Thought I would share my recent experience of switching engine oil to more viscous 5w40 from 5w30.

 

Car is Fabia VRS 130 PD using 505.01 PD oil.

 

I have always used 5w30 engine oil, however, based on the discussions on Briskoda about minimal difference between the 30 and 40 spec oil when it reaches engine operating temperature I thought I would try 5w40 Quantum oil. 

 

The fuel economy is lower, easily by 2 mpg on a like for like journey. I have been using the new oil since XMAS.

 

When using 5w30 when the coolant reached 90C the engine 'loosened up', having noticeably more power and seemed to have less resistance, keeping revs in gear when having a accelerator burst and letting off accelerator. Now the car seems identical when warm compared to cold running, a lot more up tight.

 

The 5w40 was 1/3 cheaper than 5w30 and it has been suggested it would protect cam loves more effectively than 5w30, but I think I will be swapping back.

 

What are other people's experiences?

 

What idiot told you it would protect the cam better, never listen to them again, the protection comes from the zinc in the additive pack and is not related to the base oil stock at all.

 

Swap back.

Well, there may be some protection from the base stock, but that will come from the 5W rating pumping up pressure faster on a cold engine.

A post about relative levels of ZDDP in 505 01 and 507 00:

 

https://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php/25143-What-oil-should-I-use-04-Passat-130-1-9-TDi?p=1011316#post1011316

 

Don't dismiss the possibility that something else is going on with your engine; until you switch back and witness reversal of the observed changes.

 

 

1 hour ago, bmbmdmb said:

The fuel economy is lower, easily by 2 mpg on a like for like journey

 

Is this compared to last years fuel consumption figures?

 

Thanks, AG Falco

At risk of waking the 5w40 gruffalo's on here I will only say this.

 

Lower viscosity -> lower friction

Lower viscosity -> higher flow rate at constant pressure

Lower viscosity oils advertise benefit of lower fuel consumption.

 

So not surprised at what you've seen. Just make sure your oil meet the manufacturers specification for pd, vw 505.01

 

...cue yet another everyone's an expert on oils thread.

 

So for that reason I'm out.....

Edited 21 April, 20215 yr by xman

1 hour ago, sepulchrave said:

protect the cam better

It was a discussion on here, but I know it is 505.01 additive that protects not the 40 grade Vs 30 grade. The Quantum oil I used in the PD is always 505.01. I have used Quantum 5w30 507.00 in my Octavia 3 which is good stuff compared to some other '507.00 rated oils' ( fewer regens, quieter engine). 

 

I will be swapping back.

 

The car is in good shape and everything else being equal I noticed the fuel economy difference on each fuel fill after. The average fuel trip computer, although over generous on mpg, is always consistent. The lack of looseness on engine warm up was noticed straight after the oil change on the following journey and thereafter. It is subtle but noticeable.

 

It is not a major issue and yes I don't want to generate a big debate / argument.

 

I just thought I would share my observations.

 

Stick with the 5w30 505.01

 

 

8 minutes ago, bmbmdmb said:

It is not a major issue and yes I don't want to generate a big debate / argument.

 

I'm afraid it's unavoidable, there are some VERY argumentative people piling in.

 I read the 5w40 505.01 Vs 507.00 5w30 oil. It would make sense to buy just 507.00 for my 2 cars. Buying a 20l drum always works out cheaper than 4 X 5 l cartons.

 

Wino - Is the 507.00 really a more cam / engine protective  replacement for 505.01 like that link suggests? I thought 505.01 oils would have been dropped and replaced with 507.00 oil. I have seen this with GM oils for 2004 on era models being replaced with newer oil branded with the Dexos 2 oil standard, however, it is  backward compatible with older models. 

 

 

I would say that if you're running a flat tappet engine without a full catalyst like an older PD engine then you should stick with high ZDDP oils since there's no reason not to.

I have seen many PD engines in bits after a bad oil change done by ignorant owners and the damage is shocking, often in less than 100 miles.

507.00 is an excellent oil generally but don't forget that VW have lost interest in your engines survival much past 100k, your engine will last longer on 505.01 but the relative viscosity is not an important factor in our temperate climate so 5W30 will be just peachy.

Firstly, when I read your opening post I wrongly interpreted it as saying you usually used 507 00, but were currently trying 505 01. Mostly when people talk about 5w30 on VAG forums they're referring to 507. 

5w30 Quantum Platinum Plus, is it that you usually use? Or...?

 

Secondly, the post I linked seemed to be saying the opposite about protection levels to me? Much more ZDDP in 50501 than 50700.  

 

 

Edited 22 April, 20215 yr by Wino
wrote it wrong way round

2 hours ago, xman said:

So for that reason I'm out.....

 

11 hours ago, Wino said:

5w30 Quantum Platinum Plus, is it that you usually use

Yes Wino, I have previously used5w30 Quantum Platinum Plus . I bought Shell 5w30 505.01 which is no longer available, but Quantum is a good oil.

 

I will stick to 5w30 505.01 quantum platinum plus. 

 

Another reason for trying 5w40 505.01 was the mileage on the engine and associated wear. It is approaching 90k miles, and some people suggested out of the two 505.01 oils, the engine might benefit from 5w40 rather than 5w30

Got me intrigued now, I use 'normal' Platinum (5w40) in both Polo and Fabia, but for a soon-due change on the Polo I might try the Platinum Plus. 

(150-odd k on that engine but runs near-silently).

Edited 22 April, 20215 yr by Wino

1 minute ago, bmbmdmb said:

the engine might benefit from 5w40 rather than 5w30

Why would it? the 5W is what cold protection comes from, and even if 40 centistokes at 100C equated to 10bar in the bearings and tappets, that would be like 1010bar rather than 1_000bar from the 30cs with thin film effects.

12 hours ago, sepulchrave said:

I have seen many PD engines in bits after a bad oil change done by ignorant owners and the damage is shocking, often in less than 100 miles.

One reason I do as much maintenance myself , as much as possible, is that some garages cut corners. One dealer (Peugeot) in Barnsley but now a Kia dealer changed engine oil and filter, except they didn't know the last filter change had been done in Germany using Ohaus. They hadn't changed it. The sludge (petrol) on it was consistent with a 12k miles change not a 3k oil change that followed at 15k miles . On another car I suspect they hadn't used the correct oil, in the cold it felt like 10w grade not 5w. I had paid for an oil filter they supplied too! Hard to prove conclusively in court.

 

Another garage in Leeds even offered to change engine oil using more expensive option with 507.00 oil on a DPF car, which it needed. The fact it was an extra £30 option suggests some folks were getting the wrong oil and the extra sludge and DPF ash.

 

 

7 minutes ago, bmbmdmb said:

One reason I do as much maintenance myself , as much as possible, is that some garages cut corners.

 

Not only cut corners but scrimp on costs and many are hamfisted too.

 

My dealer refuses point blank to tell me what oil they use but keep on insisting that is 502.00 oil and is the correct oil for my 2018 1.4 tsi CZEA despite the factory embossed label on the slam panel that says use 504.00/507.00 oil. Skoda UK customer services told me the correct oil is 508.00 oil. And guess what, after the first service I struggled to get low 40s mpg whereas before it was high 40's easily (average over the first 2 years, before first service)

 

They also appeared to have overtightened the sump plug (my assesment looking at damage to steel washer on returned item that I always insist) so come the 2nd service a new one fitted leaks and now needs an extra crush washer, which they claim is the advice from "Skoda technical".

 

Many Independents are no better, I just just changed my sons Octavia oil, boy was that sump plug tight! Well damaged steel washer again! 30Nm should make only the lightest imprint.

 

And often when certain independents have removed wheels to carry out repairs or change tyres, I've had to use my 900mm breaker bar to remove the wheel nuts. Fortunately without damage to the locking nut.

52 minutes ago, xman said:

And often when certain independents have removed wheels to carry out repairs or change tyres, I've had to use my 900mm breaker bar to remove the wheel nuts.

Yeah, don't get me started on that! Things have improved. Kwik fit and ATS just use the ratchet gun to take off the nuts and use the torque wrench to put nuts back on, I've noticed, so practices have improved.

2 hours ago, Wino said:

Got me intrigued now, I use 'normal' Platinum (5w40) in both Polo and Fabia, but for a soon-due change on the Polo I might try the Platinum Plus. 

(150-odd k on that engine but runs near-silently).

I've had the Fabia since it had 44k miles and it has had 5w30 505.01 since then. I went for Shell since I used another grade in a Peugeot 180 bhp 307 which requires 5w40, the mpg economy never got over 39.9 mpg , ever, since using Shell the car managed 40.4mpg. Engine was smoother too. So, the Shell was a quality engine oil.

 

Back to Fabia, the 'looser engine' effect when the car hits 90C on coolant from cold has always been there in the fabia and I never noticed this particularly on other cars.

5w/40 is the correct oil for a pd130. 

5w/30 is thinner when hot.

Edited 24 April, 20215 yr by DC2990

5 minutes ago, DC2990 said:

5w/40 is the correct oil for a pd130. 

5w/30 is thinner when hot.

 

So what.

505.01 is the correct oil. Both the ones being compared by the OP are approved to this spec.

Product info for the two here:

11044_Platinum_5W-40.pdf (tps.trade)

11044_Platinum_Plus_23_5W-30.pdf (tps.trade)

Edited 25 April, 20215 yr by Wino