Can I use 5w30 Castrol Full Synth in MK4 Jetta TDI?

jyhuh28 · Aug 16, 2014

Hey guys,
Quick question. I have 8 qts of 5w30 Full synth Castrol laying around from my previous veh. Can we use that in our MK4 TDI's?
Been using Rotella sythetic but thought I'd ask before I pick some up

hgsmith · Aug 16, 2014

No, It's not for a diesel.

2.2TDI · Aug 16, 2014

hgsmith said:
No, It's not for a diesel.

Not true... if it's 505.00 rated, I believe you should be good.

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/wiki/engine-oil-list-for-tdi-diesel/

If the oil you're taking about is syntec, according to that list, you should be fine, but as it says, not the best choice

PJVWGolf · Aug 16, 2014

Around here the Castrol end Helix oils seems to be the preferred oil. Some wanting to spend more consider the Motul 8100 xclean 5w40. VW 505 00 approved and fully synthetic. I myself will be buying it today to do my 1st change. I prefer to spend a bit more for better quality.

Bob_Fout · Aug 17, 2014

jyhuh28 said:
Hey guys,
Quick question. I have 8 qts of 5w30 Full synth Castrol laying around from my previous veh. Can we use that in our MK4 TDI's?
Been using Rotella sythetic but thought I'd ask before I pick some up

Which specific Castrol 5w30 is it?

jasonTDI · Aug 18, 2014

2.2TDI said:
Not true... if it's 505.00 rated, I believe you should be good.
http://www.myturbodiesel.com/wiki/engine-oil-list-for-tdi-diesel/
If the oil you're taking about is syntec, according to that list, you should be fine, but as it says, not the best choice

False. 505.00 is a gas rating as well and there are a lot of oils that meet the GAS rating. Look at the bottle and unless it specifically states a "C" for compression rating its NOT a diesel oil. It will NOT suspend the soot and other contaminants. Would it work? Sure but I wouldn't leave it in there any longer than it takes to get the correct oil.

5W30 is too thin for this motor as well. That is old news though.

2.2TDI · Aug 18, 2014

jasonTDI said:
False. 505.00 is a gas rating as well and there are a lot of oils that meet the GAS rating. Look at the bottle and unless it specifically states a "C" for compression rating its NOT a diesel oil. It will NOT suspend the soot and other contaminants. Would it work? Sure but I wouldn't leave it in there any longer than it takes to get the correct oil.
5W30 is too thin for this motor as well. That is old news though.

Good to know, I was unaware of this, hence why I said I believe it would be okay, but wasn't sure... I wouldn't use it either, never have, but it can work if last resort

tditom · Aug 18, 2014

jasonTDI said:
False. 505.00 is a gas rating as well and there are a lot of oils that meet the GAS rating..

False. 505.00 is only a diesel rating. 502.00 is the gas rating for that vintage VW.

2.2TDI · Aug 18, 2014

tditom said:
False. 505.00 is only a diesel rating. 502.00 is the gas rating for that vintage VW.

Yep...

http://www.oilspecifications.org/volkswagen.php

I almost fell for thinking 505.00 was gas earlier on from the other post... But that wouldn't make sense since now that I think about it 505.01 is specifically for pd engines and why some oils have 502.00/505.00 on the bottle for both gas and diesel (liqui moly comes to mind)

Bob_Fout · Aug 18, 2014

jasonTDI said:
False. 505.00 is a gas rating as well and there are a lot of oils that meet the GAS rating. Look at the bottle and unless it specifically states a "C" for compression rating its NOT a diesel oil. It will NOT suspend the soot and other contaminants. Would it work? Sure but I wouldn't leave it in there any longer than it takes to get the correct oil.

5W30 is too thin for this motor as well. That is old news though.

I am not 100% convinced what DBW stated in the past about correctly spec'd 0w30 and 5w30 oils. Too much willful misrepresentation of photos.

You, I believe. Have you personally seen issues with correctly spec'd 0w30 or 5w30 oils in the ALH that cannot be attributed to something else?

40X40 · Aug 18, 2014

Please post what you know and have verified, not what you believe but have not checked.

Thank you and carry on.

Bill

2.2TDI · Aug 18, 2014

40X40 said:
Please post what you know and have verified, not what you believe but have not checked.

Thank you and carry on.

Bill

I only posted what I knew from sources online, and I verified it with the links... I don't know when you became the internet police and made a rule that "thou shall only post facts"... As for the oil, if it can't be used, then don't, I tried to help the OP that's all, that's why we're here.

By the way, since we're talking about facts, is there a used oil analysis, or something written that says" thou shall not use Castrol synthetic 5w-30 or engine will go kaboom? "

40X40 · Aug 18, 2014

2.2TDI said:
I only posted what I knew from sources online, and I verified it with the links... I don't know when you became the internet police and made a rule that "thou shall only post facts"... As for the oil, if it can't be used, then don't, I tried to help the OP that's all, that's why we're here.

By the way, since we're talking about facts, is there a used oil analysis, or something written that says" thou shall not use Castrol synthetic 5w-30 or engine will go kaboom? "

Internet police, my ass. Grow up.

<facepalm>

Bill

2.2TDI · Aug 18, 2014

40X40 said:
Internet police, my ass. Grow up.

<facepalm>

Bill

Lol guess you must have some sort of complex... Enjoy being an internet cop

jasonTDI · Aug 20, 2014

My bad on the 502.

I have seen excessive cam wear on ALH motors running 5w30. Even with shorter intervals (5-7K) Cam and lifters should not show wear in 30K-40K. I do not see this with 5w40 oils of ANY spec other than Diesel specific. These cars like 40w oil. Period.

The new CR cars are just fine at 250K plus on the LL03 oil. It's all I run in clients cars.

Bob_Fout · Sep 7, 2014

jasonTDI said:
My bad on the 502.

I have seen excessive cam wear on ALH motors running 5w30. Even with shorter intervals (5-7K) Cam and lifters should not show wear in 30K-40K. I do not see this with 5w40 oils of ANY spec other than Diesel specific. These cars like 40w oil. Period.

The new CR cars are just fine at 250K plus on the LL03 oil. It's all I run in clients cars.

Jason, do you remember which 5w30s people were running?

jasonTDI · Sep 7, 2014

amsoil for sure on a couple.

Bob_Fout · Sep 7, 2014

jasonTDI said:
amsoil for sure on a couple.

Is it possible this was before the re-formulation of HDD? Any using Syntec Euro 0w30? Or the later 505.00 5w30s?

jasonTDI · Sep 9, 2014

It's been 5 years

jasonTDI · Sep 9, 2014

Frankly bob I don't do oil services unless it's part of a bigger service. No time for that work.

Jesus Is Lord · Sep 9, 2014

I have also seen abnormal wear on alh cams with people running 5w30. It was Mobil 1 though

tditom · Sep 9, 2014

Jesus Is Lord said:
I have also seen abnormal wear on alh cams with people running 5w30. It was Mobil 1 though

Which type of Mobil1?

Jesus Is Lord · Sep 9, 2014

The customer did not specify

tditom · Sep 9, 2014

Jesus Is Lord said:
I have also seen abnormal wear on alh cams with people running 5w30. It was Mobil 1 though

tditom said:
Which type of Mobil1?

Jesus Is Lord said:
The customer did not specify

If it was not rated for diesel use (API Cx-4/VW505.00 or higher) then you'd expect it to increase wear. The only Mobil1 5W30 that I'm aware of carrying diesel ratings is the ESP version (relatively rare and expensive).

How many miles with the 5W30 on that car?

Jesus Is Lord · Sep 9, 2014

The car had about 180,000 miles and had two or three lifters almost worn through

tditom · Sep 9, 2014

Jesus Is Lord said:
The car had about 180,000 miles and had two or three lifters almost worn through

Any idea how many of those miles were using the mystery Mobil1 5w30 oil?

Jesus Is Lord · Sep 10, 2014

He bought it new and told me it had Mobil 1 its whole life.

tditom · Sep 10, 2014

Jesus Is Lord said:
He bought it new and told me it had Mobil 1 its whole life.

So it most likely ran on gasser oil its whole life (if he used 5W30 that whole time). No wonder the cam lobes had visible wear at 180k mi.

Jesus Is Lord · Sep 10, 2014

My point is that 5w30 is not thick enough for any diesel engine

dieseldorf · Sep 10, 2014

Jesus Is Lord said:
My point is that 5w30 is not thick enough for any diesel engine

Jesus, if that were true, how can VAG be specifying 507.00 for diesels today??

(ALL 507.00 oils are 5W30 by specification.)

Can I use 5w30 Castrol Full Synth in MK4 Jetta TDI?

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