Conventional 10w-40 for VW 2.0?

[baj]

Hi everyone, this is my fist post here. I have a question about oil for VW 2.0 gas engines.

Someone I know with a 2000 Golf 2.0 has been seeing some oil consumption (I would guess 1 - 1.5 qt in 5k miles) with the Citgo 10w-30 their mechanic puts in, and I am trying to help them figure out a solution.

Here's what I know: for my 2001 Passat 1.8T the owner's manual says to use 5w-40 or 5w-30. However, the service manual says that 5w-40 or 10w-40 are preferred, 15w-50 is ok, and that 5w-30 is ok for adding when low but NOT ok for oil changes. The 2.0 engine is not used in the Passat, but the service manual says this applies to most VW 4 and 6 cylinder gas engines. The dealers I have asked seem to use 5w-30 or 10w-30, in conflict with the service manual. (I use Mobil 1 0w-40 in my 1.8T, but looking for a less expensive option for my non-turbo friend).

So, it seems to me that 30wt might be too thin for this engine and a switch to 10w-40 is in order (this is in Baltimore so it gets cold but not too cold). Is this likely to solve the problem? Are there particular conventional 10w-40 oils that are better or worse than others (I know this is kind of a big spread for a conventional oil)?

Thanks for your advice!

 

[FowVay]

If I were in your position I'd use a 15W-40 diesel oil in this engine. The 2.0 engine is not picky at all about what oil you use and they seem to really like the 15W-40 oils. Your climate is perfect for this grade of oil too.

I recommend Delvac-1300 but I believe that all of the common 15W-40 diesel oils that you find at Wal-Mart are excellent quality.

 

[eljefino]

Dealers use Xw30 out of laziness or economy when buying in bulk. It's odd to me that VW/audi dealers seem to do this too with a large percentage of their fleet requiring something thicker. I'd expect VW to be breathing down their necks over warranty failures due to this.

GF4 10w40s are probably pretty good. Don't know if chevron supreme/havoline is GF4 in this weight yet, same with Motorcraft. A walk down the oil aisle at walmart checking labels in your geographical area is a start... the standards are in flux right now.

You can go really nuts and run a 15w40 like pennzoil LL or again motorcraft. As is pointed out often on this bbs, "It cranks like a ten-weight."

 

[baj]

quote:

---

Originally posted by FowVay:
Your climate is perfect for this grade of oil too.

---

Just want to point out so there is no confusion: the 2.0 in question lives in Baltimore, MD, not warm southern CA with me. I thought 10w-* was as thick a cold weight as would be safe in that climate?

 

[Jelly]

quote:

---

Originally posted by baj:
I use Mobil 1 0w-40 in my 1.8T, but looking for a less expensive option for my non-turbo friend).

---

Good boy!

By the way,

Here is what the factory service manual specifies for your friends 2.0L Jetta:

When using energy conserving oils:

For all temperatures:
5W-30
5W-40
10W-30

When using non-energy conserving oils:

For all temperatures:
5W-50

For temperatures below 15º C:
5W-30
5W-40
10W-30
10W-40

For temperatures above -5º C:
15W-40
15W-50
20W-50

How inexpensive of an oil does your friend want? Maybe you can convince them to run Rotella T 5w-40 year-round?

[ November 05, 2004, 01:38 PM: Message edited by: Jelly ]

 

[baj]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jelly:

Here is what the factory service manual specifies for your 2.0 liter Jetta:

---

So, the bit in the Passat service manual about no 5w-30 does not apply to the 2.0 (as I said it says it applies to most VW gas engines).

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is GF4?

By inexpensive I basically mean conventional. She has to do a 5k drain interval to keep the warranty happy, so my guess is that there is not a big advantage to synthetic.

 

[Jelly]

quote:

---

Originally posted by baj:
So, the bit in the Passat service manual about no 5w-30 does not apply to the 2.0 (as I said it says it applies to most VW gas engines).

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is GF4?

By inexpensive I basically mean conventional. She has to do a 5k drain interval to keep the warranty happy, so my guess is that there is not a big advantage to synthetic.

---

Don't know Baj. I found that chart by doing a search on BiTOG.

The ILSAC GF specification is primarily for fuel economy and emissions.

http://www.lubrizol.com/K2M/differences.asp
http://www.ilma.org/resources/ilsac_gf-4_std_june2004.pdf

Does she want to run one oil year-round?

[ November 05, 2004, 01:54 PM: Message edited by: Jelly ]

 

[baj]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jelly:


Does she want to run one oil year-round?

---

Yes, I think simplicity is important.

Thanks everyone for all the help!

 

[dB]

Wife had a 2000 Jetta with the 2.0. I think the manual said it was ok to use 5w-30 if 5w-40 was not available.

Some of these 2.0 tend to use some oil anyway. I've used 10w-40 in VW/Audis for years with no problems in Ohio and Indiana year 'round. I've been using M1 0W-40, but I burn enough oil that it's not cost effective. I've switche recently to Rotella 5W-40 ($12.88/gal at Walmart) until spring, and I'll go back to Pennzoil 10W-40 in my Audi 4000 with the 1.8L. I may run 5w-30 in the winter.

 

[Jelly]

quote:

---

Originally posted by baj:
Yes, I think simplicity is important.

Thanks everyone for all the help!

---

I'd start off with two things then.

1. I'm a BIG believer in maintaining a clean fuel system. Get your friend to run some Chevron Techron or Gumout Regane. Both available at Wal-Mart.

2. For oil, I'd start out with Pennzoil High-Mileage 10w-30. It's available in a five quart jug at Wal-Mart (which works out great for the 2.0's 4.5 quart oil capacity). Believe it's around $9.50...

 

[huffmuds9320]

I got the VW service manual for 99-03 and it says that the preferred viscocity is either 5W-40 or 10W-40. Also says that 5W-30 should be only used for top off only. Since the car consumes 1-1.5 quarts in 5000 miles, thats no very high oil consumption. Well if you put in 10W-40, its not energy conserving so its only good in the temperature range of -15C to 15C(5-60F). 15W-40 however is good from -15C and up(5F and up). But I think the temperature chart is not up to date so the 10W-40 would probably be fine. Citgo 10W-40 or any other would work. If it still consumes oil then use 15W-40 such as Delvac 1300S or other heavy duty oil with the CI-4/SL on it. 5W-40 is also a great choice as its the preferred viscity. Rotella 5W-40 is the least expensive 5W-40 out there.

I drive a 02 VW Jetta also with the 2.0 engine and it too consumes some oil. I may switch to a conventional 10w-40, Rotella 5W-40 or Delvac 15W-40 myself on next oil change.

Jelly, what year factory manual is yours? Mine list a few more weights in the chart.

Energy conserving mulitgrades:
all temperatures:
5W-30,5W-40,10W-30,10W-40

Mulitgrade only:
all temperatures:
5W-50,10W-50,10W-60
Below 15C(60F):
5W-30,5W-40
-15C to 15C(5-60F):
10W-30,10W-40
Above -15C(5F):
15W-40, 15W-50, 20W-40, 20W-50

[ November 05, 2004, 06:16 PM: Message edited by: lpcmidst128 ]

 

[glxpassat]

quote:

---

Below 15C(60F):
5W-30,5W-40
-15C to 15C(5-60F):
10W-30,10W-40
Above -15C(5F):
15W-40, 15W-50, 20W-40, 20W-50

---

Does this make sense? They reccomend 10w between 5-60F and 15w & 20w above 5F?

 

[Audi Junkie]

Unless you want to pop for synth 5w-40, a blended 10w-40 oil for winter or 15w-40 for summer is a must in these vehicles. Durablend 10w-40 used to be A3, but the new GF-4 formula does not (yet) carry the A3 spec, still probally good. Castrol GTX 10w-40 (GF-4) would be worth a shot too.

 

[Sin City]

Any API SM 10W-40 motor oil will work very well in your friends climate and should significantly reduce her oil consumption. SM is the latest specification from the API and it is a big improvement over the older API SL specification. GF-4 is a companion specification from ILSAC. GF-4 is similar to API SM with the most significant difference being an emphasis on improved fuel economy for GF-4.

If I had that car I would first try either Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40 or Castrol Syntec 5W-50. If she wants to be lazy and not check her oil I bet that her oil consumption would be less than 1/2 a quart in 5,000 miles with 5W-50. 5W-50 seems thick to us here in the U.S. but I bet that there are a lot of these cars in Europe running on 10W-40, 5W-50, and even 10W-60 and often in colder climates than your friend has in Baltimore MD. 10W-40 is not too thick.

An API CI-4/SL or SM 15W-40 motor oil should work just fine however I would personally prefer to use a 5W-XX or 10W-XX oil in that climate. A major advantage a CI-4 motor oil has is that it will keep an engine clean inside and these oils with their strong additive packages will typically last longer than a conventional passenger car motor oil.

[ November 05, 2004, 11:06 PM: Message edited by: Sin City ]

 

[glxpassat]

I think I'm going to try 4 quarts of Delvac 1300, which is a heavy 10w cold, with 2 quarts of Mobil-1 0w-40 to have a 8w-40 blend since I have a 5k change interval.

 

[Audi Junkie]

A few short runs of the HDEO 15w-40 would be a good start before you go to a $ynthetic or a normal PCMO (10w-40).

 

[Sin City]

The best way to be sure that her car gets the correct oil is to have your friend take her oil with her to the auto shop that is going to do the work. Just buy any name brand API SM 10W-40, or API CI-4/SL or SM 15W-40 or synthetic 5W-40 or 5W-50 from Wal-Mart or the auto parts store.

I would buy one of the above oils that is on sale. Rotella T synthetic 5W-40 is usually on sale at Wal-Mart for about $13.00 per gallon. Currently Castrol Syntec is on sale at my local Wal-Mart for about $4.50 per quart and I imagine that a conventional API SM 10W-40 motor oil can be had for about $1.50 or less per quart.

 

[Brikhead]

I've been using the Rotella synth 5w40 in my Wife's `03 Golf 2.0 (5k OCIs, year round) for almost 2yrs.. I've found it to be a great low-cost alternative to the big $$ synthetics. My only complaint is its 1 gallon container(2.0 capacity is about 4.3qts). I usually end up toping up the extra .3qts w/dino 5w30.

 

[427Z06]

If you can get Mobil Drive Clean Plus 10w-40 for less than $3/qt at Walmart, I'd consider that an option. Mostly group III basestock like the Shell Rotella 5w40.

cSt at 40ºC 96.9
cSt at 100ºC 14.1
CCS, cP 6270 @ -25ºC
MRV, cP 23,900 @ -30ºC
Viscosity Index 150