Alh engine oil

Nathan_og

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2021
Location
Ontario
TDI
2002 vw jetta 1.9 alh 5 spd
Hi everyone, im currently running motomaster 5w-40 in my alh with 300 thousand kilometers. Im going to be doing a oil change soon and was wondering if I should switch to shell Rotella synthetic t6 or mobil Delvac 1. I heard those oils offer better protection but It does not meet the 505 spec.

Any other oil you recommend as well?

I know the motomaster is fine but I feel like a oil made just for diesels would offer better protection.
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
Any diesel rated synthetic XW-40 will work. Critical things is that its diesel rated and its a 40W to protect the flat tappet cam.
 

CleverUserName

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
NorCal
TDI
2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
Just get the Mobil 1 Delvac ESP 5w40. It’s the highest quality you can get for the price.
 

Diesel Fumes

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Location
Creston, bc
TDI
2003 alh tdi 5 speed
I buy synthetic 5w40 Walmart brand because it's usually like 15 bucks a jug. It's all I've ever used though I'm sure there's better options

If it doesn't say 505 on the back I wouldn't use it.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
The CanadianTire OE-plus Motomaster" 0w40 lists the 505.00 spec - I've used it a couple times and seems to do fine in the car.
Rotella T6, while not explicitly listing the 505.00 (or BEW's 505.01) spec, have nonetheless shown (via used oil analysis) to be excellent oils for the Mk4 and PD diesels; a few threads here have discussed the Rotella T6 and from what I recall, that oil does list a spec that equals or surpasses the qualities required of the 505.xx spec.
 

Genesis

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon
I've used T6 5w40 exclusively since the ALH in my user block was new. The last time I had the valve cover off to do a timing belt (not all that long ago; water pump failure forced it early) the cam was still in serviceable condition. Since that's the highest-risk trouble spot, the oil is readily available and is diesel-rated I see no reason not to continue using it.
 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
I've used T6 5w40 exclusively since the ALH in my user block was new. The last time I had the valve cover off to do a timing belt (not all that long ago; water pump failure forced it early) the cam was still in serviceable condition. Since that's the highest-risk trouble spot, the oil is readily available and is diesel-rated I see no reason not to continue using it.
Yeah I'm in the same boat. T6 goes in my car, truck, dirtbike, and Honda Fury (yes it's actually rated for wet clutch use for both of the scoots!). Makes it easy for me. That being said, it seems there are nation wide shortages of Rotella. I have to do an oil change soon in the Golf, so hopefully there's some on the shelf when it comes time.
 

Genesis

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon
I noticed that. Tried to buy some over the last month or so since I always keep some around "for the next time" and..... empty shelves. There IS some 15w40 T6 now available but if you drive where it gets cold you want the better flow in cold weather, and I am loathe to screw with what has been working. The good news is that it'll be spring before I actually need it, but.... yeah.
 

bmwM5power

Veteran Member
Joined
May 3, 2007
Location
Rochester NY
TDI
15 GSW TDI S 6MT / 02 JETTA TDI GLS 5MT 15 GOLF TDI 6MT
I buy synthetic 5w40 Walmart brand because it's usually like 15 bucks a jug. It's all I've ever used though I'm sure there's better options

If it doesn't say 505 on the back I wouldn't use it.
which one is that for $15?
 

Genesis

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon
I do not believe that is diesel-rated (no "Cx" rating, only an "Sx" one.)

If it is not diesel-rated then I would not use it under any circumstances as it is not formulated to suspend the soot and other byproducts that all diesels produce and which always get into the oil.
 

Diesel Fumes

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Location
Creston, bc
TDI
2003 alh tdi 5 speed
I do not believe that is diesel-rated (no "Cx" rating, only an "Sx" one.)

If it is not diesel-rated then I would not use it under any circumstances as it is not formulated to suspend the soot and other byproducts that all diesels produce and which always get into the oil.
The Walmart oil? On the back it says for gas and light duty diesel and has the 505.00 rating.

What is Cx and Sx? No doubt this Walmart oil isn't the best but it's the cheapest and Im cheap so I use it.
 

KLXD

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 22, 2009
Location
Lompoc, CA
TDI
'98, '2 Jettas
C for compression ignition, S for spark. Prolly the most fundamentalist identifier of erls.
 

PakProtector

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2014
Location
AnnArbor, MI
TDI
Mk.4's and the Cummins
The T6 has always presented me with 2x the oil consumption of M1. In my cumminses, and our ALH's and even my BEW. The ALH gets M1 usually, though Delo400 5/40 synth goes in sometimes. The BEW gets M1 with a zddp additive. Will see in about 20k miles what this has done for the cam( at 190k miles) after ~120k under my ownership.
cheers,
Douglas
 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
The T6 has always presented me with 2x the oil consumption of M1. In my cumminses, and our ALH's and even my BEW. The ALH gets M1 usually, though Delo400 5/40 synth goes in sometimes. The BEW gets M1 with a zddp additive. Will see in about 20k miles what this has done for the cam( at 190k miles) after ~120k under my ownership.
cheers,
Douglas
Thought the same thing in my 3rd Gen about the consumption with T6, until I found the oil leak culprit. It was a very intensive repair for such a leak, but have been using T6 since (once again) and no consumption to date. Once you find the anti-rust coating dispenser, all seems to be good. Haven't had an issue as much on the ALH, seems to want 1/2 qt per oil change give or take no matter the oil (10k intervals)
 

STDOUBT

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Location
Portland, effing Oregon
TDI
dos jettas
Another oil thread. Wonderfull!
Hey it just means we ain't dead yet :)
Haven't had an issue as much on the ALH, seems to want 1/2 qt per oil change give or take no matter the oil (10k intervals)
Same here, but I think I do have a tiny geyser somewhere.
I've been "testing oout" different (fancier) oils, some I like better than others.
Liqui Moly Diesel High Tech 5W40 - LM2022 <- Good.
MAG 1® FULL SYNTHETIC EUROPEAN 5W/40 A3/B4 MOTOR OIL <- Ehh. was OK.
Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck Full Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-40 <- car seemed to want more oil than the others /10k.
Pentosin 8042206 <- Current. I like this one (heard a rumor it was the original break-in oil.)
Liqui Moly LM2332 <- good.

IBW has stated he has always used
Total Quartz 5W-40 Synthetic
Which I had never even heard of until now!
 

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
Well, I've been using T6 for years ....... like, close to 1 million miles in all of my VW Diesels ... seems to be just fine.
I did find some 5w-40 LOVES Truck Stop Diesel Rated full synthetic for cheap about two months ago $18 per gallon.
Also, TSC has T6 on sale occasionally. The last I purchased was about $48 for a ten quart jug, if I remember correctly.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Folks might be surprised if they read what the owner's manual actually says for the ALH. Since joining these wonderful forums, I've always used T6 because it's readily available. Before that, 1st couple changes (20 years ago), used a quality dino diesel rated oil.
 

CleverUserName

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
NorCal
TDI
2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
The best time to buy oil is during a manufacturer rebate period. I got 16 gallons of Mobil Delvac 1 ESP 5w40 this year from NAPA for $8 a gallon after sale, rewards and rebates were applied.
 
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AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
Folks might be surprised if they read what the owner's manual actually says for the ALH. Since joining these wonderful forums, I've always used T6 because it's readily available. Before that, 1st couple changes (20 years ago), used a quality dino diesel rated oil.
Yeah, several years ago, I did a TB job on an 03 Jetta with 120k on it. The guy had been using 15w-40 Shell Dino since he purchased it new. I got him to change over to T6. At the next TB change it was doing fine. He sold the car in 2017 with over 300k on it. He said the engine was fine.
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
Only issue I have with 15W-40 is cold flow properties. Gets quite thick in the cold. Other than that, I see no reason an ALH can't run on 15W-40.
 

KLXD

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 22, 2009
Location
Lompoc, CA
TDI
'98, '2 Jettas
Did not the original Manual for the ALH specify conventional oil?

Edit: Oops, I meant AHU. Always mix those up even when I pay attention.

I think the synthetic is more for the TC than the engine???
 
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Diesel Fumes

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Location
Creston, bc
TDI
2003 alh tdi 5 speed
Did not the original Manual for the ALH specify conventional oil?

I think the synthetic is more for the TC than the engine???
Maybe. However I have never seen a 505 rated conventional oil.. Maybe the dealer sells it or something?
 

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
What does the 505 mean? Really? The only things unique with the ALH engine is being diesel and it has a Turbo. The synthetic provides protection to the Turbo while diesel rated helps deal with the soot. All diesel rated oils deal with the soot ........... heck they were dealing with the soot 50 years ago and the big rigs were going 400 to 500k miles on the engines even back then. I remember changing oil on a refrigeration unit powered by a 4-cylinder diesel back in the early 1970s ............. that oil was extremely black! The guy said it had not been changed in two years, if I remember correctly.
 
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