Burning Oil 2015 TDI

Tdi2015

Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Location
Boston
TDI
2015
I've been burning a quart or oil every 5k miles. I did not burn oil for the first 20k or so. I bring it to the dealer for maintenance, and they are using the 507 spec. I am also, though less frequently, running low on coolant. The car has 75k on it(mostly highway)and I've been thinking of switching to 5w-40 low ash, that's used on MB. But I guess my questions are, should I be concerned that she's burning oil at that rate? Is it a good idea to switch to a non 507 oil, that is low ash? Would any of this impair my ability to participate in the buy back? Would changing oils stop it from burning oil?
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I'd be more concerned about the coolant loss. Is there any sign of coolant or oil leaks? They won't care(or know)what oil is in the sump when you take it in for the buyback.
 

Tdi2015

Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Location
Boston
TDI
2015
No sign of leaks, which at that rate I was surprised. I figured there'd be something in the driveway or my parking spot at work. Do you think they're related?
 

TooSlick

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 2, 1999
Location
Dixie
TDI
Audi 100S
I'd take a used oil sample and have it analyzed ASAP. The two effects could very well be related if coolant is being burned and/or getting into the oil itself. It could also be possible that a quart every 5000 miles is normal for this particular engine when driven hard.
 

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
OP: clarify exactly what you mean by "running low on coolant."

Sadly, 1 qt every 5k miles is probably considered within "normal" range for any ICE, so you might not really have a significant issue.
 

car0430a

Member
Joined
May 31, 2015
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
15' Passat SE TDI 6M
2015 Passat TDI, Similar mileage, 90 percent highway miles
Also burning around the same amount of oil. I'm low about a quart at 7500 miles when I do my oil change. No coolant loss for me.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
This might just be par for the course for the new engine. We'll have to get more data points from owners to decide if this is a trend or not.

This would be odd for the VAG diesels though, as unlike their gasoline fueled stablemates, rarely have much of an oil appetite.

I would advise to minimize any variables in your checking/adding/measuring regimen by doing things the same way each and every time, and letting the car sit for a bit after it was warm before checking the oil, and only adding the absolute minimum necessary to bring it to the full level if it is found to be below.
 

Motoomen

New member
Joined
Nov 6, 2017
Location
London
TDI
VW B5 Passat TDI
I had that problem, when I had to much oil in the tank. The thing is I had as much oil as prodeuce rsuggested. I simply stoped adding so much
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
Is this a NOS bought this year (most likely not with 20K on the clock) or one owned since 2015?
 

Tdi2015

Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Location
Boston
TDI
2015
I bought it brand new. I switched to a 504 spec oil, have put on 6k and have had the oil light come on yet. As far as being low on coolant, I mean low enough for the coolant light to come on, and the coolant level to be below min. line. The strange part is that I didnt burn for the first 20k or so miles. Then I began burning it regularly. I figured that, I put on 50 miles every time I drive and drive about 80mph, all high way. So I was wondering if that was just too much for the 507 to take. I dont understand why I would be going through coolant though without a leak. It's a closed system is it not?
 

vincej

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2015
Location
Calgary
TDI
2014 Golf Wagon
I think you have a problem especially that your coolant loss coincided with more oil consumption. I'd have the cooling system pressure tested and as suggested have the oil analyzed.

I just developed an oil leak in my 2013 but have isolated it to the turbo return oil line. It shows up on the garage floor.
 

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
TDI2015 and Dannyboy:

Please clarify how much coolant you're adding. I've found, with 2 2009 TDIs, a 2012 and 2014, that ALL of them required adding some coolant between 20k and 50k. I assumed it was simply the expansion of coolant hoses, but I may be way off.

So, how MUCH coolant are you losing?
 

flee

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2011
Location
Chatsworth, CA
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS wagon
In both of your situations I would check the coolant cap or just replace it with new.
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
I bought it brand new. I switched to a 504 spec oil, have put on 6k and have had the oil light come on yet. As far as being low on coolant, I mean low enough for the coolant light to come on, and the coolant level to be below min. line. The strange part is that I didnt burn for the first 20k or so miles. Then I began burning it regularly. I figured that, I put on 50 miles every time I drive and drive about 80mph, all high way. So I was wondering if that was just too much for the 507 to take. I dont understand why I would be going through coolant though without a leak. It's a closed system is it not?
Good luck using gasoline spec engine oil in your TDI. I recommend switching back to an appropriate diesel oil immediately.
 

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
Agree with VeeDubTDI. 504? nope.

Very odd that the odor of coolant was almost constant in the engine bay of all 4 of my CRTDIs. Sealed system? Never did learn where the odor was from, added small amount of coolant every 35-40k miles.
 

adjat84th

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
TDI
'01 Jetta TDI/'15 Golf TDI
Had to add coolant to both '15s as well. I think it's just normal expanding of hoses as oil reports have never had coolant show up. Oil consumption on both has been a liter or less per 10k miles.
 

murphyslaw

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2014
Location
Alaska
TDI
'14 TDI JSW/Sunroof/Nav/Man
I own a '14 JSW TDI. It is just over 82,000 miles as of this morning drive to work.

I have never had to add oil between oil changes(10,000 miles) And it has never been more than a half qt low at oil change time. But I may not have gotten it full on the last one so I chalked it up as close enough.

Since purchased new in July of 2014 I have only had to add coolant once. One of those 1.5ish qt bottles of G13 premix from napa was more than enough.

So If you are loosing oil and coolant like you say, to me I would be worried.

My 2003 Duramax with 320,000 miles on it does not even burn a qt between 7500 mile OCIs.
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
OP: clarify exactly what you mean by "running low on coolant."

Sadly, 1 qt every 5k miles is probably considered within "normal" range for any ICE, so you might not really have a significant issue.
To clarify, I think you meant 1 quart of oil per 5K miles, not coolant

For coolant, going 10K miles without having to add any is pretty normal. With the engine warm, coolant should be at or below the max line and with the engine cold, coolant should be at or above the minimum line on the coolant bottle.
 
Last edited:

Tdi2015

Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Location
Boston
TDI
2015
Clarify

So I don't know precisely how much coolant I've gone through over the 80k+ miles. I would say I have had to fill it maybe 3-4 times from below the min line. Overall I would say not a ton, but it's happened enough for me to have a bottle of coolant in the trunk at all times, along with obvi a quart of oil. The light comes on when it's low for the coolant, so I never let it get too low. As far as the 504 vs 507, I choose the 504 because it's what Mercedes diesels allow for with a RELATIVELY similar emissions system. I was wondering if maybe the turbo was a little leaky? having it go either back into the engine, or out the exhaust? Is either of those possible?
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
As far as the 504 vs 507, I choose the 504 because it's what Mercedes diesels allow for with a RELATIVELY similar emissions system.
As I said earlier in this thread 504 is 507 if you read the label it's 504.00/507.00 there is no such thing as straight 504 approved oil. What Mercedes spec are you quoting?
If you have a bottle of oil marked just 504 I would love to see it and know what brand of oil it is.
 
Last edited:

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I think he's confusing the 505.x spec oil(which is more commonly available) with the 504/507 spec oils. I really can't picture any 5w-40 or 0w-40 oil causing catastrophic damage to his car. Especially if he only intends to keep it for the next 10 months or less.
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
Weren't 504 and 507 oils marketed separately early on?
Well, I don't know the answer to that. By 2009 when VW presented us with the 2L CR diesel engine they were one in the same 504.00/507.00 previous gasser spec oils I do not know as I didn't own one and the MY 2006 PD's oils were 505.1, not 504. Where a single spec 504.00 oil came about is beyond me but in 2018 when a poster sez he chose 504.00 over 507.00 well you see what I mean.
 

Tdi2015

Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Location
Boston
TDI
2015
Castrol Edge 5w-40 which meets MB 229.51. My thought process was that it was good enough for MB emission so it shouldn't ruin my system at least not in the next 10 or so month, but at the same time, because I run it hard provide a weight that can handle it. My MPG has dropped from about 50 mpg to 45, but I havent had to add any. My understanding was that the difference between the 504 and the 507 was that the 507 was produces SLIGHTLY less ash that would fill up my emission system.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
That mb 229.51 5w-40 will be just fine for the remainder of your ownership. The point about 504 is that you won't find a 504 spec oil that isn't also 507 spec- they are all 504/507.
 
Top