Oil Advice.

[TomB 0]

According to the manual, VW recommended (in 1990) 20-40w oil for the 1.8 16v engine, in a temperate climate such as ours. However, at the bottom is the usual caveat about this being subject to change.

Has anyone tried using the Castrol 'High Mileage' Oil in their 'rado, and if so, is it any good? I used it in my Passat with no probs, but that's slightly different... I thought it might be a good idea to change it after it got up to 134 degrees C after my problem at the weekend...

Cheers,

Tom

[samm_cvr6 0]

hmm, I have also seen this castrol high mileage oil and wondered about it. I think it uses slightly different compound just to make the oil slightly thicker/thinner.

But I always use synter silver, I think the gold will probably be too thin.

[TomB 0]

Cheers for the quick replay samm_cvr6, I might have a word with the Tech boys at the stealers when I go down for the coolant. I was running semi-synthetic 0w-40 which I think was too thin.

Cheers,

Tom

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I found Castrol RS 10W/60 was brilliant in high mileage VW engines. As an example, my old 150K MK1 GTI used about a litre of synta oil a week, but with the RS it dropped to a litre a month!

 

Castrol pulled it from the car accessory shops about 4 years ago but it's still available here:- http://www.castrolclassicoils.co.uk/engine.htm

 

Otherwise the Magnatec for 'older engines' is OK, or this other stuff mentioned.

[RW1 0]

Having used 15w40 "high mileage" in one of my Rocco's, all three changes have behaved the same. Below 98'C ish it's fine but go above this and the oil pressure drops off for the same given engine speeds and outside air temps. eg. 15w40 Magnatec 2 bar at idle, 15w40 "High Mileage" 2 bar but go above 98mish and it dramatically drops to 1 bar and it's the same at higher rpm, 4 bar changes to 3 bar or even 2.5 bar. (The oil pump is new! And it was the same with the old one)

 

Castrol RS is fine in a hot summer +25' to +30'C but it is like treacle down at 0' - 5'C so it's not a winter oil. Found it OK in summer but when Magnatec came out, that was very good and has the bonus of quietening the hydraulic tappets somewhat.

 

Synta Silver from VW is just as good although it is a 10W40 oil and the older KR 16v engine would be better run on 15w40 grade summer and winter. 10w40 in winter if oil changing permits a synchronised cycle.

 

Also found with "high mileage" that engine consumes oil, about 2,000 miles per pint (0.5 ltr). Not worth writing home about and the oil may have been design to do this given it's targetted for older high mileage engines but it's not on the plugs or throwing out the back. Magnatec doesn't do this.

[StuartFZR400 0]

Whatever you do, do use Fully Synth Multigrade. The idea is that it can work at both extreme temps, unlike a petrolium oil - thus use it all year round. I think min temps at about 60f, and max temp is way way high - ideal 4 u. I think the lower the # infront of the W, the lower the working temp. Remember that they can be quite thick - so yes, do be anal and take time to warm the engine; no thraping until after say 15-20mins.

 

The full synth gives great protection when warm, filling all those tiny inperfections. Making all that lovely metal glide over each other. Over time it will break down, (but not the same) so will need replacing - 1/yr.

 

You may notice a higher tick over, as it offers less resistance too - unless you're changing from a semi-synth (then no change will be noticed).

[TomB 0]

Right, magnatec I think, thanks for the advice gents.

Cheers,

Tom

[VR6 0]

Moving.

[StormVR6 0]

As anyone been mad enough to just chuck in the old "£2.95 from Sainbury garage" 20/50 stuff, I remember my dad using it in every car he ever owned!

Although when he bought his beloved Rover Fastback the valves didn't like it and the car ran like a pig with two legs and one lung.