Which Oil should I use

[Nitro]

I have a w reg A4 2,8 q which has FSH and has now covered 111 000. Plan on doing an oil change, which oil should I use, Audi tell me it has to be fully synthetic, but which weight should i use and why also which is the recommended brand to use.

 

[PW-Motorsport]

Quantum synta would be fine for this engine.

 

[Matt82]

but on a relatively short interval PW?

 

[Nitro]

Thanks guys. How short an interval & where does one find this quantum synta is it only available in one weight or many, if many which is recommended?

 

[Matt82]

synta is 10w40 semi. its what audi would have originally specced for the engine, it was even specced for the s4 etc but certain engines want the extra robust-ness (is that even a word?) of a fully synth

so syntha 10w40 semi (or any decent 10w40 semi) 5k-6k intervals

or a 5w40 fully synth (quantum platinum etc) for 10k. if you do drive it hard, id just get the 5w40

 

[aragorn]

forget semi synth.

Go to your local motorfactors and buy some 5w40 fully synth, and change it every 5k.

I usually pay a tenner a gallon for 5w40 fully synth oil from maccess.

 

[oilman]

Just look up your model here http://www.opieoils.co.uk/c-879-products-for-my-car.aspx And you should find a selection of suitable oils.

Cheers

Guy

 

[aragorn]

Guy: I've pointed out before that thing is flawed, and it seems you've still not done anything about it.

According to it, i should be running an S4 on 10w40 semi-synthetic, and the oil i'd choose for an S4 (Silkolene Pro-S) doesnt even get listed as an option. Not only is semi-synthetic a crap choice for a bi-turbo V6, but it would probably be extremely bad for the engine if it happened to be on long life servicing.

 

[Matt82]

According to it, i should be running an S4 on 10w40 semi-synthetic

 

[oilman]

Guy: I've pointed out before that thing is flawed, and it seems you've still not done anything about it.

According to it, i should be running an S4 on 10w40 semi-synthetic, and the oil i'd choose for an S4 (Silkolene Pro-S) doesn't even get listed as an option. Not only is semi-synthetic a crap choice for a bi-turbo V6, but it would probably be extremely bad for the engine if it happened to be on long life servicing.

You will find that it is correct, even if you dont agree with it!

Depends what S4 you are looking at, the 2.7 Bi Turbo S4 from 1998 onwards is recommended as a minimum a VW501.01 15w-40 on fixed service (did they do the S4 2.7 on variable service?) as we know this is pretty basic stuff. Like it or not that's the minimum spec set by VAG. So the 10w-40 we recommend as a standard oil for a standard car is NOT incorrect. However many users prefer a synthetic and if you speak to me face to face, that's usually what I would recommend but they are merely upgrades on the standard spec.

As you can see here http://www.opieoils.co.uk/product-f...i/1998/a4/PETROL/a4/850/product-finder-2.aspx Look at the upgrade oils, it lists 5w-40 synthetic.

Cheers

Guy.

 

[Matt82]

well thats not very good if the selction of suitable oils recommended by your site isnt actually what youd recommend personally. it would be good if it gave people an indication of how long it could stay in there for

10w40 would be "ok" in an s4 but you wouldnt want that to stay in too long as im sure it would burn pretty easily

 

[aragorn]

All A4's after 2000 got variable servicing, so 2000 and 2001 S4's will most likely be on longlife, unless the owner chose to disable it.

You should know that theres a huge difference between the oil that the engine requires, and the oil the manufacturer says is acceptable. The whole reason these VAG engines are so bad for sludge is entirely down to putting semi-synth oil in a turbocharged engine and leaving it there for 12000miles. Can you honestly say from your experience in the oil industry, that a semi-synthetic oil is suitable for a twin turbo petrol V6?

Given your taking the opportunity to come onto this forum, replying to threads, and that your presumably fully aware of the oil issues these engines have, you should be recommending appropriate oils, not the oils that created the sludge problem in the first place.

 

[oilman]

well thats not very good if the selction of suitable oils recommended by your site isnt actually what youd recommend personally. it would be good if it gave people an indication of how long it could stay in there for

10w40 would be "ok" in an s4 but you wouldnt want that to stay in too long as im sure it would burn pretty easily

I generally recommend 5w-40 synthetic, as does my website as an upgrade oil so we are singing of the same hym sheet.

Cheers

Guy.

 

[oilman]

All A4's after 2000 got variable servicing, so 2000 and 2001 S4's will most likely be on longlife, unless the owner chose to disable it.

You should know that theres a huge difference between the oil that the engine requires, and the oil the manufacturer says is acceptable. The whole reason these VAG engines are so bad for sludge is entirely down to putting semi-synth oil in a turbocharged engine and leaving it there for 12000miles. Can you honestly say from your experience in the oil industry, that a semi-synthetic oil is suitable for a twin turbo petrol V6?

Given your taking the opportunity to come onto this forum, replying to threads, and that your presumably fully aware of the oil issues these engines have, you should be recommending appropriate oils, not the oils that created the sludge problem in the first place.

The S4's from 2000 onwards, are they still the 2.7? when did they switch to the 4.2 V8?

My look up guide on my site only looks at standard spec/viscosities for standard cars, and again it is correct for the 2.7V6 pre 2000 on fixed service. Its not the oil manufacturer that says it is acceptable it is VAG themselves and my website, correctly follows what they have stated. Any thing up from there quality wise is a bonus hense we recommend 5w-40 synthetics as an upgrade.

Until VAG change their standard recommendations for the S4 2.7 V6 pre 2000 on fixed service my website will remain the same, it doesnt have an opinion and follows the rules set by VAG.

I dont really know what more I can say about it, look at my website and you will get a basic recommendation. Thats what it does. Talk to me and we can into depth about other choices, upgrades and the why's and why nots. My Website lookup guide cannot offer that, once again it just goes of standard specs and viscosities set by VAG.

Semi synthetics can be suitable for turbo v6's, many Jap 300zx V6 twin turbos have been running semi synthetic with regular changes all their life and have had no sludge issue, so what is it exactly about the 10w-40 semi that causes sludge in the 2.7 V6, I am genuinely interested?

Cheers

Guy.

 

[aragorn]

I'm not really sure why the sludging happens (and the 2.7 isnt as prone for sludge compared with the 1.8T's but does suffer camshaft wear), but i suspect its related to the oil breaking down due to the additional stress from the turbo, coupled with a service interval thats too long for the oil specified.

I suspect its also exacerbated by people (or more likely garages!) using the incorrect oils, ie semi-synth when the car is on long life servicing.

 

[AndyMac]

No turbocharged engine should be on long life servicing, full stop.
I thought the sludge issue was a combination of longlife oil and people topping up with non long life oil or a different type/spec longlife oil.
Longlife oil? What a joke. And changing the oil at 6k is such a ballache....

 

[phoenixv6quattro]

All of the answers/replies above are wrong! Jeez guys I thought you would have been clued up about these matters by now. Looks like I'm going to have to revise you on "OIL 101"...........

Every motor enthusiast knows that you take 3 ltrs of marmite, a tablespoon of tar, le' pinch of lizard skin and a fistfull of corriander. Mix the solution together in a centrefuge (washing machine for those of us without a laborotory) and hire a wich doctor to put a spell on the engine when changing........

I honestly thought that by now (especially you Aragorn!), the majority of you would have grasped the fundementals. I will not hold my breath.

Ollie - PhD mechanical kinesic trickery.

 

[Matt82]

No turbocharged engine should be on long life servicing, full stop.

agreed. its so sad to see an engine sludged up

the sludge, as far as im aware, is due to oil being kept in too long and ending up becoming burnt

having two turbos will put a lot of heat into the oil which speeds it up. when i bought my s4 i specifically chose ones where the car has SENSIBLE service intervals. i turned down a few which had done 20k oil changed

even on my old banger, 220k mile gti, i only keep the oil in for 10k miles and i use posh 5w40 stuff

 

[PW-Motorsport]

Thanks guys. How short an interval & where does one find this quantum synta is it only available in one weight or many, if many which is recommended?

Quantum Synta is available from you local Audi dealer 5 lts is around £20 maybe cheaper if you ask.....

 

[Nitro]

Thanks guys, OK so I will use 5w- 40 fully synthetic with a new filter (any recommendations for the filter?). Any need to do an engine flush, its done just over 5000 miles since last service

 

[aragorn]

No real need to do a flush if the cars looked after and the oil stays honey colored.

 

[Matt82]

Thanks guys, OK so I will use 5w- 40 fully synthetic with a new filter (any recommendations for the filter?). Any need to do an engine flush, its done just over 5000 miles since last service

as for the filter, i can only recommend AGAINST bosch ones from eurocarparts. they feel completely insubstantial, dont have the 76mm 12 sided head so the removal tool cant be used on them, they just feel mikey mouse

Mann, Hengst, or VAG all feel fine

 

[aragorn]

if you need a removal tool the filter is fitted to tight...

Mine just wind off by hand.