Used 5w-50 instead of 5w-40 is this a problem?

negreac

Active member
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Location
The Motorcity
TDI
2001 VW Golf TDI
I was told by Autozone that my car takes 5w-50 so that's what I put in it. So like a dumbass I checked the forums after and realized everybody is saying to use 5w-40. Is this going to cause any problems? Should I change out my oil with 5w-40. It's a 2001 TDI golf btw.
 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
I was told by Autozone that my car takes 5w-50 so that's what I put in it. So like a dumbass I checked the forums after and realized everybody is saying to use 5w-40. Is this going to cause any problems? Should I change out my oil with 5w-40. It's a 2001 TDI golf btw.

Autozone does sell the correct oils which include:

  • Castrol 0W30
  • Castrol 5W40
  • Mobil 1 0W40
However, the oil you used isn't completely wrong:

CASTROL SAE 5W-50 provides the widest range of protection available. SAE 5W-50 delivers exceptional cold temperature pumpability for rapid oil circulation at start-up and provides a thick oil film for ultimate wear protection. Exceeds all car and light truck manufacturer's warranty requirements for the protection of gasoline, diesel and turbocharged engines where API SL, SJ, SH, CF or CD is recommended. Exceeds European ACEA: A3, ACEA B3, meets Japanese valve train wear and the engine protection requirements of ILSAC GF-3 for API Certified Gasoline Engine Oils, as well as Porsche, Volvo, BMW and Mercedes Benz
Printed spec:

 

negreac

Active member
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Location
The Motorcity
TDI
2001 VW Golf TDI
I used Castrol 5w-50. Should I be alright till my next oil change? Been working on cars for 10 years and honestly still don't fully know the differences between oil ratings.
 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
It's fine, but there are better choices when it's due next. I've listed the oils above. Or, if you prefer Walmart, some stores have the Mobil 1 TDT 5W40. Acutally, you might find the M1 TDT at Autozone, too. I've seen it there recently. However, the oils I listed above all meet the spec required in your car, VAG 505.00.

You car requires one of the three specs listed in the foto above (under diesel engines) ;)

Welcome aboard!
 

Bob_Fout

Oil Wanker
Joined
Sep 5, 2004
Location
Indiana
TDI
2003 Jetta - Alaska Green (sold) / 2015 GTI 2.0T
Rotella T or T6 in the blue bottle is a common, great oil, also.
 

mattwgrizwald

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2008
Location
Red Wing ,Minnesota
TDI
1.9 2005 vw jetta wagon ,
05 jetta wagon 1.9 tdi have been running mobil one full sythentic 15w50 was told by vw dealer that I should be running castrol syn 5w 30 got 130 k on this thoughts?
 

eddif

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Location
MS
TDI
2004 Jetta PD Automatic
05 jetta wagon 1.9 tdi have been running mobil one full sythentic 15w50 was told by vw dealer that I should be running castrol syn 5w 30 got 130 k on this thoughts?
We are all told what to do. The interesting thing is sometimes we should let the engine tell us what will work.

Looking at where you live, I would tend to say that the oil is a high viscosity oil for the winter months, but if you have been running the oil for 130,000 miles US (?), the car is sure not dead due to the oil. The oil is CF oil for older diesels and does not meet specs for a TDI PD. That said, that is the oil I have in my Mississippi car now for testing. I am using the oil for the hot climate we have here. The 15W-50 oil shears down in Mississippi and winds up not having a lot of viscosity by oil change time (another member did the UOA on the oil).

I have heard of people in your area running 15W-40 oil for years and not having issues. Some tend to say you just can not do that, and specification sheet wise you can not. The car engines tend not to die though. If the pressure gets too great against the oil, I would appreciate a private message on the details of your oil use. Mistakes sometimes happen that help us learn. Wrong oil use (according to spec sheets) can still give us information.

As a sideline. I think 5W-30 VW oil caused a near cam failure in my hot climate area. I used the VW oil and almost saw disaster. 5W-40 oil is much better for our area than 5W-30. The near disaster (35,000 miles ago) has prompted the 15W-50 oil use. I am running cantilever relief cam bearings though. My next test (sure not for your area and comes with a Warning) is 20W-50. It is a pure testing operation and not suggested for others.

eddif
 

ruking

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 27, 2003
Location
San Jose area, CA
TDI
2003 VW Jetta, 5 M, Reflex Silver: 09 Jetta, 6 Sp DSG, Candy White: 12 VW Touareg, 8 Sp A/T, Flint Gray
I was told by Autozone that my car takes 5w-50 so that's what I put in it. So like a dumbass I checked the forums after and realized everybody is saying to use 5w-40. Is this going to cause any problems? Should I change out my oil with 5w-40. It's a 2001 TDI golf btw.
The real issue it seems to me is to establish a baseline with whatver oil you select. Whatever you decide to do, will NOT erase what has gone before. Indeed the question would be really do you know what HAS gone before?

So for example on my 03 TDI it has seen 5,000 miles of oem factory fill break in oil and 138,000 miles of Delvac One 5w40, aka Mobil One 5w40 TDT. The first two oil changes were done @ 5,000 miles and 10,000 miles both VW oem recommendations. Subsequent oil changes were @ 20,000 miles intervals (next one done @ 30,000 miles). Since Oct 2006, (mandatory switch to ULSD) I have been on 25,000 miles OCI's.

So assuming you see the value in going to a so called "correct" 5w40", aka VW 505.00, let us know what you have selected. Your situation is complicated by the fact that VW 507.00 5w30 is considered back ward compatilble. The low saps formula and various changes pumps the price up unnecessarily (my opinion) for your needs/requirements.
 
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Dimitri16V

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Location
DE
TDI
01 Golf, 04 Golf
don't use 507.00 on a older TDI . 507.00 don't have the ZDDP content to protect earlier TDI engines. While it may have the new generation additives , those additives are more likely adequate for non flat tappet engines.
Bottom line ,if you have a TDI with flat tappet, even more so a PD , use an oil that's generous in ZDDP. Racing cars with stiff valve springs with high RPM engines use oils with high ZDDP oil and not exclusively borate based additives. VW and other car companies can say that 800 ppm is Ok for flat tappet engines but they are pleasing EPA at our expense
 

eddif

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Location
MS
TDI
2004 Jetta PD Automatic
05 jetta wagon 1.9 tdi have been running mobil one full sythentic 15w50 was told by vw dealer that I should be running castrol syn 5w 30 got 130 k on this thoughts?
If you have been running 15W50 for 130K you are our hero. That is not a under-handed statement either.

If you have run 15W-50 in Minnesota for 130K, why ahould I worry about 20W-50 in Mississippi?

More details please.

eddif
 

eddif

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Location
MS
TDI
2004 Jetta PD Automatic
Basically the newer the car the more you have to get the correct oil for tolerances and like the newest ones-emissions purposes.

The OP was an ALH (?) person, but since you are a PD person I suppose I can comment.

I sure wish the PD had been designed to work on the suggested oil. The unsupported cam bearings demand more than the 5W-30 the VW dealership sells for summer in Mississippi. So who blew emission standards? Where is my 505.01 5W-50 oil. LOL

More and more places are telling it is the oil drain-back passages that are too small, for Ford modular engines etc. I thought it was the supply passages, but even TdiRacing tells of Toyota drain-back issues. Anyone know how PDs are for drain-back with 20W-50, cold, at 4,000 RPM? I live in a curve and if I am about to get run over, the engine will have see 4,000 RPM die or not.

eddif
 
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