2.0 Tdi Oil

[TDI DSG]

Anyone know what the dealers are using for these new engines ? Castrol have TXT50501 and Valvoline have Durablend Deisel both of which meet the VW 50501 spec. Do Oz dealers use either of these or are there other oils available locally that meet the VW spec. Mobil dont appear to from their website. I'd like to buy some to do a oil changes myself between the mandatory 15K intervals. Thuis is as much for convenience as it is for the cost saving of not getting the dealer to do it.

[brackie]

Like you I'm itching to get a spanner on the TDI, however I'm resisting the temptation to do it and change the oil and filters @5000km. I'm going to let the authorised workshop do it even though it's 2500km before the recommended first service. I have a choice between taking it back to Launceston to the dealership I bought it from and giving it to a local guy (Don Hall in Devonport). The local guy wins. I know him, trust him and like me he's a small businessman trying to make his way in the world. Wins hands down even though he'll have to buy the synthetic oil mix from the dealer that sold me the car

[gtimk5]

I use Fuchs Titan Super GTO 10W30 MC which is has the 50501 numbers that VW specify. VW say that the first lot of oil should stay there for 15,000 kms as it is a running in oil. I have been changing oil some some customers golfs at 7,500 kms. TDIs can use a fair bit of oil during the running in period so keep an eye on the level

[brackie]

My understanding is that the factory oil fill is a semi-synthetic that allows the rings to bed in (using a fully synthetic oil would at best slow this but may even enhance glazing).

The first oil change for the 2.0 TDI is officially 7500km. Being an old fashioned sort of guy I prefer 5000km and it just shows how much oils and engines have changed when you remember the days when 1000 miles was the running in period for most cars and in this time many of them literally drank it!

My TDI has used zero oil since I got it. This worries me a little as I would have expected some oil consumption especially when the engine was brand new. I keep on referring to it as "still tight", but in reality it's all relative and it hasn't changed much in the 2900km it has done. Does anybody know whether and for how long VW bench test or in any other way run the engines before delivery?

[Seano]

The 2.5 TDi in my T4 has the same oil requirement as the 2.0 by the sound of it. And after 90,000km here is what I've learned. Basically it matters very little whether you use a 50501 coded oil as long as you use the right viscosity oil. After a certain amount of trial and error I have settled on BP Vanellus 10W-30 when I do the changes myself. Of the three VW dealers that the DOKA has seen all have used different oils and viscosities and to my knowledge none have the 50501 numbers.....first dealer used Castrol Magnatec 10W-30, another first used Titan 20W-40 but now uses 5W-40 and the third used Fuchs 10W-40........

........but does 50501 matter? Nope. This spec is only really used if you intend to take advantage of the Long Service Interval which for some VW (like my T4) can (apparently) be stretched out to 40,000km. If you intend to change out your oil every 5 to 10 thousand kays then any good quality 10W-30 will be fine. And at those intervals it is also immaterial if the oil is mineral, synthetic or a shandy.

As for oil consumption, these modern TDi don't seem to chew much oil at all. My previous diesel (200Tdi Landrover) tended to take roughly 30% over 5,000km but this VW motor is a really light sipper by comparison. It is very hard to notice the consumption over 5,000km at all.

[TDI DSG]

Your experience with VW dealers is interesting Sean, however it does not suprise me at all. I would imagine that these tdi engines would be big $$$ to repair and as such I would like to provide the best protection possible for it. According to my service booklet the first service is at 15K and is basically just an oil change and a check over things but still $300+ apparently because of the cost of the "special oil". I did wonder if they actually use it and from Seans comments obviously some dont, Freds tdi forum in the US also indicates this happens a lot. I dont beleive everything I read - but unless you supply the oil and see it go in you will never know. The more important question is how important it is to use the correct spec oil ? After making some enquiries as to the availability of the right spec oil to the general public I have been told that there is a new spec VW507.01 for these engines.

[ontarv]

castrol rep told me that it was a full
syn as they supplied it for vw in oz.
dealers have a mandatory $100 hour
labour charge by vw as well

[jets]

The 2.5 TDi in my T4 has the same oil requirement as the 2.0 by the sound of it. And after 90,000km here is what I've learned. Basically it matters very little whether you use a 50501 coded oil as long as you use the right viscosity oil. After a certain amount of trial and error I have settled on BP Vanellus 10W-30 when I do the changes myself. Of the three VW dealers that the DOKA has seen all have used different oils and viscosities and to my knowledge none have the 50501 numbers.....first dealer used Castrol Magnatec 10W-30, another first used Titan 20W-40 but now uses 5W-40 and the third used Fuchs 10W-40........

........but does 50501 matter? Nope.

Seano The injection system on the Golf 2.0 TDI is the unit injection type & different from the T4 engines which are more conventional.
It is absolutely critical to use the correct spec. oil in the Golf engines.
If you read the TDI CLUB forums there is lots of talk about this.
If your 'Pressure Unit" motor suffers any wear in the roller rocker arm area
during warranty VW will wipe there hands of you.

Rob

[jets]

The first oil change for the 2.0 TDI is officially 7500km.

My Golf 2.0 book says 15000km unless you are using high sulpher fuel or under severe driving conditions.
All the fuel now supplied should be low sulpher & because I live in the Adelaide Hills I consider my conditions normal [no short runs]
When I bought my Golf, 3 years free service was included.
At 12 months my car will have only travelled around 8 or 9ks anyway[I have 3 cars registered] & therefore have a shorter change period.

Rob

[brackie]

Yes, the book says 15,000km except if using high S diesel or in severe conditions. The service interval display and the sticker on the windscreen of my car say 7500km.