TDI (ALH) oil change interval?

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I have a 2002 VW Golf TDI manual with ~230k miles on it right now. I drive 100 miles a day on the highway with cruise set a 70, and do roughly 25k-30k miles a year. I use M1 TDT 5w40 and change it every 10k miles. Can I safely extend the OCI to 20k so that way it falls on major service? It burns ½ quart by 9k miles into its 10k oil change. I also live in Phoenix, Arizona so it gets hot in the summer if that has a factor. Also has a 4.5qt sump.

I know that the Euro VWs with the oil life monitor allow their diesels to extend their oil change to 30k miles (50k km).

I would only save about $40 a year and an hour of my time, but if I can extend it, why not.

Thanks guys
 
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Originally Posted By: BryanTDI12
Can I safely extend the OCI to 20k so that way it falls on major service?

Possibly, given how easy your driving is. But you might want to do a UOA just to confirm.
 
A friend has a TDI and does 10K OCI with M1 TDT 5-40. He has done that for several years and had well over 200K with no oil related problems.
 
Originally Posted By: tig1
A friend has a TDI and does 10K OCI with M1 TDT 5-40. He has done that for several years and had well over 200K with no oil related problems.


Did you read the OP? lol

Sometimes your responses are Pavlovian.
 
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I wouldn't, oil is much cheaper than an engine.

Do a UOA to confirm, but I'm sure it will show that 10K is about the limit...

Oh, I've owned three ALH engined cars...
 
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Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: BryanTDI12
Can I safely extend the OCI to 20k so that way it falls on major service?

Possibly, given how easy your driving is. But you might want to do a UOA just to confirm.



Exactly. Without a UOA it is only opinion. From an online forum. Use Amsoil, it's good for 25k under your easy driving style.
 
You can use the longlife oil, switch it to variable servicing and do longer drain interval

but not without increasing engine wear
 
Originally Posted By: riggaz
You can use the longlife oil, switch it to variable servicing and do longer drain interval

but not without increasing engine wear


Not that easy. It is missing the oil temperature sensor on the oil pan.

Getting a 506.00 specific oil... even harder to find in the US.
 
They are oil level sensors in the sump of those engines

The variable servicing monitors throttle openings and engine speed data (driving technique) and adjusts the interval accordingly.
 
Originally Posted By: riggaz
They are oil level sensors in the sump of those engines

The variable servicing monitors throttle openings and engine speed data (driving technique) and adjusts the interval accordingly.


There is no throttle body to monitor on the ALH.

It uses the oil pan temperature sensor among other inputs to calculate the OCI.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: BryanTDI12
Can I safely extend the OCI to 20k so that way it falls on major service?

Possibly, given how easy your driving is. But you might want to do a UOA just to confirm.



This is your best advice. At 10k get a used oil analysis done,then follow their recommendations.
But for 40 dollars in savings you'll spend more getting the data than changing the oil.
Personally I'd hard cap at 10k,like you've been doing and call er done.
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy
But for 40 dollars in savings you'll spend more getting the data than changing the oil.

You know that I am not suggesting that he has a UOA done at EVERY OCI.
 
1J0907660B is the part number for the sensor in the sump for an ALH engine

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=1J0907660B&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-GB:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&rlz=&gfe_rd=cr&ei=s7_kVLyKBZP98wfpo4K4CQ&gws_rd=ssl
 
And i Think that a 10k oci is perfectly fine and wize.
The long oci trend is falling apart since people have found out that the long oci´s worked good for the first owner and the second owner replaced the Engine...
 
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
Originally Posted By: riggaz
They are oil level sensors in the sump of those engines

The variable servicing monitors throttle openings and engine speed data (driving technique) and adjusts the interval accordingly.


There is no throttle body to monitor on the ALH.

It uses the oil pan temperature sensor among other inputs to calculate the OCI.



There is no throttle body, but there is sensor G79 Accelerator Position Sensor.

If you want to run more than 10k miles get a UOA , use what is popular on forum, TDICLUB , or 506.00 certified oil.

For more information from VW on their extended service interval follow this link to a factory VW document;
http://www.volkspage.net/technik/ssp/ssp/SSP_224.pdf
 
I've been running Mobil 1 5w40 in my 2003 Golf TDI since new -- 49 out of 52 oil changes. Usually about a 10k-mile oil change interval, sometimes 11k or 12k, but it averages around 10k miles.

Now at 536k miles on the odometer. I see no need to extend the OCI much longer -- it costs less than $35 for TDT and a Wix filter.

I did some used-oil testing many years ago, but not recently. The engine is running as strong as ever. (It has a few modifications.)
 
I am at 53K miles on the current OCI. I am planning to change the oil this weekend, finally. My car has over 332K as of today. The previous OCI was 25K miles. 2003 Golf TDI running NEO 0W5 and a Franken mix of makeup oils.
 
With that style of driving 20kmiles is ok but only for summer, and I'd do the oci right when temperatures start to rise after winter to be on the safe side and before freezing temps. That m1 is full pao synth? For such longer interval i'd go with liqui moly diesel synthoil or some other specific diesel oil. Also you said it takes half a quart so there is some blowby so you can expect soot.

Wouldnt extend it for severe traffic, and most people have severe conditions, and long oci isnt a wise idea. I do 15kmile interval for summer and 10k for winter for the 1.3. Two changes, usually along with tire swap since I'm lazy.
 
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