What type of motor oil should I use?
March 15, 2008 - 9:53am
What type of motor oil should I use for my 2002 VW Jetta. We live in upstate NY and it's now mid March. Everybody seems to recommend different grades and I don't know what type to use. The manual says use 5W40, but we are reading that that is the worst type to use for diesels due to is developing polymers. Someone else told me the thicker oils and someone else told me the thinner oild.
So, what should be used in cool/cold weather and what type should be used in warm/hot?
Alicia
March 15, 2008 - 10:51pm
#2
You're going to see this debated to death where ever you look. From delivering za for 11 years and owning more 200k plus milage cars then anyone I know this is what I know and think.
Full synthetic costs twice as much but only has to be changed 1/2 as often. (Meaning every 8 to 10k instead of 4 to 6k) So it's half the work for the same cost in the long run. Full syn also has better lubricating properties then conventional oil. In extreme cold synthetics provide instant oil pressure because they don't congeal like conventional oils. High temps don't affect the lubricating properties of full snthetics meaning you don't/won't have a break down of the protection you'll want.
It's these reasons that full syn has been used and still is in larger aircraft. Consider at 30,000feet with an air temp of -30 and moving at 700miles per hour with a jet engine producing massive amounts of internal heat full synthetic is the only oil that will work.
I would NOT recommend it in the following situations: 1) The vehicle either leaks or burns oil. Note, if it's burning oil, full synthetic doesn't smoke near as much if at all. 2) You don't always have access to it. Mixing conventional and full synthetic is not a good idea. 3) The vehicle has a break in period. I've heard stories from a few different people who didn't know each other that full synthetic wouldn't allow the engine to wear and break in properly. One was my college professor who taught both jet and reciprocating engines. The man was eat up with engines. He had a four bay garage in his house.
Either way, good luck.
-------------------------
Just my 2 cents...
Holyoak
"With 8 kids even the suburban can be to small!"
March 16, 2008 - 11:11am
#3
Consult your manual. You have a distributor pump (not pumpe-duse) injection system, which means the acceptable oil list is not as strict, but there are requirements. To quote tdiclub (you should visit their site for a wealth of TDI info):
"You must use a synthetic engine oil, recommended viscosity 5w40 although 0w40 is also permissible, AND in the fine print on the bottle that lists what standards that the oil conforms to, it must list either VW 505.00, ACEA B3, ACEA B4, API CI-4, API CH-4, or API CG-4."
The most important thing to remember is only use a "C" rated synthetic oil (C = compression ignition, ie. diesel). Thinner "cold" viscosity (5W30 or 5W40, or even 0W30 or 0W40) will enable easier cold starts and help prevent associated wear more than thicker "cold" viscosity (10W30 or 10W40) oils.
I use Shell Rotella T synthetic 5W40 in my 97 Passat year round. Rotella T is probably a favorite of most truckers.
-------------------------
85 MB 300D auto, 225k miles. Plantdrive kit @ 207.5k miles. SOLD
97 VW Passat TDI 5spd, 230k miles, Sprint520s, RC3, VR6 5 lug 15" wheel conversion, R1 Concepts slotted/drilled rotors, 2500 watt sound, Plantdrive kit @215k miles.
February 10, 2011 - 12:01am
#4
"Consult your manual. You have a distributor pump (not pumpe-duse) injection system, which means the acceptable oil list is not as strict, but there are requirements. To quote tdiclub (you should visit their site for a wealth of TDI info)"
The stuff I've seen over at TDI club suggests that using veg oil as fuel renders the manufacturers recommendations irrelevant, i.e., what the manual recommends is not necessarily the best; can anyone suggest what kind of motor oil is best to use w/ veg oil as fuel?
February 10, 2011 - 8:29am
#5
The key thing to remember here is that if you are running WVO, you need to change your oil more often (3,000 miles.) This is because if you switch to veg oil before the engine is fully hot, some veg oil can slip past the rings and contaminate your engine oil. So if you can afford to pay for synthetic every 3,000 miles, do it.
February 10, 2011 - 8:46am
#6
not to be a smart ass and just asking. But does this mean diesel gets past the rings and into the oil. and if so why doesnt that hurt the engine with 5000 mile oil changes and 358,000 diesel miles on 1 engine?
February 10, 2011 - 11:18am
#7
I'm using 5w 30 synthetic in my '03 jetta (same motor as yours) shell rotella seems to be trusted by everyone and that's what i'm going to keep using. you should be fine with oil change intervals under 5k and using only full synthetic oil.
i am changing my oil every 5k miles and had one analysis done that was in the normal range for wear.
engine operating temperature on these cars is the most crucial in my opinion.....and i usually wait 5 minutes or so after the needle reads 190, just to be sure. they are slow to heat up. greasecar is right when they say engine temp. plays a stronger role than veg. temp.
i've been monitoring my exhaust gas temps. after switching to wvo and they read virtually identical to what they do on diesel fuel. you'll be fine just change the oil and don't switch early.
February 10, 2011 - 11:46am
#8
It does indeed. This is why Blackstone Labs checks for fuel in oil. If you have a little diesel in your engine oil, the UOA will show it. Blackstone Labs will say this is caused by multiple short trips in cold weather. The diesel doesn't polymerize in your engine oil the way veg oil does.
February 10, 2011 - 4:41pm
#9
ok i agree with most of that. thats why i was asking
View your shopping cart.
Greasecar Kits and Products
Search
User login
Skype: greasecarsupport
Greasecar Customer Profiles
Who's online
There are currently 0 users and 25 guests online.
I use synthetic 5W40. I think it is Rotella and I get it at Wal-Mart, they don't have it anywhere else, even at a Napa distribution center by my house. It is about $16 for a 4 quart jug, pretty good price. I change it every 4,000 miles and I one time had a tiny booger in the oil that may have been poly. I may have has some junk in my drain pan that floated up, I don't know. I live in MN and noticed a lot quicker starting over 10W40 conventional oil. It actually started really fast as cold as -20F.
I am happy with it, but don't have enough knowledge to say much more than that.