tdi owners please.

[Lindsay]

Being new to tdi's and diesels generally - I'm interested to know which engine oils fellow tdi owners use - and why. Or will any diesel oil be as good as any other? My 98 is due for its first oil change and I'd like to get the best oil I can get for it. FYI - I live in the north east of victoria so it can get coldish in winter but hottish in summer.

many thanks 8)
Frenchy

[camel_landy]

If it's going to be a daily driver then go for a semi or fully synthetic oil such as a Texaco Havoline 5w40 (though I'm sure there's going to be various other suggestions coming along in a moment...).

If you're going to be touring/overlanding then I'd probably be looking more at a mineral oil.... Only from the point of possibly having to use whatever you can get your hands on in an emergency as synthetic & mineral oils don't mix!!!

Mark.

[one_iota]

I use a 15w 40 Castrol or Shell labelled as suitable for turbo diesels.

I don't expect the oil to go more than 5000km before changing it and the filter.

[incisor]

any decent quality diesel oil changed every 5000k will do the job. i refuse to use valvoline oils and castrol magnetec.

i was using penrite hpr15 diesel but have just changed back over to caltex delo 400 as i used this on previous units with good success and it is about $85 / 20l drum in my part of the world, way cheaper than the hpr15 diesel.

i buy ryco z89a filters 6 at a time as i get them for about $12 a hit and change the oil and filter at the same time. a PITA but makes them last a lot longer by all reports.

[rick130]

You do realise you will get as many different recommendations as there are replies, as people have their 'pet' lubricants.... :wink:

As has been suggested, Caltex Delo 400, Mobil Delvac MX or MX Super, Castrol RX Super, Fuchs Titan Ultralube, all in 15W-40 are fine, and 10 000km is OK as well. You could get away with a passenger car oil with dual rating (usually only CF) but I wouldn't. They don't have the level of detergents/dispersents, nor as robust additive package as a dedicated diesel oil. Don't use anything heavier than an Xw-40, it isn't needed, and will cost fuel efficiency. Heavier isn't better.
I'm not sure why people are locked into 5 000km oil/filter changes either when it's a direct injected engine, unless you are doing a lot of stop/start short trips and idling where fuel dilution may become an issue. My minimum running distance is 30km, with most trips going for hours at a time, so 10 000km is easy with any of the above oils and a reputable filter. 10 000km is the service manual recommendation. Those oils listed above are fine for 30 000km in heavy trucks.

If you want the best, most cost effective oil, you can use Mobil Delvac 1, a fully synthetic PAO/ester heavy duty diesel oil. It is probably the most advanced oil Mobil make, car or diesel.
If you want the most expensive oil that nobody can afford to run, use Redline 15W-40. $505/18.9 litres. 8O I don't know anyone that does, but I'd love to see the test results to see if it is as good as Delvac 1. Any takers ? style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

I currently buy Delvac 1 @ $186/20 litres, (cheaper than Mobil 1 at K Mart !) and go 15-20 000km between changes (proved OK with used oil analysis). Do the same with our TD42T Patrol. More cost effective, with better protection than running the mineral oils @ 10 000km. Note that it is unwise to extend oil drains unless you have the oil tested to show it is OK in a particular application.

[Lindsay]

Thanks for your views - I have decided to go Castrol RX - just because that is whats in it now and I have no reason to think its not a reasonable option. 20l for $93 at repco is not too bad.
Where could I get reasonably price z89a filters though - $25 ea seems a bit rich!
cheers
Frenchy

[Ace]

I have been using Catlex Havoline Semi Synthetic, but am considering giving the Delo 400 a go as Inc uses.

As the others have said regardless of the oil quality never go more than 5000km, **** Aussie diesel means you can it soots up way to quick.

Just for reference i use Caltex MTF 94 in the Manual box and 80W/90 Gear oil in the transfer case and diffs. All with good success. Matt

[sclarke]

Mmmm i used to Run Castrol.
But this TDI runs on Penrite. Only cause the service fella said it was brought up on it....

[LRHybrid100]

I use either Penrite or Castrol RX and change every 5,000 to be on the safe side - cheap insurance.

As for filter, list price of genuine LR part ERR3340 is about $12

The last after market filter I bought was a Coopers for about $8.

HTH

LRH