Hi,

Topped up oil couple of weeks ago. This morning oil light comes on. Dipstick shows it's low, and theres some residue around the filler cap.

The manual says for "Fixed Service Intervals" to use VW 505 01 and for "variable service intervals" VW 506 01 and VW 507 00 are okay.

Topped it up with "Shell Helix Ultra Extra" which is VW 507 - but my handbook has "QG0" meaning "fixed service intervals"..

meaning I should probably have used VW 505 01 oil... ?

Could I have stuffed it up by putting in the 507 if it needed 505 01 to cause it to block up in the filters or something?

Phoned the garage and they said they use Helix Ultra Extra too, but I wonder if they are using the one I've read about that's ultra extra diesel specific for VW 505 01 or something..

Any ideas? Have I broken it? :\

Not sure how much damage you would have done but yes you have used the wrong oil and should only be using the 505.01 oil for the fabia. Shell do a whole manner of oils which can be confusing. It should be listed on the bottle which spec it's designed for.

If I were you I would change the oil and filter asap.

When you topped it up, how much did you top it up by?

Maybe 500ml or so - I phoned some dealership service departments locally who said that the VW 507 is better oil and backward compatible with 505 01 - they said they use the Ultra Extra VW 507 in all their service oil changes.. so bit confused now :\

I doubt it was the oil. Those engines take almost 5l, so 500ml I doubt would do any serious damage (presuming the rest of the oil is the right grade). And that is presuming that this stuff is actually wrong, as you say, some places probably do use it.

Seems more likely you have a leak somewhere. Get it up on axle stands, take the undertray off and have a look!

i think the oil type can be overblown in most cases. YES it is vital to use correct oil, but NO the engine doesnt go 'oooooooh noooooo youve put in slightly the wrong grade of oil, this is 507.00 and i want 505.01'.

If its dropping and you have residue there is an underlying problem with the engine, leak as said, or maybe check coolant for oil?

Half the other lads that drive octavias as taxis round here just throw in whatever oil is the cheapest at the time they need some for a quick top up, and all of them have more miles on than me with no problems at all.

Yeah it's essential to use correct oil for a oil change, but as said above 500ml for a top up will not have caused any problems in its own.

Thanks everyone! Will have a good feel around for leaks as suggested..

Not sure how much damage you would have done but yes you have used the wrong oil and should only be using the 505.01 oil for the fabia. Shell do a whole manner of oils which can be confusing. It should be listed on the bottle which spec it's designed for.

If I were you I would change the oil and filter asap.

If you have used 507 00 oil then it is also fine for PD engines. Oil to spec 507 00 is a long life oil and is usually viscosity 5W-30, the fixed service interval spec oil (505.01) is generally 5w-40.

If you've got deposits on the oil filler cap (mayonnaise like deposits?) then that is likely head gasket failure.

The important thing with oil is to check that it is approved to VW standards and that it just doesn't 'meet' the standards.

A check of the spec for the Shell Helix Ultra Extra reveals it to be approved to VW 507 00 so you should be ok.

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-68973-shell-helix-ultra-extra-5w-30-premium-fully-synthetic-engine-oil.aspx

Edited 25 September, 201213 yr by Chorlton

It's definitely not the 507 spec oil that you've used to top up - This oil exceeds the previous spec so it's probably better for the engine. Mines been run on longlife 3 507 spec and it's coming up to 140k miles and drives like new.

What sort of residue? Could be head gasket as mentioned above.

It's definitely not the 507 spec oil that you've used to top up - This oil exceeds the previous spec so it's probably better for the engine. Mines been run on longlife 3 507 spec and it's coming up to 140k miles and drives like new.

What sort of residue? Could be head gasket as mentioned above.

+1

507 replaced 505.01 so from that piont of view you should be fine.

Don't worry. Anything 505.01 and above should be fine. Even topping up with 505.00 is better in the long term, than running low on oil and potentially suffering from oil starvation.

Don't worry. Anything 505.01 and above should be fine. Even topping up with 505.00 is better in the long term, than running low on oil and potentially suffering from oil starvation.

I used 505.00 as a top-up in an emergency on missus' ibiza PD130 and its been fine since (that was over 2 years ago).

Thanks again everyone, much appreciate the advice.

What sort of residue? Could be head gasket as mentioned above.

Definitely not mayonnaise like - quite subtle, looked like maybe old oil deposit having dried a bit after a messy fill. Came off black on a tissue - was around the filler cap on the plastic cover. Hopefully just residue from messily topping it up without a funnel.. and the blackness coming from dirt from the engine compartment, not the fresh oil of course. I'd really hope I just didn't close the filler cap properly.. but there's not much room for that in these modern engines, is there - it's a 90 degree twist open/close that's pretty much impossible to get wrong..

Will top up and clean it - and if it appears again I'll know it's related to the oil disappearing or not..

Maybe 500ml or so - I phoned some dealership service departments locally who said that the VW 507 is better oil and backward compatible with 505 01 - they said they use the Ultra Extra VW 507 in all their service oil changes.. so bit confused now :\5

^^^ this is correct the 507 is 5w30 fully synthetic + compatable with all PD engines. It is a better oil. We (a VW main dealer) no longer use PD oil (5w40 semi-synthetic 505 01) we use longlife oil 507 5w30 oil on every car except petrol normally aspirated engined cars regardless of service intervals

Thanks again everyone, much appreciate the advice.

Definitely not mayonnaise like - quite subtle, looked like maybe old oil deposit having dried a bit after a messy fill. Came off black on a tissue - was around the filler cap on the plastic cover. Hopefully just residue from messily topping it up without a funnel.. and the blackness coming from dirt from the engine compartment, not the fresh oil of course. I'd really hope I just didn't close the filler cap properly.. but there's not much room for that in these modern engines, is there - it's a 90 degree twist open/close that's pretty much impossible to get wrong..

Will top up and clean it - and if it appears again I'll know it's related to the oil disappearing or not..

Just sounds like mess from abit of a spill. Bearing in mind diesel oil goes black almost as soon as its run

507 covers everything including long life, so it's fine. Here is the last word (only you need Google translate)

www.vw-service.de,

507 covers everything including long life.

507 oil is longlife oil

Mine just starting doing this. Probably loose lugs on the cap? See if it comes back after wiping.