Oil change interval with Mobil 1 oil & filter

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Base this on your driving habits. If you do a lot of short trips, heavy hauling and etc. then use the shorter interval. If most of your driving is highway, you don't haul a lot and are an easy driver then go for the longer interval. Also, with a full sythetic you can extend your interval. Some claim double while some claim you can go 25k. I use full synth. and extend my interval appx 50% rather than double it. As to the 25k I would say don't subscribe to that theory.

I use full sythetic gear lube in the differential of my Toyota truck as well as the trans on my Harley. Noticable differences on the Harley were I don't have to hunt for neutral like I did when it had dino lube, it shifts a lot easier and doesn't clunk. HTH, davidj92

The problem with VW (happened shortly after the Toyota sludge problem) is a change to use synthetic oil of certain specification something about a VW 505.0 or 527.55 (?) standard. Not all synthetics met the VW requirement BTW!

VW's Audi division also increased the size of the oil filter and capacity I think 3.x quarts to something like 4.5 quarts. (can't remember for sure but check for yourself)

For this problem VW recommends 5000 miles or 6 months and that's using synthetics.

So oil is definitely getting cooked on these sludge makers. Synthetics can withstand the temperatures better but the fundamental design problems are still there. Going to synthetics is only a "patch" fix. Toyota increased engine fluid pathways on later productions to help lessen the problem. Don't know what VW did.

Camry has smaller filter and oil capacity, so I suppose you'd want to change sooner than 5000/6mo.

Oil sludge woes plague VW; automaker to pay for engine repairs, extend warranties RALPH KISIEL | Automotive News Posted Date: 8/30/04

DETROIT - In the latest example of Volkswagen of America Inc.'s quality woes, the automaker is warning 426,000 VW Passat and Audi A4 owners of an engine oil sludge problem. Affected are 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines on 1998 to

2004 Passats and 1997 to 2004 A4s. VW won't say how many engines have been replaced or repaired, or what it is spending to fix the problem.

Owners began receiving letters from VWoA this month. Remedies range from extending warranties to covering repair costs. That includes replacing engines.

Sludge buildup causes engine performance to deteriorate. In extreme cases, sludge can cause engines to seize.

The timing couldn't be worse. VW Division has old products, and sales are down 11.5 percent for the first seven months compared with the year-ago period. And it has only been a year since VW voluntarily recalled more than 500,000 vehicles because of faulty engine ignition coils.

VW is not alone in grappling with engine oil sludge complaints. Last week the Center for Auto Safety in Washington demanded that the Chrysler group fix sludge problems and extend warranties on 2.7-liter V-6 engines in its 1998 to 2002 vehicles.

Confirming that VW has received "numerous reports of problems," VWoA spokesman Tony Fouladpour said that VW is extending factory warranties from five years to eight years. Warranties are transferable.

Changes for '05

VW is requiring its dealers to use synthetic oil and a larger oil filter in the 2005 Passat and A4. Some 2005 A4s are in dealerships. The

2005 Passat will arrive in October.

A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration source said the agency has had 12 to 15 sludge complaints for 2000 to 2004 Passats and A4s. One complaint was about an engine seizure.

VWoA will pay the cost of replacing an engine. For example, an independent repair shop in Tennessee that just replaced a sludge-damaged engine in a 1999 Passat charged the customer $2,500. Of that, $1,400 was for labor. The customer would be eligible for a reimbursement if he can show that he was having the oil changed as recommended.

VW dealers are seeing the problem mostly with owners who don't follow the recommended oil change intervals, said Gene Langan, of Gene Langan Volkswagen Inc. in Glastonbury, Conn.

"I've seen a few cases," he said. "It seems to happen mostly when we can't verify oil change history, when people don't do them for 20,000 miles. I think that this is a problem that is pretty broad in the industry right now."

VW owners will pay more for an oil change with synthetic oil, Langan said. An oil change with regular oil costs about $30, he said. It's about $65 with synthetic oil.

In its letter to Passat and A4 owners, VW says that it will cover necessary engine repairs if oil sludge causes a problem and the vehicle owner could provide proof of oil changes. Oil changes would have to be according to VW-recommended maintenance schedules. VW recommends that oil be changed at 5,000 miles or six months.

How it occurs

The letter states that engine oil sludge occurs when old, dirty engine oil thickens and cannot continue to provide correct lubrication. It says the condition occurs primarily when the engine is operated at oil change intervals beyond those prescribed in the owner's manual.

Fouladpour said VW decided to contact owners after studying the oil sludge problem that Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. faced two years ago.

Toyota in April 2002 notified 3.3 million owners of 1997 to 2002 Toyota and Lexus vehicles with certain V-6 and four-cylinder engines that it would pay for sludge-related repairs for eight years from date of purchase. At the time, Toyota said that it had received about 3,400 sludge-related complaints.

"We looked at that and learned from their experience," Fouladpour said.

VW builds most of its 1.8 T engines at its Gyor, Hungary, engine plant.

I would put in the Mobil 1 EP (the new 15,000 mile oil) and run an interval to 5,000 miles and send off a sample to Blackstone labs

and get it tested. They will sendyou a free sample kit. It is $20 or to get the TBN tested, it is $30. This will give you a good idea of how the oil is doing. They will also tell you/recommend an interval based upon the oil's condition.

You can also look at other Toyota's used oil reports at

Good luck.

Yes, I have a few "comments:"

1. Just because 3400 people registered sludge reports does not necessarily mean that 3400 cars had sludge. Also keep in mind that Toyota sold over a half million vehicles in the US each year with the affected engines (about

400,000 Camry's alone). Between 1997 and 2001 that adds up to about 2.5 million vehicles with those engines (Toyota sells minivans and other vehicles with the same engine as Camry).

1. You are getting ripped off by buying Castrol Syntec. It is not a real synthetic. Get Mobil 1.
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VW, like Toyota, maintains sludge is caused by owners not changing oil at intervals prescribed or not even in 20,000 miles according to some of their sources.

Cooked oil and sludge are two different symptoms from two seperate causes.

Synthetics

You are correct, an owner still has to get off their lazy ass and change their oil in a prescribed manner.

Which problem? You seem to be confused about oil cooking and sludge.

Don't know what VW did.

It's in the reading you posted a link to. Did you even read it before you posted it?

Does the owner's manual say this? How about any of your expert sources? Did you read any of the article? How about the parts where VW and Toyota both maintain the sludge problem is caused by owner's not changing their oil? How about the small number of complaints compared to the large number of sales? Does this describe a known design problem to you? And then you try to twist a good-will offer by both these companies into an admission of some kind. Wasn't, isn't and never will be an admission.

davidj92

If you're running Mobil 1 fully synthetic 10w30 and change at 5,000 mile intervals, you will be fine under any conditions. A side benefit is that it couldn't be easier to track on the odometer.

If you're not running short trips, or in a cold humid climate, the

7,500 should be OK too, but I prefer the 5,000 because there is absolutely no question that your engine is staying pristine and clean internally. (predicated on the Mobil 1 full synthetic 10w30)

The Mobil 1 10w30 full synthetic has higher film strength, greater resistance to changes in viscosity over time, and better resistance to degradation under higher engine operating temperatures.

Heres my take on it, setting aside all the thoughts of David on how its the owners fault that this ONE particular vehical, brand and year are having sludging problems.

I am using 100% synthetic oil. I do not believe Mobil 1 I 100% synthetic.

I an using the best rated Amsoil 2000 which can have an extended oil change to 25,000 miles with my driving condtions. This should save me close to $60 a year in oil changes over the 3000 mile petroleum changes.

I'm changing the oil fitler with an Amsoil oil filter every 12,000 miles.

I'm changing the transmission oil with 100% Amsoil synthetic which has much better numbers than any petroleum product

My new 2005 Camry with 5000 miles on it will never see petroleum products again in its engine and transmission.

Too many people have reported problems with petroleum products being used, I think using synthetics is a wise and educated choice over petroleum. Only a person who likes to gamble would even think of using petroleum when Toyota itself changed their views and stated to use petrolem.

Just my thoughts of course.

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Mobil says differently. This is from their FAQ:

Both Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 Extended Performance are fully synthetic motor oils for automotive engines. They are made from a combination of advanced, high-performance fluids, including polyalphaolefins (PAOs), plus a unique proprietary package of additives.

Also, I believe Amsoil is an excellent oil, but to call Mobil 1 a not

100% synthetic is simply not true.

If you were talking about Castrol, that would be true (except for their 0W30 Made in Germany product, and possibly their 5W40 Made in Belgium product).

I also use synthetic fluids, but there is nothing wrong with petroleum products.

An example: Our 1988 Camry has over 305,000 miles on it and it has seen a steady diet of Pennzoil (conventional) and Toyota OEM filters with changes every 3-4,000 miles since about 55,000 miles when we purchased it in 1990.

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What is it with you? You can't take the heat of real facts so you snipe me in other posts? You continue to ignore 1/10% of all the vehicles Toyota sold have an alledged sludge problem, plus all the other facts related to this issue that dispute all your allegations. Then want people to pay attention to you when you try to tell them which oil is good, better and best? davidj92