TDI OIL Interval

I have always changed the oil at 10k and fuel at 20k. When using synthetic as required, is it a must to change out the oil at 10k or can you extend the intervals?

BTW Warranty has expired and TDI has 160k.

You can do whatever you want. If you are going to extend the changes then oil testing would be required to tell you what shape it is in. Then make your decisions based on that info.

Is this on your 2012?

The CR's can easily go over 10k especially with a delete/tune

Depends on the oil used and testing. You can't make a blanket statement on this. Just because one person tested and does it doesn't necessarily mean it is okay for anyone else.

My new interval is 16k after UOA. Aiming for 20k.

Yes, this is on my 2012 Jetta TDI Premium Sedan.

i'd stick to 10k, oil changes aren't that expensive

Keith63 said:

Yes, this is on my 2012 Jetta TDI Premium Sedan.

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You do a lot of highway or stop and go or frequent stops???

If you are highway person, I'd up it and not even bother with a UOA.

I do 20k OCI's on my ALH using Mobil 1 TDT... but that sure isn't an apples to apples comparison.

A used oil analysis on the particular car/engine in question is really the only concrete way to know. From a very unscientific standpoint, the [stock] VAG CR engines seem to really get the oil hot and sooty, and the oil "stinks" when you drain them as compared to previous generations of TDIs. Given the aggressive EGR use, the fact that a DPF burnoff requiring overfueling and high engine temps, and the fact that the oil capacity and filter is not really anything different than before, I'd say to stick with the normal interval unless you've done a UOA. Remember, the turbochargers on these are more fragile, and they are dependent on the engine's oil supply too.

Now if you have a DPF/EGR delete, the oil won't get sooty nearly as much, nor as fast. On the deleted CR cars I regularly service, the oil filter looks like it has been in the car for about 10 minutes even after 10k miles. You can still see the color of the pleat material after letting it drain, it is not the inky black you normally see. I would suspect a deleted CR could easily go 20-30k miles on the oil/filter.

Keith63 said:

I have always changed the oil at 10k and fuel at 20k. When using synthetic as required, is it a must to change out the oil at 10k or can you extend the intervals?

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What oilhammer and others have said. Stick to the 10k mile OCI.

Keith63 said:

BTW Warranty has expired and TDI has 160k.

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The requirements don't magically change after the warranty expires. Stick to the 10k mile OCI and put another 160k miles or more on your TDI.

Good luck.

UOA will give you the data you need to make such a decision. If you don't do that, then stick to the 10K interval.

I use a 2 micron bypass system along with a good oil and am able to get 25K intervals with good UOAs. Otherwise, I'd likely stick to suggested interval.

in my opinion it is quite a long interval anyway, if you change the oil regularly it extends the life of the engine and the companies dont want 20 year old cars circulating there is no incentive to keep the oil change interval down. marine engines are usually 100 hours as with other commercial engines. i change mine at about 6000k

I change the oil (and do all the other maintenance) when the manual says to, on all our vehicles. Saves all that angst and hand-wringing.

marinetech said:

in my opinion it is quite a long interval anyway, if you change the oil regularly it extends the life of the engine and the companies dont want 20 year old cars circulating there is no incentive to keep the oil change interval down. marine engines are usually 100 hours as with other commercial engines. i change mine at about 6000k

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Changing it earlier at 6000 Km or 6000 miles is not necessarily better either. Research please.

Of course I have an ALH. When my car was stock I send the oil out for analysis and the oil at 10,000 miles and it was in good shape. Then PP520's and RC2 send it out again at 10,000 miles and my soot loading climbed close to max; so I stick to 10,000.

I do agree that removing the EGR recycling would help the oil out a lot. Of course I have an EGR delete so no worries for me.