Oil comsumption

Sunnyb

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Location
MI
TDI
2015 GSW
I'd like to get some opinions on the oil consumption on my 2015 GSW. The only reference I have is my 09 Jetta for diesel engines. It was a lot lower and I never had the "oil light" come on in 172K miles.

The new car seems to burns about a liter of oil in 8000 miles. The "low oil light" came on at around that mark. I added a liter and then changed the oil at 10k.

I check the oil around 14k and it was approx. .5 liters low. So, my question is, is this high or within the actable margins for oil consumption. Because it seems higher then my old car.

Thanks in advance.
 

Random_Vibration

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2014
Location
Florida
TDI
2015 Golf SEL TDI (6MT, LP, Driver Assist)
According to VW, that is acceptable. You can verify that by checking your manual. This rate is not desirable but the dealer/VW won't do an oil consumption test at that level.

I would inspect for leaks and continue to monitor consumption. It could also be a leak at the turbo.
 

Sunnyb

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Location
MI
TDI
2015 GSW
I forgot to mention that I checked for any leaks and didn't find anything. I figured it was probably within the margins but I thought I would ask anyhow.
 

Asam9

Active member
Joined
Jan 1, 2015
Location
Orange County
TDI
Mk7 golf
My mk7 golf does burn some oil between oil changes. Is does seem to have slowed down since the first oil change. I'm currently at 40,000 miles
 

Ski in NC

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 7, 2008
Location
Wilmington, NC USA
TDI
2001 Jetta ALH 5sp stock
Some engines use some oil, some don't. Your's is higher than most, but still ok. Time your oil add so when oil change time comes, it is on the add mark!!!

Also, if engine has been "babied" since new, rings may have not seated in well. Best to give engine some full power runs up to 4000rpm once in a while to seat the rings.
 

Cutandthrust

Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2015
Location
Nor Cal
TDI
'15 GSW, SE, DSG
Glad I found this, my 2015 GSW TDI, DSG shows 1/4 left on the dipstick, at 6800 miles. About 2000 miles ago, the level was 1/2. I too have been worried, and in fact went to VW today to purchase the proper oil for the car to top off.

I've read TDI's in general burn oil, but our car seems excessive in my opinion. I have a 2015 Ram EcoDiesel that had 12k miles, and hasn't burned a lick of oil, just for reference. Good to know this is somewhat normal.
 

Sunnyb

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Location
MI
TDI
2015 GSW
I take it easy for about the first 500 miles but after that I purposefully rev it up to seat the rings. I remember reading an article about motorcycle "break in" a long time ago which changed my mind about taking it easy on a new engine.
 

Shife

Veteran Member
Joined
May 8, 2015
Location
Michigan
TDI
2015 GSW SE DSG White/Beige
Glad I found this, my 2015 GSW TDI, DSG shows 1/4 left on the dipstick, at 6800 miles. About 2000 miles ago, the level was 1/2. I too have been worried, and in fact went to VW today to purchase the proper oil for the car to top off.

I've read TDI's in general burn oil, but our car seems excessive in my opinion. I have a 2015 Ram EcoDiesel that had 12k miles, and hasn't burned a lick of oil, just for reference. Good to know this is somewhat normal.
Fuel dilution. I don't know how to break this to you, but there isn't a single ICE engine made that doesn't consume a small amount of oil.

One liter / 10K miles is phenomenal considering it wasn't long ago that 1 quart / 1k was considered acceptable.
 

lalyde

Active member
Joined
Aug 18, 2015
Location
Midwest
TDI
2015 VW GSW MT TDI
Timely thread. Mine too was about a 1 liter low at ~18,500 miles. I did a quick check and did not see any leakage (I will have to d a more thorough investigation this weekend) but I am glad to hear I am not alone.
 

jayp111

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2005
Location
Undisclosed location
TDI
n/a
I cant seem to find the thread but DBW had posted a break in procedure many years ago that talked about varying speed for x number of miles, ensuring that the engine revved to x rpm's before upshifting and reasons for all the suggestions/explanation of seating of compression/oil rings yada yada yada

Wish I could find the thread

Anyway, I followed that procedure for my BRM engine and 290k later I still consume less than a quart every 10k
 

adjat84th

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
TDI
'01 Jetta TDI/'15 Golf TDI
My wife's wagon has used zero oil so far at 14k miles. She babies the thing even after I tried to mention getting on it at least a few times a week. So I'm pretty sure the only full boost/high rpm conditions are observed when I drive it. I've only put 2k miles on my golf since buying it used a couple weeks ago, but so far it's just below the full mark at 19k and needing an oil change this weekend.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 

Random_Vibration

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2014
Location
Florida
TDI
2015 Golf SEL TDI (6MT, LP, Driver Assist)
I find that following the break-in procedure in the manual works just fine for previous VW and Audi TDIs and gasoline cars. I didn't do anything other than what was specified and oil consumption was not a problem.
 

Random_Vibration

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2014
Location
Florida
TDI
2015 Golf SEL TDI (6MT, LP, Driver Assist)
Over what period of time and which model/engine?
Could you be specific? Regardless, it doesn't matter. The manufacturer's recommendation somehow doesn't become less accurate with time. Whatever was in the manual for that specific car at that specific time.

2016 2.0 TSI
2015 2.0 TDI CR
2013 2.0 TDI CR
2012 2.0 TSI
2006 1.9 TDI PD
2002 1.8T
2000 1.9 TDI PD
1999 2.8 VR6

I don't follow conventional wisdom or forum advice. The manual is the first and only source. It was informed by engineers and being a mechanical engineer myself, it's good enough for me. I'm inclined to believe that if an engine burns oil, it was likely due to misuse, abuse, a design flaw/feature, or manufacturing defect. The only factor I can control is proper use and maintenance. If I have an oil burner after proper care, it was destined to be an oil burner. The die was cast before I took possession.
 
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Sunnyb

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Location
MI
TDI
2015 GSW
I thought I would update this thread. I have around 28,000 miles on the car now. I checked the dipstick tonight and it is 3/4 of the way to the top of the hash marks. It looks like the engine is definitely burning less oil now. Previously I had the "oil light" come on at around 8k and it was about the same at 18k. But now at 28k it is much higher then before. I just might be that it took longer for the rings to seat.
 
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slj333

Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Location
MN
TDI
2015 sportwagen s
Sorry to bump an old thread, but purchased my 2015 GWS TDI with 41k on it. It's consuming about 1 quart every 4,000 miles or so. Not terrible, but I was a little surprised.
 

mkane

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2015
Location
N.CA
TDI
GSW SEL 6spd
And I'm now approaching 30,000 and oil consumption has slowed to a trickle.
 

thundershorts

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Location
west chester pa
TDI
2015 passat tdi sel premium 2015 golf s tdi gls tdi b5.5, 2002 eurovan,Peugeot 505 td,Citroen cx25 prestige
I'd try changing your oil to pentocin 3 next change and see if that makes a difference.
 

Sunnyb

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Location
MI
TDI
2015 GSW
It seems I have gone backwards, the car is burning more oil lately. I'm going to have the dealership do a test on my next oil change.
 

Blue_Hen_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Location
Slower, DE
TDI
owned: 96 B4V, 06 Golf, 12 NMS, 15 GSW
I am currently at 27K miles and still on my third fill of oil. I always fill to the top of the measuring area of the dipstick. I have noticed no oil loss at all through the three fills.
 

thundershorts

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Location
west chester pa
TDI
2015 passat tdi sel premium 2015 golf s tdi gls tdi b5.5, 2002 eurovan,Peugeot 505 td,Citroen cx25 prestige
At my first oil change, 10k, changed to pentocin 3. Observed 3mpg increase on mdf and more power , much smoother idle.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
At my first oil change, 10k, changed to pentocin 3. Observed 3mpg increase on mdf and more power , much smoother idle.
Almost zero chance that has anything to do with the motor oil. There really isn't much daylight between the various 507 oils.
 

thundershorts

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Location
west chester pa
TDI
2015 passat tdi sel premium 2015 golf s tdi gls tdi b5.5, 2002 eurovan,Peugeot 505 td,Citroen cx25 prestige
Some of the 507 oils are 100% synthenic and some aren't.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
Never underestimate the placebo effect.
 

sprstu

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2005
Location
Minneapolis, MN
TDI
mk1 TD, GSW TDI 6spd
2015 6spd 58,900miles.

Had the low oil warning come on a few 100 ago, surprised to see it but having read this thread I’m not worried, just “normal”. Finding 507 oil in Madison WI while on the road was a HUGE headache. The only place I found was Advanced Autoparts on the East Side. Put on 1qt to get the oil into the hash marks, so close to a full change that I will do it all when I get home.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
2015 6spd 58,900miles.

Had the low oil warning come on a few 100 ago, surprised to see it but having read this thread I’m not worried, just “normal”. Finding 507 oil in Madison WI while on the road was a HUGE headache. The only place I found was Advanced Autoparts on the East Side. Put on 1qt to get the oil into the hash marks, so close to a full change that I will do it all when I get home.
For those sort of "top up" scenarios any 5w-40 oil is fine. My owners manual even mentions as much.
 
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