02 Passat 1.8T 140K miles - want to switch to synthetic oil. Are there any recommendations for this switch - flushing first, etc. or do I just do it.
ccmnova
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The manual specifies that the oil is 5W40 conforming to specification 502.00. While it doesn't explicitly mention synthetic (because somewhere on this planet, I believe there actually is a non-synthetic 502.00 oil, just not in the US) by definition all oils that conform to this set of specifications happen to be synthetics.
Flushing to remove the possibility of sludge build-up over 140K miles of dino oil - as mentioned earlier as available from autorx.
What I would do in your situation, if you are still uncertain on what to do, is to purchase a can or two of Forte or STP or Valvoline Engine Flush-agent (Here those cost about 15-25 euros make that a 10 to 18 bucks) before the oil change and read the instructions. These are used by many repair shops here, at least Forte is for sure being used even at our local VW dealer. After the handling, just change the oil. Will do wonders, did that like 7 yrs ago for my first car, which was a Ford Sierra from the 80s.
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Auto RX qwill get rid of the deposits that your car has left in it. I'd also use a engine cleaner to burn off the buildup that *might* be inside.
You should be fine after the Auto-RX.
You should be fine after the Auto-RX.
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Castrol Syntec 5w40 is what my dealer sells me.
I have never seen this specific stuff in the US. Most "engine flushes" you buy at a store are crap, or bad for your engine. When I worked in auto parts, the owner of the store called them "engine poison".
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Yea I just found that out yesterday...guess they switched to Castrol. I heard it wasn't a full synthetic, though? Anyway I bought a jug of Castrol Syntec 5W-40 today from Walmart.
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Yes Castrol Syntec is a full synthetic but keep in mind all synthetics have a percentage of base oils and it will probably come down to preference Mobil, Red Ram, Royal Purple and Amsoil are all high quality syns and meet vw specs but come with higher prices Amsoils about $12.00 a litre. Check out Castrol.com
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Yea I was looking for Mobil1 but they don't make a 5W-40 for gas cars, only diesels...although I read here somewhere that someone used one of their diesel oils and it worked just fine (they had it tested after).
Anything that I put into my car right now that's a synthetic will be better than what it had before...(dino oil for 200k miles).
Anything that I put into my car right now that's a synthetic will be better than what it had before...(dino oil for 200k miles).
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Perhaps...but I've never seen it and I read somewhere that they stopped making it. I've been to stores in the US & Canada. I think I might have seen it in the 1L bottles, but not the 5L like I need.
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Good quality oil, good quality filter!
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I've used Castrol 5w30 dino for every oil change but one, typically between 4,000 and 6,000 miles. Hit 198,000 miles last week. I think the secret is to not use the turbo in the last 2 or 3 minutes of each trip.
Says the man that is now using Royal Purple? Pennzoil is bad? Gimme a break..my wifes '99 Jeep GC went 196k miles with 0 problems and is probably still going now and she never used anything but Pennzoil. I used Pennzoil Platinum in mine but switched back to Castrol because if it ain't broke don't fix it.
As always, you shouldn't discuss politics, religion and oil with your real friends and family...
The OP asked about the need or not to flush the engine.
My suggestion: Don't Flush. Just change the oil to your favorite synthetic, choosing an appropriate grade depending on your winter season. Pittsburgh....5w40 or 0W40 would do just fine. Any commercial brand synthetic will do the job quite well. There is no secret alien technology inside your car requiring anything an SM rated oil can't provide.
Cheers!
The OP asked about the need or not to flush the engine.
My suggestion: Don't Flush. Just change the oil to your favorite synthetic, choosing an appropriate grade depending on your winter season. Pittsburgh....5w40 or 0W40 would do just fine. Any commercial brand synthetic will do the job quite well. There is no secret alien technology inside your car requiring anything an SM rated oil can't provide.
Cheers!
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I use AMSoil 5w40. I order it in a box of a dozen quarts for about $100, shipped to my door. When I switched from Mobil 1 to AMSoil, my engine stopped making ticking and rattling sounds after the oil got 3000 miles old -- which is to say, with AMSoil I can actually achieve the manufacturer's suggested oil change interval.
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