Once and for all... Amsoil or VW approved 505.01

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Sheesh, Im a new TDi owner ( 2006.5 with the pumpe duesse motor) and i am so [censored] confused right now.. Don't want to start a fight but what the heck is the difference.. amsoil says its recommended and VW says, it must be "approved" officially..

***???

pete
 
If it is VW approved, it has been put through the costly process of VW certifying the oil through its own process. Recommended means that the oil probably meets the same criteria as VW "approved" oils, but has not been tested, nor approved by VW.

I had several VW's, and yes, this is a pain.
 
Engines don't fail randomly due to choice of oil and there are thousands of VW owners in North America already running the Amsoil 5w-40 with no issues. So you're not exactly experimenting with this particular engine.

Once your warranty has ended, the Amsoil 5w-40, HD Diesel Oil ("DEO") works even better in this application.
 
Originally Posted By: TeeDub
Engines don't fail randomly due to choice of oil and there are thousands of VW owners in North America already running the Amsoil 5w-40 with no issues. So you're not exactly experimenting with this particular engine.

Once your warranty has ended, the Amsoil 5w-40, HD Diesel Oil ("DEO") works even better in this application.


thumbsup2.gif
I was gonna say. DEO is the go!!
 
I say, if you already have the oil in there, then leave it until the next scheduled oil change.

If you are just trying to decide whether to use it, then I don't see the reason. Amsoil AFL seems to be as good as the other 505.01-rated oils, but it's not better, or at least not measurably better. Also, it's not cheaper and it's really not easier to obtain.
 
Originally Posted By: TeeDub
Engines don't fail randomly due to choice of oil and there are thousands of VW owners in North America already running the Amsoil 5w-40 with no issues. So you're not exactly experimenting with this particular engine.

Once your warranty has ended, the Amsoil 5w-40, HD Diesel Oil ("DEO") works even better in this application.


I hope you have documented proof to back up this babble.

Use VW 505.01 approved/certified/tested/trusted oil period.

Leave Amsoil for the people who like wasting money with little to show for it in this regard.
 
Delvac 1 5w40 has shown to work (a number of exceptional UOA's using this oil) in this application quite well.
 
Well my lovely wife of 17 years has often accused me of babbling, so you may have a point there. However about the technical aspects of this application, I'm most certainly correct.

One reason why Amsoil didn't rush a VW 505.01 oil to market for the "PD" motors is that European manufacturers were transitioning to low SAPS engine oils. Amsoils current 5w-40 exceeds the generic ACEA, C3-04 Spec, which is the starting point for BMW LL-04, Mercedes 229.51 and VW 505.01. Amsoil made a point of specifically not recommending their first Gen 5w-40 oil for the PD engines, since it only met the older VW 505.00 and ACEA B4 requirements.

There are no issues with using Amsoil in any new VW/Audi engine, in fact my local dealer does the oil changes using the Amsoil oil/filters I bring him for my Audi TT, which is still under warranty.
 
I would do the following while under warranty:

1.) Use an approved oil
2.) Run HALF the suggest drain interval

This is not a blanket statement, this is a VW PD statement.

After warranty, have at it .... read the board over and over, you'll never be able to find an agreed upon answer other than that most feel the interval suggested is too long.
 
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The issue with ALL the VW 505.01/VW507.00 oil's is that the chemical "box" they're constrained to in terms of additive treat levels is too tight. This is why the performance of these products doesn't measure up to the CI-4+, HD Diesel oil's used in older TDI's - particularly for OCI's >> 5000 miles. In addition these oils are dual rated for VW/Audi gas engine use and that requirement may drive the formulation chemistry. (There are a lot more owners of European gas engine models in North America than there are diesel owners. ) This is why my blanket recommendation is to use the more robust 5w-40, API/CJ-4 rated HDEO's on all but the latest 2009 TDI's with particle traps. Those should stick with the very low "SAPS", VW 507.00 oil's.
 
TeeDub - EXACTLY!! Great post.

And in fact WHY BITOG exists. We aren't robots. We could easily say "follow manufacturer recommendations". Fine. Good. OK. They always know best. Well sometimes. Most of the time.

Why wouldn't/couldn't VW design a diesel particle trap to work with 5W-40 CJ-4 oils? These oils are designed for that very purpose.
 
My Friends, the Amsoil 5w-40 is an excellent gas engine oil for ACEA A3/B4 applications, but just an average product for automotive diesel engines.

That's just some straight talkin'...;)

JSM
 
Originally Posted By: TeeDub
My Friends, the Amsoil 5w-40 is an excellent gas engine oil for ACEA A3/B4 applications, but just an average product for automotive diesel engines.

That's just some straight talkin'...;)

JSM


Of course you are talking about AFL now, not DEO.

AFL

DEO
 
Yes it's the European Formula I'm talking about, although I wouldn't be surprised if the DEO is also a better long drain oil for European gas engines. I'm contemplating a 10k run in my 225 Hp, Audi TT to find out....
 
Originally Posted By: TeeDub
One reason why Amsoil didn't rush a VW 505.01 oil to market for the "PD" motors is that European manufacturers were transitioning to low SAPS engine oils. Amsoils current 5w-40 exceeds the generic ACEA, C3-04 Spec, which is the starting point for BMW LL-04, Mercedes 229.51 and VW 505.01. Amsoil made a point of specifically not recommending their first Gen 5w-40 oil for the PD engines, since it only met the older VW 505.00 and ACEA B4 requirements.

From what I've read from a couple of sources, the Amsoil AFL 5w40 went through a slight formula change about 1-2 years after its original introduction.... presumably to make it even better.
 
Hi,
Tornado Red - Foe what it is worth, you are probably already aware that ACEA's C3 quality rating is now at C3-07 level - effectively making C3-04 outdated. These change in the light of Manufacturer (and no doubt market place/warranty) input

All lubricants on the 2007 VW 505-01 Spec sheet I have are of 5W-40 viscosity and they mostly appear to be what we call in OZ semi-synthetic" lubricants
 
FYI and for what its woth, the major brands in Europe like Shell - and their Shell Helix Plus (VA ) VW 50501 approved - used to be a 5W-40 for many years but is now 5W-30 - semi synth.
 
Tornado Red,

Your sources have some bad info ...

The first Gen Amsoil 5w-40 was a 12 TBN, CI-4+ rated, HDEO with better physical/chemical properties than their current low SAPS Euro oil. I'm all for keeping emissions low, but this Amsoil offering lost something in the translation.

The CJ-4/SM rated, DEO is a far superior, longer lasting diesel oil for the same price.
 
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