Hey all,

Quickfire question time! I forgot to get my oil changed this year and haven't been checking it (naughty I know), today the oil light went off. Scary sound indeed. I'm far from home and will have it changed soon on my return. However, I need to get home.

My question is, if I don't know what grade of oil my mechanic uses, am I okay to just to it up with the usual recommendation of 5w30? What if he'd used 10w40 and I put the former in? Sadly he's out of the country so I'm not sure what to use. Help!

put in the oil recommended for your vehicle

 

you must use an oil which meets specification VW 505 01. The following oils are approved to that specification:

NB: See also Note 3 below. 

AD Parts AD SDI 5W-40
Addinol Light MV 0546 PD 5W-40
Adnoc Pearl 5W-40
Agip IP SINTIAX 505 EXCLUSIV 5W-40
Agip 7004 5W-40
Aral Tronic 431 5W-40
Armorine Couguar 5W-40
AVIA TDi 505.01 5W-40
Avia Turbo CFE PD 5W-40 
BP Special Visco V 5W-40 (fully synthetic)
Bucher AG Motorex Profile V-XL 5W-40
Carat ad-Diesel PD-Oil 5W-40
Carlube Triple R 5W-40 PD Diesel (fully synthetic)
CARTECHNIC Motorenol Pumpe-Duse 5W-40
Castrol 505.01 5W-40
Castrol GTD 505 01 5W-40
Castrol Edge 5W40 Turbo Diesel
Cepsa Star TDI Synt 5W-40
DEA Ultec Diesel SAE 5W-40
Delek IDI 5W-40
Delphi Prestige Diesel Plus 5W-40 (synthetic-based)
Denicol Pro Syn 4 5W-40
Elf Excellium DID 5W-40
Esso 505 01 5W-40
Eurol Turbo DI 5W-40
Fina Delta 505.01 5W-40
FL Selenia Aktual Top Synth 5W-40
FL Selenia Pulsar Progress 5W-40
FL Selenia Selenia Performer 5W-40
Fuchs Labo Syntha High Tech Synthese 5W-40
Fuchs TITAN Supersyn Plus 5W-40
Fuchs Titan Supersyn SL PD SAE 5W-40 (fully synthetic)
Galp energia Galp Formula 505 5W-40
Gamaparts Super LL TDI 5W-40
Gedol Champ 5W-40
Ginouves York 742 5W-40 
Granville Topaz Diesel 5W-40 (semi-synthetic)
Gulf Oil Gulf TEC Plus 5W-40
Igol Process 505.01 5W-40
INA 505.01 5W-40
Kuwait Petroleum Q8 Motoroil 505.01 5W-40
Liqui Moly Europart Motorenol Pumpe Duse 5W-40
Liqui Moly Diesel High Tech 5W-40
Liqui Moly Nachfullol 5W-40
Madit 505 01 5W-40
Mapetrol 505 01 5W-40
Meguin megol Motorenoel Super Leichtlauf Technology 5W-40
Migrol Special S-Plus 5W-40
Millers XFE-PD SAE 5W-40 (semi-synthetic)
Minerva-Oil TSH 5W-40 505 01
Mobil Syst S Special V 5W-30 
Mobil Synt S Special V 5W-40
MOL Dynamic Synt 5W-40
Motul Specific 505 01 5W-40
Motul 6100 5W-40
MRD Motor Gold Supertec PD 5W-40
Oel-Brack Midland Axxept 5W-40
Oest Leichtlaufol 505.01 5W-40
OMV syn com diesel 5W-40
Panolin Daytona 5W-40
Paramol Mogul Racing S Pro 5W-40
Pentosin Pentosynth 5W-40 TS* 
Petrol 505.01 5W-40
Q8 Formula Excel 5w40 (fully synthetic) 
Quaker State Diesel Plus 5W-40
Quantum PD Diesel 5W-40 (Note 1)
Quantum Platinum 5W-40 - PN: ZGB115QLB00511 (Note 2)
Shell Helix Diesel Plus VA 5W-40 (semi-synthetic)
Rafinerija Modrica Optima 505 01 5W-40
Ravensberger Schmierstoffvertrieb Ravenol VPD 5W-40
Repsol Elite 50501 TDI 5W-40
Shell Helix Diesel Plus VA 5W-40
SIG Car Jack GPD 5W-40
Sinopec Blue Spirit 5W-40
Sonol Synt 505.01 5W-40
SRS Schmierstoff Wintershall Leichtlauf-Motorenol PD 5W-40
Startol RASANTA SPECIALSYNT 5W-40
Statoil SuperWay 505.01 5W-40
Sun Oil Sunoco9 Ultra semi-synthetic 5W-40
SWD Concep-Tech Synth. 5W-40
SWD swd Primus Synth. 5W-40
Tamoil Sint Future Racing PD 5W-40
Texaco Havoline 505.01 5W-40
Total Gulf GDI Extra 5W-40
Total Quartz 505.01 5W-40
Unil Opal Opaljet 505.01 5W-40
VAG-branded 505 01 505 00 High Lubricity Engine Oil 5W-40 - G 052 167 A2
- (Part No: ZGB 115 QLB 00 462 - RRP �32.90 inc VAT for 5 litres) (Note 1)
Valvoline DuraBlend Diesel motor oil SAE 5W-40 (semi-synthetic)
VAPS VAPSOIL 505 01 5W-40
Volkswagen Original Teile Motorenoel G 052 167 A2
Westfalen megatron 5W-40
Wolf Masterlube Synflow PI 5W-40
Wurth Triathlon Special PD 5W-40
Yacco VX 505 5W-40

you must use an oil which meets specification VW 505 01. The following oils are approved to that specification:

 

No he mustn't, it's a PETROL engine steve.

 

Put anything you've got in it to get it showing on the dipstick, anything is better than driving it even another mile with nothing in it.

It really doen't matter what you use for topping up, all engine oil is miscible and there are no additives that will harm your engine, when your mechanic gets home ask him to change it all to a fully synthetic 5W30 since winter is just round the corner.

No he mustn't, it's a PETROL engine steve.

 

Put anything you've got in it to get it showing on the dipstick, anything is better than driving it even another mile with nothing in it.

It really doen't matter what you use for topping up, all engine oil is miscible and there are no additives that will harm your engine, when your mechanic gets home ask him to change it all to a fully synthetic 5W30 since winter is just round the corner.

ohhh my bad it is a sunday

Cheers, just got 2L of Halfords 'cheap at £22' fully synthetic 5w30 for now. Should do me 50 miles to get home. Thanks for the advice.