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BWA 2.0 tfsi engine oil quick question

21K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  Iceblue  
#1 ·
just topped up my BWA 2.0 tfsi 200bhp engine oil with 5w40 1 litre + half a litre...said 502 505 vw spec on the bottle. is this ok? what is the oil spec code for the BWA?
thanx in advance.
 
#8 ·
C00P5TT5 said:
I imagine my main man chaos will jump in with the technicalities between them, which is always welcomed, but as far as I understand it is just a case of how fast each one will burn and therefore need topping up
VW 504 /507 is a low SAP (low sulphated ash, phosphorus, sulfur) multi-grade (multi-viscosity) oil.

Phosphorus and sulfur are used as anti-wear ingredients but are known to damage / shorted the life of catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters. VW specs a low SAP oil primarily to meet EU environmental concerns. The viscosity 5W-30 is spec'ed to meet EU fleet mileage standards.

If you use 504/507 as specified by Audi you can't go wrong, but that doesn't mean that 504/507 is the best oil you can buy or that oils that don't meet the 504/507 standard are bad for your engine.

For example, here in the States gasoline typically has a higher sulfur content which necessitates oils with a higher TBN (total base number) to counter the increased corrosive by-products of combustion. (That's why you'll find Audi's US oil recommendation is 502/505 not 504/507).

Sure, 504/507 would work fine in US vehicles, but the reduction of anti-wear additives means the TBN is depleted quicker requiring more frequent oil changes. (note: US vehicles also have catalytic converters and they seem to get by just fine with mid-SAP / high TBN oils... begging the question, "Are EU spec'ed oils sacrificing a little more engine wear for a little less pollution"?)
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As far as viscosity goes, the first number represents the oil's 'thickness' when it is cold ( the "W" in 5W stands for 'winter'). A thinner oil causes less drag during cold weather starting. If you live in a climate where winter temps are often below freezing, an oil with a viscosity rating of 0W might be a better choice than 504/507's spec'ed rating of 5W.

The second number is the viscosity of an oil when it is heated to operating temp. Since oil thins out with heat, a thicker oil might be more appropriate for a hard-running modified motor, (but could cause additional drag / lower mpg during normal street driving). Also, some people run thicker oil to compensate for a motor that is known to burn oil since thicker oil is less likely to slip past your piston rings.

Anyway, my recommendation is to use Audi's spec'ed 504/507 if your car is still under warranty. Outside of that, any high-quality synthetic oil (especially if you have a turbo) with a viscosity rating geared toward your climate is probably fine. FWIW, I run 0W-40 in winter and 5W-40 in the summer in my stage2 TTS (neither of which can meet VW's 504/507 spec due to viscosity).

Additional note, if the TT forum hasn't occupied enough of your time, there is a forum called "Bob's the oil guy" where Petrol-chemical Engineers, and auto enthusiasts argue over anything that's oil or oil additive related. Good fun 8)
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php

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#10 ·
I have a BWA 2.0 TFSI with DSG and just saw this
. After a year of ownership and 30,000 kms, my oil consumption is more like a litre every 5,000 kilometers. As I live in area seldom below zero should I be using the 5W-40 Chaos, which I presume is more viscose? Interesting that the guy in the video seems to suggest not to use Castrol 5W-30 LL which I was using, and he says is more suited to a diesel.
 
#11 ·
Iceblue said:
Interesting that the guy in the video seems to suggest not to use Castrol 5W-30 LL which I was using, and he says is more suited to a diesel.
Hi, It's like the members who state I've used ******** oil in my last 5 cars without any probs, but of course they never kept them long enough for any probs to occur :?
Spec of 504/507 5w-30 oil will be fine.
Hoggy. :D
 
#13 ·
Iceblue said:
Thanks Hoggy but he had a castrol tee shirt on :lol: Note Chaos is using the 5W-40 which may be more suitable in hotter climes unlike Europe and Blighty. As you can see I use my car a lot for work so oil would be quite hot encouraging blow by and potentially more wear.
Hi, 5w-40, 502/505.01 spec will probably be fine. I don't recommend any oils, I just quote Audi spec for TT.
Hoggy. :D
 
#15 ·
Jasonl said:
I would rather stick to what oil audi says for the actual model myself..5/30
Certainly the safest course of action.

Of course, if you apply the same logic one should never install aftermarket rims, brake pads or air filters as these are not spec'ed by the Design Engineer. Forget about adjusting suspension height, ECU upgrades, exhaust mods, etc...

The trick is to understand what the designer's goals were, determine if those goal match your goals, and then educate yourself on the consequences of deviating from those goals.

As far as the question relates to oil spec's, It is my understanding that Audi's EU oil spec primarily concerns itself with meeting EU pollution and mileage standards for diesel motors ( standard exceeds anything produced by a gasoline engine so a separate oil spec is not needed).

Audi's US oil spec (as compared to Audi's EU spec) gives us a clue that increased anti-wear ingredients are not detrimental to your motor (maybe even beneficial) and if fleet mileage is not a concern, then viscosity choice can be made based on expected climate temps or performance demands.

...again, there is no harm playing it safe (but not as much fun 8) )