High quality oil for high horsepower application

travis45

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2009
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
14 Sportwagen, 96 Passat TDI Sedan
Hello,

Just about to crank my rebuilt common rail engine for the first time and want to select an appropriate oil once it's broken in. Earlier I've been running Rotella T6, but I'm afraid that the cheapness will shine through.

In this engine I'll be shooting for north of 300hp with KS sputter bearings, stock oil clearance.

Was looking at a couple Luiqi Moly options, maybe Top Tech 4100 5w40 or Leichtlauf 5w40.

Or perhaps Motul 8100 X-cess 5w40.

Obviously DPF is deleted so that is a non issue spec wise. Just want a high quality oil to protect my build.

Any input from oil experts is appreciated.

Respectfully,
Travis
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I wouldn't call myself an oil expert, but the 5w40 T6 is more than adequate, imo. Just don't push it much beyond 10k miles. If you are going to be running hot laps at the track I'd consider something like Mobil1 15w50.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Every oil thread synopsis:

"I have used A brand oil and it works great!"

"I have used B brand oil and it works great!"

"A brand oil sucks!"

"B brand oil sucks!"

"You're all idiots, C brand oil is better than any of them!"

"You should run Amsoil for everything, including your lawn mower!"

"Everybody is stupid!!!"

:rolleyes:

Like we really need another oil thread. :p
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
You might want to try Total Quartz Racing 10w50 oil. Maybe withstand heat better. I used to run Quartz 7000 10w50 in my ALH on track days.
 

travis45

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2009
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
14 Sportwagen, 96 Passat TDI Sedan
I think I could have worded my question better. I'm more interested in learning about the real world results from varying from OEM oil weights rather than the Ford vs. Chevy arguments about the brands of oil.

I've heard rumor that T6 has had some kind of formula change. Not sure if it is true or not. I've used it for years and never had any kind of issue. But the $15 a jug price makes me wonder. IDK, maybe it's fine...

I don't have a good understanding of what it means or if it is a good idea to stray from the OEM oil weights.

If I'm running the stock bearing clearances and run a heavier oil, is that safe? What about something like a Mobil 1 Racing 0w50?

This car really won't be used in winter, and I have added an oil cooler. Will be for spirited weekend abuse and occasional track days. Appreciate the suggestion for the 10w50 IBW. Will take a look.

Appreciate the advice.

Travis
 
Last edited:

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
I think the higher top number would be helpful, as the engine will generate more heat than stock. When I was running my ALH on the track I'd regularly see coolant temps in the 240-260 range. Didn't have an oil temp gauge but that got hot, too.

Rotella is different from years ago. It's been reformulated to be a low ash oil so it can be used in diesels with particulate filters. Don't know how it's affected the rest of its performance. Still a good oil, however. Delvac, which is similar, is more likely the same as the "old" Rotella.
 

travis45

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2009
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
14 Sportwagen, 96 Passat TDI Sedan
IBW, when you say the top number, do you mean first or second? The 5 in 5w40 or the 40?

Thanks,
Travis
 

CleverUserName

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
NorCal
TDI
2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
Use an appropriate break in oil for the first run. After it’s broken in, drain and refill with an appropriate HP diesel specific oil. The required viscosity can be verified by observing your operating oil temps, extra heat requires a higher viscosity to maintain the same film thickness.

Notable mentions:

1. Driven DP40 5w40
2. Renewable Lubricants BioSyn HD 5w40 or 15w40
3. Redline 15w40
4. Phillips Triton ECT 5w40
5. Amsoil Dominator 20w50

Or you can just go to Walmart and buy the cheapest diesel oil on the shelf and hope for the best.
 

travis45

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2009
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
14 Sportwagen, 96 Passat TDI Sedan
3L3M3NT, thanks for the links.

Are you running stock oil clearances on your rod and main bearings?
 

Kevinski4

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Location
Nebraska
TDI
.
The thing about racing oil is, it usually doesn't have anywhere near the detergents that normal oil has, because in a racing application it's typically getting changed very frequently. If you want the best, I'd run Redline. Or Kendall. That's from a person who's running a 3 generation old family oil distribution business with a large fleet to maintain as well. Not someone who reads spec sheets that the marketing rep provided. But any synthetic API spec oil will work fine if you keep temps under control.


ALL API spec oil is different than it was a couple years ago. It's now CK4. Which is different than CJ4. Doesn't matter who's oil it is, the spec is different, so the blend is different. It's for the better.
 
Last edited:

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Race vs daily drive. Extreem HP or lawnmowers. There is only 1 difference.
Oil chance Interval.
 

ApriliaNut

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Location
SoCal
TDI
06 pkg 1 Jetta 191k w/Malone Stage 2
Whoa!

Here is the site to go to for oil questions:
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/forum_summary

I would contact this place for oil if it was my car. Get what you are paying for:
https://www.hploil.com/motor-oil

I just spent over an hour on the HPL oil site and watched the embedded video from the MavTv program. The most important parts to me were the testimonials from the engine builders and racers.

I'm gonna try the 5w30 in my 06 Jetta BRM next time I do an OC. But not without a couple of emails to them with a couple of questions.

Man that stuff is E X P E N S I V E!!!


And, yes I have no life!!
 

[486]

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Location
MN
TDI
02 golf ALH
IBW, when you say the top number, do you mean first or second? The 5 in 5w40 or the 40?
the first number is tested at 32f, the second at 212f
the numbers are more or less just relative, not relating to any easily quantifiable unit

so at 32 degrees f, 0w50 is thinner than 10w30
but at 212f, they've changed places

also, when converted into more rational viscosity units like centistrokes or whatever, even a 0wXX oil at 32f is still significantly thicker than an XXw50 oil at 212
so you've no need to worry about going too thin with the "cold" number

ETA: for my input, I've been running t6 0w40 in the compound turbo golf, 18k miles since the last drain, but it has burnt 2 gallons in that time so that's as good as changing it IMO. Spun a filter on 8k ago, gonna do the next at 10-12 after having cut open the last one to find it looking fresh and clean
 
Last edited:

CleverUserName

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
NorCal
TDI
2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
The thing about racing oil is, it usually doesn't have anywhere near the detergents that normal oil has, because in a racing application it's typically getting changed very frequently. If you want the best, I'd run Redline. Or Kendall. That's from a person who's running a 3 generation old family oil distribution business with a large fleet to maintain as well. Not someone who reads spec sheets that the marketing rep provided. But any synthetic API spec oil will work fine if you keep temps under control.


ALL API spec oil is different than it was a couple years ago. It's now CK4. Which is different than CJ4. Doesn't matter who's oil it is, the spec is different, so the blend is different. It's for the better.
Kendall doesn’t make their SHP Diesel 5w40 anymore. Or I should say Phillips 66 doesn’t currently market any synthetic diesel oils under the Kendall name. The Philipps 66 Triton ECT 5w40 is the same formula as Kendall SHP. Triton can be purchased at any P66 distributor, and the price for a 3 gallon case is very reasonable. There is also a 0w40 Arctic Formula which looks impressive however it’s only available in 55 gallon drums.

P66 also owns the Redline product. Their 15w40 is their only offering for a diesel specific oil which meets CK-4.
 

CleverUserName

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
NorCal
TDI
2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
the first number is tested at 32f, the second at 212f
the numbers are more or less just relative, not relating to any easily quantifiable unit

so at 32 degrees f, 0w50 is thinner than 10w30
but at 212f, they've changed places

also, when converted into more rational viscosity units like centistrokes or whatever, even a 0wXX oil at 32f is still significantly thicker than an XXw50 oil at 212
so you've no need to worry about going too thin with the "cold" number

ETA: for my input, I've been running t6 0w40 in the compound turbo golf, 18k miles since the last drain, but it has burnt 2 gallons in that time so that's as good as changing it IMO. Spun a filter on 8k ago, gonna do the next at 10-12 after having cut open the last one to find it looking fresh and clean
That’s a misnomer. The first number in a multi-grade oil is the winter rating, which is why it superseded by the letter w. The better the pumpability of the oil when cold results in a lower numerical winter rating.

Winter ratings only make a significant difference in pumpability as you get to the more extreme lower temps as waxes in the base oils will begin to crystallize.

I have used both 10w30 and 10w40 oils that had better performance and were “thinner” at normal temps > 0F than the 5w30 and 5w40 oils with a similar HTHS viscosity. The 5w winter rating did not have an advantage until you approached the pumpability limit of the 10w oils in extreme cold. 10w and 15w oils typically have very few Viscosity Modifiers, low volatility and are shear stable than a comparable 5w or 0w oil with the same HTHS viscosity.
 

tydaddy

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Location
Lancaster, PA
TDI
Sold - 2003 GLI, 2003 TDI Wagon, 2010 TDI Sportwagen, 2010 Touareg v6TDI, 2005 TDI Wagon, current - 2006 v10TDI
Schaeffers ftw
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
BITOG is a great source of info, but you'll find just as many opinions on which oils are best from oil obsessed weirdos there as you'll get here. An engine modified to output over double the factory rated power will give up the ghost from non lubricant related wear long before the oil ever becomes an issue.
 

FXDL

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2009
Location
Barrie Ontario Canada
TDI
2015 Jetta TDI with DSG
Don't use a 15w50,10w50 or20w50 in a water cooled engine, in a air cooled motorcycle or your lawn mower yes and break in oils are useless.
Run the heavy weight oil in that, I assume air cooled racing tractor pictured above ok.
Use a top quality 5w30 or 5w40 oil that the engine was called for wright from the start.
Why would anyone want to run such a heavy weight oil in a engine that called for a 5w30 oil or a 5w40 oil in the first place??
Hey its your engine, good luck
 
Last edited:
Top