Oil Recommendations

[SuperDuty]

Hi All,
It's a little early in our NBC's life to be thinking about an oil change, but I was wondering what oil you all are using? I would like to change it myself as I usually do all the maintenance on our vehicles. I guess from readin another post, that I need to get filters from the dealer?

Is that any pics posted on the oil change procedure? I have not gotten underneath the car yet to check it out.

Thanks,
John

[kcfoxie]

at 5k use Castrol 5w30 and at 10k put in Mobile-1 5w30 SuperSynth and do 10,000 mile oil changes. This is what I've done with my 2.0L beetle and partner's 2.5L Jetta (i5 engine that all 06 VWs have). others will recommend various brands and some highler/lower weights (0W30 and 5w30 from my research are the same oil, 10w30 is a little thinner I think and 10w40 is ticker). Castrols been the known brand for non synth oil for VWs since I have been around the aircooled club and most folks seem to agree Mobile-1 supersynth is the best synthetic. Yes, the car is designed and recommended to run synthetic oil after the 10,000 mile break in period (hence the 5k oil change w/ regular castrol oil -- thats what it comes with from the factory).

If I'm wrong, please someone correct me!

[Dwight]

It seems that Mobil 1 0w40 now meets the VW specs. You can get it at Auto Zone for about $5qt.

[d_merry]

I'm pretty dumb when it comes to this stuff, but I thought I'd TRY to help. My dealer says the new 2.5's take synthetic oil ONLY. You change it first at 5k (they said doing this any earlier would damage the seals) then again at 10,000miles, then every 10k miles after that. Hope this helps?

[JuggBug]

I'm pretty dumb when it comes to this stuff, but I thought I'd TRY to help. My dealer says the new 2.5's take synthetic oil ONLY. You change it first at 5k (they said doing this any earlier would damage the seals) then again at 10,000miles, then every 10k miles after that. Hope this helps?

I'm going to print this out! BaldyLox has been on my case to do a 'break in' oil change, but I said that VDUB told me to wait for 5,000.....:p Ha-ha, I win! LOL

[tdi jerry]

vw want you to run a 100 % synthetic oil in their engines.i use mobil 1 0w40 in the 2000 new beetle tdi and the same oil in my 2003 2.0 gas engine nb.it meet's vw spec 502/505.00/503.01.if your vw is a 2004 and up tdi you need vw spec oil 505.01. :)

[GaryR53]

Thanks for the heads up on the Mobil One. My dealer just told me my first oil change would be at 5,000 miles or six months, whichever comes first. Given what was said about the seals being ruined if one changes oil before 5,000, I'd say my dealership screwed up in telling me that. I definitely will not be going to them for the servicing, then (unless not doing so affects my warrantee, that is).

P.S.: We'll all be helping to fight the war on terror by using synthetic oil, too. Since it requires no "real" oil, none of our money goes back to OPEC.

[Lil' Blue Bug]

Since my husband has always religiously changed the oil on all our cars every 3 thousand miles,he seems convinced to change the oil in Lil'Blue who just hit 1200 miles. I told him what's been posted here so hopefully he'll listen :rolleyes:

[GaryR53]

I found the following excerpt in a Car Craft magazine article that is published online at http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/15378/


"Synthetic oils, pioneered in the ’70s by Mobil and now available from most major oil companies, take the all-season, multiviscosity approach to the outer limits. Unlike traditional mineral oils that are produced by distillation and further refining of existing crude oil stock, synthetic lubricants are made through chemical reactions. These new oils aren’t synthetic or artificial in the sense that they’re manufactured out of whole cloth--they still have the same natural ingredients found in "real" oil. But in a synthetic lubricant, these ingredients are recombined like a Lego set to yield synthesized-hydrocarbon molecular chains with desirable characteristics and uniformity not found in even the highest-quality traditional motor oils. Typically, the best synthetic oils use a combination of up to three different synthetic base fluids--polyalphaolefin (PAO), synthetic esters, and alkylated aromatics.

Because a synthetic oil’s molecules are much more consistent in size and shape, they are better able to withstand extreme engine temperatures. By contrast, the unstable molecules in conventional oil can easily vaporize or oxidize in extreme heat. Mobil 1 synthetic is said to be capable of protecting engines "at well over 400 degrees F"; in the real world, most racers have no problem running synthetics up to 290 degrees F under prolonged use, but they get really jumpy when a conventional exceeds 270 degrees F.

Because a synthetic oil is chemically produced, there are no contaminants in the oil. By contrast, conventional oils contain small amounts of sulfur, wax, and asphaltic material that can promote detonation as well as varnish and sludge buildup. With no wax, synthetics will flow at much lower temperatures than conventional oils. In fact, synthetic oils are now available with viscosity ratings as low as 0W-30, as in Mobil 1’s new Tri-Synthetic blend or Castrol Formula SLX. These oils flow more than seven times faster than a conventional 5W-30 motor oil during initial start-up, yet at normal operating temperatures act like a regular Grade 30 oil.

An 0W-30 synthetic oil is capable of pumping easily at -62 degrees F and flowing at even lower temperatures. Conventional oils are essentially frozen solid at that temperature, so there’s simply no conventional equivalent to this new grade. There are 5W-30 conventional and synthetic oils, but even here, the synthetic has a real-world advantage: Mobil 1’s 5W-30 will pump at -58-degrees F, compared to about -35-degrees F for a conventional oil."


I guess I was wrong in saying that synthetic oil uses no "real" oil. According to the article, it does begin with the same base constituents. This is corrobated by the following statement from Mobil Oil's website (http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Synthetics/Why_Synthetics.aspx):

"All motor oils are made up of base oils and additives. In general, fully synthetic motor oils contain non-conventional, high-performance fluids. Synthetic blends usually use some non-conventional, high-performance fluids in combination with conventional oil."

So, no matter which oil you use, some of the money you pay for it is still financing the people who want to kill us all. :(

Here is more from Mobil, for those interested in the advantages of synthetic oil: http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Synthetics/Whats_It_Do_For_Me.aspx

Regardless of the advantages and disadvantages (if any), it's quite plain that Volkswagen uses and recommends synthetic oil in its engines. That, alone, should be reason to do so, of course. As for questions about oil change intervals, read this statement from Mobil (http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Synthetics/Myths.aspx):

"Since most new car warranties call for shorter service intervals than those enabled by Mobil 1 Extended Performance, ExxonMobil recommends you follow the recommendations in your owner's manual while your car is under warranty."



Gary

[Lil' Blue Bug]

Gary,Thanks for all the information! I'll make sure my husband reads it too, since he's the one who will eventually be changing the oil:D

[GaryR53]

You're welcome, Blue. :D

Has anyone tried Castrol Syntech? Just wondering how it compares with Mobil 1.

Gary

[cyberbeetle]

VW dealers here in Tampa Bay area use Castrol Syntech, when it first came out it was a waste of moneym maybe it is better now, I'll stick to Mobil 1.

[GaryR53]

Thanks, Cyber. I'll do likewise, then. :D

Gary

[Moviequill]

The Salesman says that there is a special VW-only wrench to take the oil filter off and most oil change places will not be able to do this (so I assume this is for home changing too?). Or is this a tool I can get at NAPA or whatever? I love the idea of 5000 miles on the first one and then every 10,000 afterward... 5 W 40 synth eh?

[euromade]

Not sure about the gas engines, but on my TDI I use a vacuum pump to extract the oil thru the dip stick tube. This way I don't have to jack up the car. On the TDI the oil filter is right next to the dipstick tube so it makes it very easy.

One thing I know for sure, and it applies to all VW, there is a crushable washer on the oil plug (on the oil pan) that should not be reused. you can by the plu+washer on www for $1 or so...don't go to the fast lube places and such as they don't know these cars.

As far as the oil goes, my 98 TDI needs a fully syntetic 505.00 or higher. Not sure about the gas engines.
In any case there is Castrol Euro Formula in Autozone for lasss than $6/qt. This oil is cerified by the VW 505.00 guidlines and SHOULD NOT be used in 2004 and newer TDI (PD engine)...
Good luck...

[wakefj]

I have an '06 NBC and the owners manual does say that you can use 5w-40 (preferred) or 5w-30 conventional oil and recommends synthetic oil for topping-off between changes. The manual is pretty vague about owner performed oil changes and filters.

My local Wal-Mart changed the oil @ 5K and I just recently went back for the 10K change only to find that they never carried the filter (Fram CH9911) and believe that they never installed one at the 5K change. The oil filter is a cartridge so it's difficult to tell if they change it unless you watch them.

Since Wal-Mart left me more than suspect, I went to a local oil lube place and watched to make sure that they replaced the filter. The tech didn't use any special tools, although the filter is in a really tough place to get to and he had a tough time.

[kcfoxie]

The cartridge is hard to remove. It's basically the same as the FRAM filter for the 2.0, except that the wratchet tool that easily takes those off slips on the filter for the 2.5L. What I did was used 3 papertowls to give it enough bite to remove the filter housing from my bf's 2005.5 jetta 2.5L... that worked really well, the filter itself is a cone.. and I don't know what the FRAM part number is but I'd HIGHLY recommend buying the filters from ecsturning or PM me and I can contact my Worldpac supplier and get you a supply of say 6-10 filters at a good price (I think it's $6/ea or so) and ahve them shipped to you. The Bosch/Mann filters are much better quality, and can go 2 5k oil changes without worry. Running a FRAM for 5k is a stretch tho now that I've really researched it all.

[flybeetle]

http://www.germanfilters.com/new-beetle-convertible-c-1314_2934_2937.html has Mann filters for $10.57, oil drain plug $1.19, s&h $4.75

[tenderloin]

A great source of information on oil, oil filters, air filters and related topics. Don't be mislead.


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