Advice needed (mechanic put wrong oil in)

[Curious Chris]

Use a Pela to get around apartment rules.

I live in an apartment complex and they don't allow oil changes on the property.

I live in an apartment too and they do not allow oil changes either. So I walk out with a beer and my Pela 6000, pop the hood, thread in the hose, pump up the vacuum. Drink the rest of my beer. If I planned well I have a plastic bag and I take out the oil filter, let it drain, put it in the plastic bag and pull it off the stem. Open another beer. Pump up the Pela. Oh crankcase is empty, out of the dipstick hole and into the filter housing to pump out the oil cooler. Done sucking out oil, I wipe off the tubing and put it back into my custom Pela tubing holder (piece of 1" PVC with a cover). Replace o-rings on stem, put on filter, pour oil into filter housing to refill the oil cooler, put filter in place and tighten cap. Add the rest of the oil.

If you are real subtle and pick the right time, nobody will complain.

 

[Diesel Addict]

Red Line is one of the highest-quality and most expensive oils out there. 10W-30 is not the ideal viscosity, but it certainly won't cause any damage in the short term, especially in a VE engine. It does meet the CF rating and it can handle soot from a light-duty diesel, though it's not ideal for an extended drain. It's not really the "wrong" oil, just not the best choice for your TDI. FYI, I use 5W40 Red Line in my PD and it seems to be holding up well based on the one analysis that I did. I plan on doing another one in the next few months.

 

[dhdenney]

dh, no, the big jugs, as they're affectionately called, are now gallons. My local price is just a hair under $$US23. They don't ever have the quart size.

Next time I'm in Wal-Mart I'll go back and look. I am positive last time I was in the automotive section they still had the 5 qt jugs. It's possible Wal-Mart is doing different things regionally.

 

[dieseldorf]

Must be some very old inventory. Hurricane Katrina changed a lot of things, including packaging from many oil producers. AFAIK, no more 5 qt containers anywhere and oil prices have moved up since the good ol' days.

 

[dhdenney]

Must be some very old inventory. Hurricane Katrina changed a lot of things, including packaging from many oil producers. AFAIK, no more 5 qt containers anywhere and oil prices have moved up since the good ol' days.

It would have to be very old, like 2 years old. Like I said I'll check it out next time I'm in there.

 

[Bob_Fout]

Red Line is one of the highest-quality and most expensive oils out there. 10W-30 is not the ideal viscosity, but it certainly won't cause any damage in the short term, especially in a VE engine. It does meet the CF rating and it can handle soot from a light-duty diesel, though it's not ideal for an extended drain. It's not really the "wrong" oil, just not the best choice for your TDI. FYI, I use 5W40 Red Line in my PD and it seems to be holding up well based on the one analysis that I did. I plan on doing another one in the next few months.

The difference between a CF only rated oil (not to be confused with an oil that meets CF and 505.00) and a CF-4 only rated oil is large enough to drive a Mack truck through.

CF was established for service typical of off-road, heavy-duty diesel engines and engines operating on higher sulfur fuels.

CF-4 was established in 1991 to specify oil quality for severe- duty, low-emission, four-stroke diesel engines produced in 1991 or later. Oils meeting this category offered improved control of oil consumption and piston deposits versus previous quality levels. CF-4 has essentially replaced the CE quality rating.

Text from http://www.largiader.com/jetta/motoroil.html

 

[scurvy]

If you are real subtle and pick the right time, nobody will complain.

I would hope nobody would! And if anyone asks what you're doing, simply say, "oh, just checking my oil... huh, I'm 4.5 liters low, better top it up"

The oil extractor has to be an especially huge blessing for those in said situations - I remember the bad old days of changing my oil while the car was parked on the street. Talk about dangerous!

 

[Diesel Addict]

The difference between a CF only rated oil (not to be confused with an oil that meets CF and 505.00) and a CF-4 only rated oil is large enough to drive a Mack truck through.

CF was established for service typical of off-road, heavy-duty diesel engines and engines operating on higher sulfur fuels.

CF-4 was established in 1991 to specify oil quality for severe- duty, low-emission, four-stroke diesel engines produced in 1991 or later. Oils meeting this category offered improved control of oil consumption and piston deposits versus previous quality levels. CF-4 has essentially replaced the CE quality rating.

Text from http://www.largiader.com/jetta/motoroil.html

I remember seeing on the API chart that CF is actually newer than CF-4. The big question is whether Red Line 10W30 also meets ACEA B3 or B4 which is the European light-duty diesel standard and more relevant to TDI's. I don't know the answer to that (would have to see the bottle), but I know the 5W40 that I use meets those standards. Even if the 10W30 doesn't, CF should be more than capable of handling the TDI's soot. In any case, there's absolutely no reason for the OP to panic about using this oil in the short term and I wouldn't expect any harm even in the long term.

 

[TornadoRed]

I live in an apartment too and they do not allow oil changes either. So I walk out with a beer and my Pela 6000, pop the hood, thread in the hose, pump up the vacuum. Drink the rest of my beer. If I planned well I have a plastic bag and I take out the oil filter, let it drain, put it in the plastic bag and pull it off the stem. Open another beer. Pump up the Pela. Oh crankcase is empty, out of the dipstick hole and into the filter housing to pump out the oil cooler. Done sucking out oil, I wipe off the tubing and put it back into my custom Pela tubing holder (piece of 1" PVC with a cover). Replace o-rings on stem, put on filter, pour oil into filter housing to refill the oil cooler, put filter in place and tighten cap. Add the rest of the oil.

I usually don't drink beer during oil changes, but otherwise my routine is exactly the same. I've never given the apartment manager any reason to complain. She's impressed that I do my own routine maintenance, and that my car has a diesel engine. (She immigrated from Germany after WWII, worked in aircraft industry before most of the SoCal plants closed circa 1991-93.)

Edit: and BTW, I would never use an oil that met only CF or CF-4. I'd want CH-4 at a minimum -- anything before that is obsolete and has probably been in a warehouse for 5-7 years.

 

[Diesel Addict]

The thing to keep in mind is that the oil in question is not an obsolete CF-only oil. It's an up-to-date, high-quality gasser oil that can also handle a certain amount of soot.

 

[dhdenney]

dh, no, the big jugs, as they're affectionately called, are now gallons. My local price is just a hair under $$US23. They don't ever have the quart size.

Was in Wal-Mart tonight, all weights of M1 they had are 5 qts, no kidding. I was wrong about the price though, they have gone up to just under $22.

 

[dhdenney]

I'll take a picture tomorrow.

 

[TDIJetta99]

A word of caution, the 5qt jugs of M1 are the gasser oil... the 5w40 Turbodiesel Truck oil is only in the 4qt jugs as far as I have found, they look the same just a little smaller... My local walmart has the 5w40 mixed in with thr gasser oil, it's easy to spot because it's a little smaller than all the rest...

 

[dieseldorf]

Was in Wal-Mart tonight, all weights of M1 they had are 5 qts, no kidding. I was wrong about the price though, they have gone up to just under $22.

If true, it's must be unique to your location unless it's very old stock, which would surprise me. All other locations are now selling the 1 gallon size.

 

[TDIJetta99]

I noticed all the gasser oil is still in the 5qt jugs near me, all with the newer labeling... The only M1 that ISN'T in the 5qt jugs is the TDT 5w40.... That's the 4qt one..

 

[dhdenney]

If true, it's must be unique to your location unless it's very old stock, which would surprise me. All other locations are now selling the 1 gallon size.

It must be my region/market. I know it's not old stock cuz the newer 5w-30 Truck and SUV is in the 5 qt size. Weights/types not sold at my Wal-Mart are the Turbo Diesel Truck, both flavors of the 15w50, and 0w-40.

 

[dhdenney]

I noticed all the gasser oil is still in the 5qt jugs near me, all with the newer labeling... The only M1 that ISN'T in the 5qt jugs is the TDT 5w40.... That's the 4qt one..

I am guessing that Mobil wanted to streamline their operations. Delvac 1 always came in the gallon jug so I guess it all goes in the gallon jug and then goes to two different labeling departments.

 

[TDIJetta99]

It must be my region/market. I know it's not old stock cuz the newer 5w-30 Truck and SUV is in the 5 qt size. Weights/types not sold at my Wal-Mart are the Turbo Diesel Truck, both flavors of the 15w50, and 0w-40.

None of those oils are the TURBODIESEL TRUCK 5w40 that we use in the TDI's.... That's why you don't see the 4qt size.. Because the oil you need for the TDI isn't there at all...

The truck&SUV 5w30 oil they have now is NOT THE SAME...

The turbodiesel truck oil is only in a 5w40....

 

[gbg_tdi]

Doh! However, it is suitable for a non PD engine.

No, Syntec is never 505.01, only 505.00.

 

[TDIJetta99]

Doh! However, it is suitable for a non PD engine.

The 5W30?

 

[dhdenney]

None of those oils are the TURBODIESEL TRUCK 5w40 that we use in the TDI's.... That's why you don't see the 4qt size.. Because the oil you need for the TDI isn't there at all...

The truck&SUV 5w30 oil they have now is NOT THE SAME...

The turbodiesel truck oil is only in a 5w40....

What are you ranting about? I never said the T&SUV was for TDIs! I just said that Wal Mart has it???? What part of "Turbo Diesel Truck is not sold at my Wal-Mart" did you not get?

 

[TDIJetta99]

What are you ranting about? I never said the T&SUV was for TDIs! I just said that Wal Mart has it???? What part of "Turbo Diesel Truck is not sold at my Wal-Mart" did you not get?

I didn't see where you said they didn't have it... The way you said it made it seem like you were saying they DID have it but in the 5qt containers..

Someone 2 posts up said the 5w30 was good for the non-PD...

I never said the T&SUV was for TDIs!

I never said that you DID say the T&SUV was good for the TDI... where did I say that?

 

[dhdenney]

The truck&SUV 5w30 oil they have now is NOT THE SAME...

This seemed to imply that I said it was ok for TDIs.

 

[TornadoRed]

I am sure you did not mean to say what he said you said that you didn't say.

 

[TDIJetta99]

I am sure you did not mean to say what he said you said that you didn't say.

I'll go with that....

Who's on first anyway?

 

[dieseldorf]

It must be my region/market. I know it's not old stock cuz the newer 5w-30 Truck and SUV is in the 5 qt size. Weights/types not sold at my Wal-Mart are the Turbo Diesel Truck, both flavors of the 15w50, and 0w-40.

dh, I was in my local store today and took a picture of the gallon jug for you. Just need to figure out how to extract it from the camera phone

 

[TornadoRed]

Who's on first anyway?

Hu -- Chin-Lung Hu.

(Note: he's actually an outstanding shortstop in the Dodgers farm team system.)

 

[dhdenney]

dh, I was in my local store today and took a picture of the gallon jug for you. Just need to figure out how to extract it from the camera phone

dh, no, the big jugs, as they're affectionately called, are now gallons. My local price is just a hair under $$US23. They don't ever have the quart size.

I took one for you as well. I didn't get a shot of all of them, just this one. Not a single gallon jug in the store for M1. Seen plenty of those at Advance, but not my Wal-Mart.

 

[tdijerry]

tdi oil / wal-mart

the wal-mart in my area does not carry Mobil 1 0w40 oil vw spec ts 502/505. i have never seen any Mobil 1 5w40 tdi oil their. the auto section is about as worthless as tits on a boar hog.

 

[dieseldorf]

I took one for you as well. I didn't get a shot of all of them, just this one. Not a single gallon jug in the store for M1. Seen plenty of those at Advance, but not my Wal-Mart.

dh, I will respectfully request that you stay on topic. We are only discussing M1 TDT 5W40. Why are you bringing these unrelated products into the discussion

The oil we are discussing is no long available in 5qt sizes.