cap?
I hope you're not too sensitive, as you will provoke some ribbing, but we (they) will get you over and past this initiation.

 

[TooSlick]

The new 2.0L engine holds 6L/6.3 qts of oil, so VW/Audi have learned their lesson in this case:

OCI/Formula = (C*)(mpg)(sump-qts)(cubic inches/Hp)

The sump has increased from 3.7 qts to 6.3 qts; displacement is up 10% and Hp is up by approx 16%. Average fuel efficiency is also up approx 10%, thanks to direct injection...

So the revised, "safe" OCI, scales out as:

(1.1)(6.3/3.7)(1.1/1.16) = 177% of old, ie approx 77% longer, or approx 9000 miles/15,000km.

 

[JAYCEE]

Wow.

 

[mdocod]

I have a buddy with a VW.. every time I get the chance to see him, I say- You've been changing your oil right?

He destroyed his previous car by only doing oil changes every 10,000-15,000 miles. Luckily it was an old "cheap" car that didn't matter toooo much.. now he is making payments on a nice new car.... i keep telling him, change the oil change the oil change the oil.