Golf GTI oil question

techguy

Hi Guys,

I've had my GTI about 6 months now and noticed it's burning oil.

Basically, when purchased the oil was ever so slightly above the Max mark. Now it's approaching the min mark.

I'm not overly concerned that it's burning oil (should I be?).

Just wondering should I be topping it up myself and whats the story with oil? Can I just mix and match or does it need to be same as whats in already?

If i'm buying i'm going to get the best, any recommendations??

Cheers

P.S. Car has about 47k miles on the clock now and was services at purchase time.

mathepac

How do you know it's burning oil as distinct from just leaking oil into the undertray?

Burning oil will give a blue tint to exhaust "smoke" and have a distinctive smell.

Never, ever drive a car with excess oil in the sump as it puts extra pressure on oil seals etc.

Use the same oil as VW recommends in the car's book. I'm guessing at spec numbers, VW 505.00 or VW 507.00 on the tin. Ignore other numbers on the container, they are irrelevant.

YbFocus

Is it due a service yet? Oil should never be above the max as oil cannot be compressed and will ultimately bust seals.
A touch over won't make much difference but if it was a good bit then you may have trouble.

Monitor it and if consumption gets worse I'd be getting a mech in at it.
Top it up for now or service it if it's due.

techguy

mathepac wrote: »

How do you know it's burning oil as distinct from just leaking oil into the undertray?

Burning oil will give a blue tint to exhaust "smoke" and have a distinctive smell.

Never, ever drive a car with excess oil in the sump as it puts extra pressure on oil seals etc.

Use the same oil as VW recommends in the car's book. I'm guessing at spec numbers, VW 505.00 or VW 507.00 on the tin. Ignore other numbers on the container, they are irrelevant.

I have absolutely no idea if its leaking into underway.. tbh, I haven't checked the exhaust for color, never noticed a smell though.

YbFocus wrote: »

Is it due a service yet? Oil should never be above the max as oil cannot be compressed and will ultimately bust seals.
A touch over won't make much difference but if it was a good bit then you may have trouble.

Monitor it and if consumption gets worse I'd be getting a mech in at it.
Top it up for now or service it if it's due.

Ah it was only a touch over.. Not due a service for good while iirc.

Thanks guys, I think i'll top up for now. I'll mention it to my mechanic..

Cheers

George Dalton

Your car is a Mk5 GTI yes?

Almost all of them burn oil. A litre or so between services is about average.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

The 2.0 tfsi engines commonly use quite a bit of oil. Some of them do not-it appears to depend on how the engine has been run in when new. The bores get glazed if run in gently and therefore oil consumption increases.

techguy

George Dalton wrote: »

Your car is a Mk5 GTI yes?

Almost all of them burn oil. A litre or so between services is about average.

Hi George,

Yes, that is correct.

Thanks for clarifying

Comhrá

I had a Mk V GTI bought from new and driven pretty gently for the couple of years I owned it and it always used a fair drop of oil.

I was many miles from home once when the amber oil light came on. Nearly fainted with shock when I dipped it to see the dip-stick completely dry! Rang VW who reassured me. Topped it up and kept an eye on it afterwards.

techguy

Alright folks,

Just checked the oil again. Cold engine this time.. last time was hot, silly me!!

Anyway, it's just a tad below the min mark now so i'm gonna buy myself some oil.

Any ideas, I came across this. If there's only a few bob in the difference I may aswell get the best.

Completely open to suggestions on what oil and where to buy.

Cheers

Atlantic Dawn

Pretty sure it needs 5w-30.

techguy

Cheers must check the service book.

mickdw

Cant see that being the right oil.
Check your book for vw spec. My 1.8Tfsi audi has spec is 503.00 or 504.00 for longlife & 502.00 minimum spec for fixed interval.

Wheelnut

That's just a part-synthetic and you're only getting 4 litres rather than 5 in the can, it's poor value but would do for a top-up if the service is due soon. (any oil is better than no oil)

mathepac

techguy wrote: »

... Any ideas, I came across this. If there's only a few bob in the difference I may aswell get the best. ...

Rubbish - not for a VW engine. Why do we bother posting basic info when the people that ask for it just ignore the answers they get?

dmc17

OSI wrote: »

A nice fully synthetic 5W30 would do the job. I used the Magnatec in the past as I believed the hype but have been lead to believe it's not all it's cracked up to be, and use Castrol Edge now. Pretty sure a lot of the main dealers, and VW indies use Fuchs, but I could be wrong on that.

I used to use Castrol Edge but changed to Valvoline SYNpower as it is a little cheaper and just as good I reckon if you're looking for fully synthetic

jimgoose

Castrol Edge 5W-30 here as well. Lovely tack. :cool:

Gary ITR

I never found the castrols any use. Always black after trackdays or particularly hard driving. Millers or Motul stay golden though. The Millers and Motul oils are more expensive but they are excellent

jimgoose

Gary ITR wrote: »

I never found the castrols any use. Always black after trackdays or particularly hard driving. Millers or Motul stay golden though. The Millers and Motul oils are more expensive but they are excellent

That means they're working!

Gary ITR

jimgoose wrote: »

That means they're working!

So when it's golden after a trackday it means its not working?

It actually means it's exceeded it's happy operating temperatur, has turned to crap and lost all of its lubricating properties. I can do two race weekends on one fill of Millers oil, I wouldn't complete one weekend on castrol, it'd be black before race 2 (race weekend is qualifying, race 1, race 2)

In the case of diesels oil does turn black when it's working but black oil in a petrol means change it

JJJJNR

Thumbs up for the fuchs fully synth, does wonders to my diesel.

There is someone selling it on adverts.ie heres a link to their page.

JJJJNR

Gary ITR wrote: »

So when it's golden after a trackday it means its not working?

It actually means it's exceeded it's happy operating temperatur, has turned to crap and lost all of its lubricating properties. I can do two race weekends on one fill of Millers oil, I wouldn't complete one weekend on castrol, it'd be black before race 2 (race weekend is qualifying, race 1, race 2)

In the case of diesels oil does turn black when it's working but black oil in a petrol means change it

Yeah my millers gearbox oil is totally golden after 2 years, when I changed last time (using some non-descriptive oil it was black black with a sliver lining) very happy with the millers.

PauloMN

Have two A4s, one a petrol 1.8T and the other a 2.0TDi. Both use oil so need to be topped up, always have done. I keep at least 0.5L in the boot of each for topping up - every VAG owner will probably be the same! The owner's manual even says these engines consume oil.

I only use 5w30 fully synthetic VAG approved oil in both. Go to a good local motor factor - I got a 5L of VAG approved stuff for €35 a few months ago in my local motor factor. Halfords equivalent VAG approved 5L - which cheaper than the brand-name stuff, is about €50 to €55, so still dear.

jimgoose

Gary ITR wrote: »

So when it's golden after a trackday it means its not working?...

It means there's a better detergent blend in the Castrol proprietary additive, I should think.

Gary ITR

jimgoose wrote: »

It means there's a better detergent blend in the Castrol proprietary additive, I should think.

That will cause the oil to go darker alright but not jet Black and tacky after a short running time

jimgoose

Gary ITR wrote: »

That will cause the oil to go darker alright but not jet Black and tacky after a short running time

I see. Well, congratulations - you've killed it! :cool:

Gary ITR

To be fair I'm not the only one. We are all victims of marketing, I was in woodies yesterday and overheard a conversation between two lads buying a grinder and they were leaning towards the black and decker one because they are the best.... Try find a black and decker tool in any professional workshop. Marketing works :-)

kooga

castrol 5w 30 here as well usuallya litre top up between services does me!

Wheelnut

JJJJNR wrote: »

Thumbs up for the fuchs fully synth, does wonders to my diesel.

There is someone selling it on adverts.ie heres a link to their page.

At the risk of going OT: Have you ever dealt with those guys? They are pushing Brisk Spark Plugs and claim they are in the world top-ten, I've never heard of them!

They seem to be made in the Czek Republic which is a change from China.

walus

Gary ITR wrote: »

To be fair I'm not the only one. We are all victims of marketing, I was in woodies yesterday and overheard a conversation between two lads buying a grinder and they were leaning towards the black and decker one because they are the best.... Try find a black and decker tool in any professional workshop. Marketing works :-)

I agree totally with that. Castrol have some decent oils as well but the quality largely depends on a country/factory it is made in. They are known for using independent blending facilities across the world.
I personally use Millers as well although not for track days but for regular every day driving. Very happy with it, engine runs very smooth. Next week will service the car with new XF 5w-30.

techguy

Thanks for all the help guys.

I just got off the phone with VW Dealer and was advised to use Castrol Edge Pro Longlife III 5w/30, which has been mentioned here.

I must give Millers a gander too..

Cheers.

mathepac

techguy wrote: »

... I must give Millers a gander too...

Well thought of by the Skoda, VW and Audi heads on the UK forums.

Interslice

mathepac wrote: »

Well thought of by the Skoda, VW and Audi heads on the UK forums.

Expensive stuff though.

Gary ITR

Interslice wrote: »

Expensive stuff though.

You can buy direct from Millers Oils Ireland, nice enough chap, he's also an agent for Evans waterless coolant

Interslice

Gary ITR wrote: »

You can buy direct from Millers Oils Ireland, nice enough chap, he's also an agent for Evans waterless coolant

For me personally it works better to use the VW own brand longlife III 5w-30 for half the price of the millers and change it twice as often.

If money were no object I'd go for the millers. They seem to only have motorsports oil on the website. They can order in normal road car oil I presume?

Foreign Sports

This is what you need;

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_210681_langId_-1_categoryId_212419

VW VW 504 00 standard is what is recommended for the MKV GTI.

mathepac

Interslice wrote: »

... If money were no object I'd go for the millers. They seem to only have motorsports oil on the website. They can order in normal road car oil I presume?

If you register with Briskoda, Audi-Sport etc in the UK, http://www.opieoils.co.uk/ give registered members discounts and also run deals from time to time. They do "service packs" by car make/model/engine/revision that are a good value, no-brainer (for me) to get the right service bits

VW are great value for approved oils (Quantum or Fuchs brand?) in 5ltr tins too

Thomas D

I have the same engine in an Audi. It goes through a stunning amount of oil. The min level came on again today. You will have to put in a full 5l of oil between services.

mickdw

The 1.8 Tfsi in audi burns next to nothing.
10k miles over a year between services and might need half litre. I've had it from new and never burned any more or less.

tossy

Thomas D wrote: »

I have the same engine in an Audi. It goes through a stunning amount of oil. The min level came on again today. You will have to put in a full 5l of oil between services.

5 litres of oil between services :eek: how long are you going between services?

Nonoperational

Whatever about the different brands of oil etc etc, just make sure you top it up before you drive it more and use a 5W30 that's VW 504.00/507.00 approved.

Thomas D

tossy wrote: »

5 litres of oil between services :eek: how long are you going between services?

12K miles. This is within the bounds of normal oil consumption according to Audi.

mickdw

OSI wrote: »

The GTI is the 2.0 TFSI

I know it is. I was just saying.

Thomas D wrote: »

12K miles. This is within the bounds of normal oil consumption according to Audi.

Alot of car makers used to quote 1L per 1000 miles as acceptable when clearly it would be far from acceptable.
5L over 12k miles is imo also not acceptable. The manufacturer quoted oil consumption figures are just to cover their own backs.

Thomas D

mickdw wrote: »

I know it is. I was just saying.


Alot of car makers used to quote 1L per 1000 miles as acceptable when clearly it would be far from acceptable.
5L over 12k miles is imo also not acceptable. The manufacturer quoted oil consumption figures are just to cover their own backs.

Its a bit annoying but if it doesn't harm the engine then it doesn't bother me that much.

mickdw

I would think something burning that much oil is only going to get worse.