Red Line 5w20, 20K miles, VW Golf 1.9L TDI ALH

[zanzabar]

Originally Posted By: Clevy

How long do these engines last using the factory specified oil? I suspect with your commute you will get to the average mileage soon enough.


These engines are very robust and typically will do 300k miles (with proper maintenance) before any sign of cam/crank/bearing/valve wear issues.

 

[azsynthetic]

UOA was sent in last Friday. I refilled with Neo 0W5 since I can't seem to feel/see anything wrong with the car. I got some pics too of my car/engine and will post when the UOA results are in. I priced a complete overhaul locally and it was less than $2K with new bearings, seals, rings, cylinder honed, head jobs, gaskets, etc. I do have to remove the engine by myself though which is pretty easy to do if you have ever done a timing job.

 

[sky7]

Thanks for the update. We're really looking forward to this uoa.

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted By: zanzabar
Originally Posted By: Clevy

How long do these engines last using the factory specified oil? I suspect with your commute you will get to the average mileage soon enough.


These engines are very robust and typically will do 300k miles (with proper maintenance) before any sign of cam/crank/bearing/valve wear issues.


And many many examples over 400k- 500k too.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: jayg
Originally Posted By: zanzabar
Originally Posted By: Clevy

How long do these engines last using the factory specified oil? I suspect with your commute you will get to the average mileage soon enough.


These engines are very robust and typically will do 300k miles (with proper maintenance) before any sign of cam/crank/bearing/valve wear issues.


And many many examples over 400k- 500k too.


Thanks for that guys. That's very impressive.
I've got a chev work van,fully loaded to the point it's almost pulling wheelies,with 450000 on the clock. It's making some very bad sounds at start up now. I'm assuming the knocking isn't a fuel issue. However I've had the van for quite a few years now and it owes me nothing.
Time to start shopping for a new to me 305/350 for install. The beauty of these Chevys is that most any engine will work since you can transfer all the fuel injection etc to the new block.
I look forward to this uoa. Such a thin oil in an engine that specifies thicker.
Thanks again for the answer.
Merry Christmas

 

[jayg]

Any update?

 

[azsynthetic]

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2863468#Post2863468

 

[Lavabo]

Hello
I have a 2001 ALH with 678 000km and i wanted to try the Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy but somehow it have a HTHS of 2.7 and on TDI engine i was said not to go under 3.5.

I understand your Red Line 5W20 have a HTHS of 3.3

Do you think 2.7 would be critical to bearing life? Still the Mobil 1 have a Viscosity Index of 173.. not far from the 0W40 at 185.
Anyway since my engine have a lots of Mileage i guess i should stick with heavier oil

 

[zanzabar]

Don't read this thread as a suggestion to use 20wt oil in your TDI! This was an interesting experiment by someone who carefully considered the cost-effectiveness of risking engine damage and the extra fuel mileage potential.

Yes, I think HTHS of 2.7 is far from ideal for your engine.

Stick with any of the excellent diesel-rated 30 or 40wt oils that are usually recommended for your engine (M1 TDT, Rotella T6, etc). If you are in a cold environment go ahead with something like PC Duron in a 0w30 (does that exist?), etc.

 

[nickolas84]

To the original poster:
Do you have any inclines on your daily commute? Based on your experience would you recommend this type of oil to someone in a hilly environment?

 

[azsynthetic]

I drive from Phoenix (elev 400m) to Flagstaff (elev > 2800m) regularly in the summer to escape the heat on the weekend. No problem whatsoever.

 

[Swissdieselfan]

The jump in Lead is interesting. It might be a particle streak, although they are rare. You don't get a significant bounce in Lead from any kind of cleaning action, so the figure is for real.
If it was my engine I would consider that the best UOA results for most higher mileage VW engines result from the use of thicker high Zinc HDEO's NOT from race oils overloaded with very cheap Moly. 5/30 might be OK in winter, but 15/40 is better in summer.
I wonder what would happen if you switched back to the Liqui Moly oil, or tried Mobil Turbo Diesel 0/40.

 

[Swissdieselfan]

Sorry I did not read the OP correctly, the oil used that caused the Lead jump was a 5/20!! Older VW blocks don't even like 5/30 if pushed hard in hot weather. Adding a can of back street Zinc brew to a Redline race oil would overload the add pack and the result would be way outside any VW oil spec.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: Swissdieselfan
Sorry I did not read the OP correctly, the oil used that caused the Lead jump was a 5/20!! Older VW blocks don't even like 5/30 if pushed hard in hot weather. Adding a can of back street Zinc brew to a Redline race oil would overload the add pack and the result would be way outside any VW oil spec.


Skyship has rejoined us again. Its gotta be tough thinking up new names every week.

 

[azsynthetic]

Originally Posted By: Swissdieselfan

I wonder what would happen if you switched back to the Liqui Moly oil, or tried Mobil Turbo Diesel 0/40.


Why do I care what you think or wonder about thicker oil? Try to stay on topic or step off.

 

[Swissdieselfan]

Originally Posted By: azsynthetic
Originally Posted By: Swissdieselfan

I wonder what would happen if you switched back to the Liqui Moly oil, or tried Mobil Turbo Diesel 0/40.


Why do I care what you think or wonder about thicker oil? Try to stay on topic or step off.


I don't care what you think as this is a public forum.
If a person is experimenting with non OEM spec oils and gets a poor result, then it is an accepted method to return to a standard oil that produces known results to see if the condition of the engine has changed, or if it's just a one off result. I've even seen cases where the results have improved, but a check of the OEM oil showed it was just caused by changes in fuel specs.
My own method of testing oils is to do three runs in a row with an approved oil, then go experiment, but if I get an obviously bad result it's impossible to know what is happening without returning to using the original oil to check the base line figures have not changed.

 

[azsynthetic]

This is my experiment and you contribute nothing of value to it other than a sale pitch for Liqui Moly. Start your own thread with your own experiment since you have no clue what I am trying to do here.

Stay on topic or step off, public forum or not.

 

[Swissdieselfan]

Originally Posted By: azsynthetic
This is my experiment and you contribute nothing of value to it other than a sale pitch for Liqui Moly. Start your own thread with your own experiment since you have no clue what I am trying to do here.

Stay on topic or step off, public forum or not.



Very odd comment, because I use Castrol TD at present, but will change to Mobil TD next. Liqui Moly are too expensive and their synthetics oils are not needed by folks in a short OCI country that are limited to low power settings by the highway laws. HC synthetics are good enough for non race track users in the US.
I don't understand what you are trying to do, because the Germans know very well what does and does not work with their engines. That tends to be HDEO 5/40's, although they favour engine life over fuel economy, but always have low emissions as the no1 priority, so don't use Zinc additives, just slightly out of VW spec oils.

 

[azsynthetic]

Originally Posted By: Swissdieselfan

I don't understand what you are trying to do


Stop being off topic and read the whole thread instead of some random posts. The answer is right there in front of you. I don't care what you are using so start a new topic if you have something to say, but don't hijack my thread with your sales pitch and worthless opinion on thicker oil.

 

[nicholas]

"Z-max, I had a 1.9L ford engine that was smoking due to sticking rings. A few doses of z_max and that car never did smoke again but dropped a valve seat out of the head and self destructed"

I had the same engine in a ford escort, that did the same thing, that engine was meticulously cared for, must be a design flaw?

Great little car though