Newbie questions

[Catnapper]

Evening All,

Just acquired a 2012 Elegance Greentec for my daughter.

So a few questions.

Bought the car aware of the fuel filler cap issue, it's there but not that bad YET.

SO, what's everyone's fix on this. 

Clean n waxoyl or similar to stop it getting worse or repair first (how?) then protect.

I have the Carista OBD11 plug for my Golf, anyone use it on their Citigo?

Looking in manual it only gives VW spec for oil. Looking on Opie oils states 5/30w. Any other additives needed.

Other half has a 500 twin air which is really particular on which oil. Just wondering if the Citigo is similar.

Finally, it's looks pretty straight forward to work on.

Pretty handy with spanners, service the 500 daughters old car n my motorcycle.

Is it?

Many thanks

 

[freemansteve]

Citigo is a VW Up!, so oil spec and all else the same . It's not fussy on oil, just use synth 5/30. Servicing is simple.

Early cars did not have plastic wheel arch liners; fuel cap area rusts from the inside, so quite a bit of work to stop and fix.

[Gyp]

I've not paid much attention to our Citigo as it simply works without fuss, and my lad services it once a year only really moaning about accessing the pollen filter.

 

I wasn't aware that there was a problem with corrosion around the fuel cap.

 

I'll have to investigate.

 

Great... one more thing to worry about!

[KenONeill]

10 hours ago, Catnapper said:

VW spec for oil. Looking on Opie oils states 5/30w. Any other additives needed.

First off - 5W/30 is a viscosity, not a specification.

 

A VW 500 series specification details a number of parameters, and includes a range of possible viscosities. If you look on Opie's website for whichever engine you have, you'll find a range of suitable oils. Some people have a preferred brand and others prefer whatever's cheapest.

[freemansteve]

I think we all know about viscosity Vs spec  but it's actually hard to pick up a good brand that doesn't meet VW spec these days. Generally, most products are over-specced for these engines. I'd just stick with the majors and not worry too much!

 

Opie is a good place to start...

 

[Catnapper]

12 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

First off - 5W/30 is a viscosity, not a specification.

 

A VW 500 series specification details a number of parameters, and includes a range of possible viscosities. If you look on Opie's website for whichever engine you have, you'll find a range of suitable oils. Some people have a preferred brand and others prefer whatever's cheapest.

Thanks, well aware difference between viscosity & specs, wondering if C2/C3 are a requirements as trying to get to the bottom of it on the 500 is a bottomless pit. 
I think relevant oils for these 2/3 cylinder, super efficent engines is paramount. Hence the question.

[Breezy_Pete]

Which spec does the manual suggest?

 

[Catnapper]

1 minute ago, Wino said:

Which spec does the manual suggest?

 

All it states is a VW spec, if I remember correctly

Other cars I have usually stated viscosity & other information. C2 or C3 etc

[Breezy_Pete]

Yes, but there are several VW specs.

You use an oil which meets the one it states in the manual. Anything else is automatically guaranteed by the oil meeting that spec.

If you create a login at erWin Skoda you can peruse the lists of oils that are compliant (and tested by VW group as being so) with each spec.

 

[freemansteve]

By and large, manufacturers quite deliberately create fear, uncertainty and doubt about oil, by saying in my manual "To find out which type of engine oil you can use for your vehicle, contact a specialist garage"  - this is to send you into the arms of a dealer, for reasons of profit.

 

Basically, go for 504.00 - as I said, most brands will meet or exceed this spec.

 

My manual also says to refill with "VW 502 00, ACEA A3/ACEA B4 or API SN, (API SM)", so even that lower spec appears acceptable.

 

The thing is about 502, 3->7,8 etc is that they are increasingly higher specs, mostly for diesels but the Citigo engine does not really need the higher spec stuff. It is true that there are a lot of VW engines that have design features that require a very particular oil spec, but the little non-turbo triple is not one of them.

 

As for C2, C3 etc, these are about ash content, which is quite important for diesel DPFs, but not important for a Citigo petrol engine (which has a GPF, but they're way less fussy than a diesel DPF).

 

[edit] - I just found this: https://www.oilspecifications.org/volkswagen.php

 

 

 

 

Edited 7 July, 2021 by freemansteve

[Catnapper]

4 minutes ago, freemansteve said:

By and large, manufacturers quite deliberately create fear, uncertainty and doubt about oil, by saying in my manual "To find out which type of engine oil you can use for your vehicle, contact a specialist garage"  - this is to send you into the arms of a dealer, for reasons of profit.

 

Basically, go for 504.00 - as I said, most brands will meet or exceed this spec.

 

My manual also says to refill with "VW 502 00, ACEA A3/ACEA B4 or API SN, (API SM)", so even that lower spec appears acceptable.

 

The thing is about 502, 3->7,8 etc is that they are increasingly higher specs, mostly for diesels but the Citigo engine does not really need the higher spec stuff. It is true that there are a lot of VW engines that have design features that require a very particular oil spec, but the little non-turbo triple is not one of them.

 

As for C2, C3 etc, these are about ash content, which is quite important for diesel DPFs, but not important for a Citigo petrol engine (which has a GPF, but they're way less fussy than a diesel DPF).

 

[edit] - I just found this: https://www.oilspecifications.org/volkswagen.php

 

"ACEA A3/ACEA B4 or API SN, (API SM)" although possibly not relevant to our car, this is the type of info I'm after. Many thanks.

I'll look in manual later to see which VW spec is required.