Troubling UOA

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There is a lot of wear going on there, and there has been for a while now. I don't think a 10k change interval is appropriate for your driving style or habits -- the oil is falling out of grade and you've got heavy fuel contamination that isn't being burned off. Are you doing a lot of city driving?
 
I would say that my driving is 70% city, if you can call my area city, running Castrol LL03, no fuel additives, and B5 fuel. I am also a fairly heavy footed driver. Also, the high numbers on the last 2 UOAs is cause the car was brand new. They were run on samples at 10K miles and 20K miles
 
I don't know squat, but I'd do what B-S suggests; if a 5K interval produces 1/4 the wear...

I'd try to establish whether the wear is linear, or geometric etc.
 
Your engine has only had 3 oil changes in 30K. Thats about 3-5 less OCIs than the average person. While your wear is high its due to the long OCIs and the engine breaking in. If you want to see if you can get lower wear, do a few short OCIs and then sample. That oil looks WEAK as well. What oil is specified for this engine? It looks like it needs to move up to M1 0w40 if that is an approved oil. I'm assuming this is a diesel engine?
 
Quote:

Did coolant somehow get in the oil? The K+ is lower but was really high initially.


Saw that but the glycol test is 0. Wonder if that is a valid test for VW coolant.
 
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
What is cheaper? An engine or a couple of extra oil changes a year. I would not go 10K.


Definitely the oil. If I'm sitting on a ticking time bomb though, I want to trade it in before [censored] hits the fan.

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
I don't know squat, but I'd do what B-S suggests; if a 5K interval produces 1/4 the wear...

I'd try to establish whether the wear is linear, or geometric etc.


Will do a couple shorter OCIs and see what it does.

Originally Posted By: volk06
Your engine has only had 3 oil changes in 30K. Thats about 3-5 less OCIs than the average person. While your wear is high its due to the long OCIs and the engine breaking in. If you want to see if you can get lower wear, do a few short OCIs and then sample. That oil looks WEAK as well. What oil is specified for this engine? It looks like it needs to move up to M1 0w40 if that is an approved oil. I'm assuming this is a diesel engine?


This is a 2011 VW Jetta TDI. I am running both the 10K mile oil changes specified by VW, as well as the Castrol SLX Pro LLO3 full synthetic 5W-30 that is both specified and factory.

Originally Posted By: spasm3
Did coolant somehow get in the oil? The K+ is lower but was really high initially.


I have had no coolant loss or leakage.

Originally Posted By: ram_man
3,000 mile oci never hurt anyone.


Actually, multiple UOAs have found that shorter intervals can actually increase wear in these VW TDIs
 
Don't believe anything VW says, I am not an engineer, but UOA results are tangible...Now having said that I had an 02 TDI, totally different animal, but I did their recommended OCIs and the results were poor. I shortened it up to 4500-5000 miles and wouldn't you know it never had a bad UOA again.
 
is the one of the ones that eat the camshafts?
I'd probably trade it asap.

maybe a new VW if you prefer those.
 
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Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Don't believe anything VW says


Bingo -- what's great is seeing guys running non-507.00 products (GASP!!) and returning excellent UOA results.

"After replacing the worn cam at 53k miles, the car (PD DSG Jetta) had TDT for the first interval, and then has had T6 for the rest. No wear on the new cam after 80k miles."
 
10K OCI is too long, forget the owners manual, cut the interval in half and see how thing pan out. Just out of curiosity do you have an OLM? If so how long before it triggers an OCI?
 
Try an hdeo. Or M1 0w-40.
Devlac makes a 0w-30 syn hdeo called devlac elite 222. I love the stuff.
Devlac also has a 0w-40 that is very stout too. I believe you need a stronger/thicker oil film since by looking at the report there is enough metal to make a jailhouse shiv
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy

Devlac makes a 0w-30 syn hdeo called devlac elite 222. I love the stuff.
Devlac also has a 0w-40 that is very stout too. I believe you need a stronger/thicker oil film since by looking at the report there is enough metal to make a jailhouse shiv



We can't get that stuff in the US.
 
if your car has the dpf and egr on the car you MUST use a low ash engine oil or the particulate filter will plug in short order

as others have suggested cut your OCI in half to 5000 miles and take a sample.

My dad used to say "oil is cheap, engines are expensive, so change your oil often and never change your engine"

I suggest you try this oil

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Oils/Mobil_1_ESP_Formula_M_5W-40.aspx

although it does not meet VW 507, it is a low ash oil
 
Originally Posted By: JMarshall
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
What is cheaper? An engine or a couple of extra oil changes a year. I would not go 10K.


Definitely the oil. If I'm sitting on a ticking time bomb though, I want to trade it in before [censored] hits the fan.

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
I don't know squat, but I'd do what B-S suggests; if a 5K interval produces 1/4 the wear...

I'd try to establish whether the wear is linear, or geometric etc.


Will do a couple shorter OCIs and see what it does.

Originally Posted By: volk06
Your engine has only had 3 oil changes in 30K. Thats about 3-5 less OCIs than the average person. While your wear is high its due to the long OCIs and the engine breaking in. If you want to see if you can get lower wear, do a few short OCIs and then sample. That oil looks WEAK as well. What oil is specified for this engine? It looks like it needs to move up to M1 0w40 if that is an approved oil. I'm assuming this is a diesel engine?


This is a 2011 VW Jetta TDI. I am running both the 10K mile oil changes specified by VW, as well as the Castrol SLX Pro LLO3 full synthetic 5W-30 that is both specified and factory.

Originally Posted By: spasm3
Did coolant somehow get in the oil? The K+ is lower but was really high initially.


I have had no coolant loss or leakage.

Originally Posted By: ram_man
3,000 mile oci never hurt anyone.


Actually, multiple UOAs have found that shorter intervals can actually increase wear in these VW TDIs


Funny you mention that when your engine is wearing the way it is. You show me one engine that failed because of 3,000 oil changes and ill back off my point. Just because a bunch of lab coat wearing scientist's say something doesn't mean its true. Ive seen uoa be very inconsistent with what they should be. Also werent scientists the same people who said pluto wasnt a planet and then it was and then it wasnt again? Like I said 3000 oci never hurt anyone.
 
Yikes. That's certainly not our typically boring UOA. I would get a baseline at 3,000 and see what's happening from there. 10,000 is obviously too long for your driving habits by a long shot.

Is this thing under warranty? I'd probably consider Pennzoil Euro 5w-40 or Mobil 1 0w-40, or a synthetic HDEO like Rotella T6 if warranty isn't an issue. I would only be concerned about the DPF if you're burning a considerable amount of oil.
 
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