Need advice on oil

My A6 2002 V6 2.4 needs VW 503 00 or 503 01 oil. I am using Mobil Rally Formula 1 0W-40, which meet s the 503 01 standard.

For me it looks that if you want to stick with Castrol, you should be using this Edge 0W-30 which meets the 503 01 standard. This is proper oil for your car. Of course, any oil meeting the 503 00 is also fine.

Regards, Sami

Sami,

I was thinking the same as you, however I called Audi this morning and asked their advice - they had never heard of Castrol EDGE oil but said that they were now using Castrol SLX Longlife III which is the predecessor to Longlife II and this oil is rated at VW 504 00 / VW 507

00 (Same as Edge 5W-30 not 0W-30) and also, the Longlife III is 5W-30 in weight.

So it appears that Audi are now using 5W-30 oil which meets VW 504 00 / VW 507 00 specifications for long life service regime which is what the EDGE 5w-30 is. I questioned why the viscosity had changed from 0W to 5W and he said 'probably to try and combat oil usage' which many Audi engines are prone to (mine uses about a litre every 2000-3000 miles).

Make of it what you will!

Thanks

Steve

The reason for using 5W- viscocity might be the oil consumption. My A6 2.4 is also consuming quite a much oil, around 1 litre / 3000 miles. It may be a good idea to try something thicker.

BR, Sami

Of course, 5w-30 is no thicker than 0w-30.

Don't work the wrong end of the number.

Any xxW-30 is the same viscosity as any other xxW-30 at operating temperature.

| >>My A6 2002 V6 2.4 needs VW 503 00 or 503 01 oil. I am using Mobil Rally | >>Formula 1 0W-40, which meet s the 503 01 standard. | >>

| >>For me it looks that if you want to stick with Castrol, you should be | >>using | >>this Edge 0W-30 which meets the 503 01 standard. This is proper oil for | >>your | >>car. Of course, any oil meeting the 503 00 is also fine. | >>

| >>Regards, Sami | >>

| >>> I have a 2003 A4 which runs the variable servicing (in europe) and my | >>> car has been run on Castrol SLX Longlife II oil. | >>>

| >>> I have recently attempted to buy this oil to top up, and have learned | >>> that it has been replaced with 'Castrol Edge' oil which allegedly | >>> replaces the SLX. I was told that I should use Castrol Edge 5W-30 | >>> which, as it says on the bottle, 'replaces SLX Longlife II'. I am | >>> unsure however for the following reasons: | >>>

| >>> Castrol SLX Longlife II is 0W-30 and the Castrol Edge replacement is | >>> 5W-30 i.e. it is a different viscosity. | >>>

| >>> My Audi Service Manual says I need to use oil which meets the | >>> specifications VW 503 00, VW 503 01 for variable serviceing. Castrol | >>> SLX Longlife II indeed meets this as it meets VW 503 00 / 506 00 &

506 | >>> 01, however The Edge oil meets the specifications VW 504 00, 507 00 | >>> ??? totally different it appears? | >>>

| >>> Incidentally, there is also a 0W-30 Edge oil which meets VW 502

00/503 | >>> 01/505 00 so I would have thought I should be using this???? this does | >>> meet the spec in my manual. | >>>

| >>> Any help/reassurance would be appreciated. | >>>

| >

| > Sami, | >

| > I was thinking the same as you, however I called Audi this morning and | > asked their advice - they had never heard of Castrol EDGE oil but said | > that they were now using Castrol SLX Longlife III which is the | > predecessor to Longlife II and this oil is rated at VW 504 00 / VW

507 | > 00 (Same as Edge 5W-30 not 0W-30) and also, the Longlife III is 5W-30 | > in weight. | >

| > So it appears that Audi are now using 5W-30 oil which meets VW 504

00 | > / VW 507 00 specifications for long life service regime which is what | > the EDGE 5w-30 is. I questioned why the viscosity had changed from 0W | > to 5W and he said 'probably to try and combat oil usage' which many | > Audi engines are prone to (mine uses about a litre every 2000-3000 | > miles). | >

| > Make of it what you will! | >

| > Thanks | >

| > Steve | >

| >

| >

| >>> Steve | >>>

| >>>

| >>>

| >>>

| >>

| >

| |

Incidentally, is there anywhere on the web an idiot's guide to the VW-Norm numbers? In particular, supposing your car's manual says you should be using VW yyy 00, but the shop has zzz 00, that might be "better" or "worse" but it's not always easy to tell.

Also is it safe to assume that 500 00 [or whatever] (1/97) is better than

500 00 (1/92) - i.e. are the later dates always a more exacting standard?

Again, I presume that zzz 01 is always OK if zzz 00 is specified, but that's only my assumption.

Regards

Jonathan

Viscosity is just one oil characteristic.

Assuming that the manufacturer specific approvals ( MB229.x, VW50X.XX, BMW LL-01, or whatever, for example), are met, If ( again, example)

10W-30 is spec'd, then 0W-30, 5W-30, 10W-30 are all fine.

The mfr specs involve the composition of the additive pack, and reflect concerns about corrosion, sludge, specific metal wear, emission control longevity, oil endurance, etc.

I don't know of any one place on the web to reference the ratings and approvals, but it must exist, I guess.

| > Don't work the wrong end of the number. | >

| > Any xxW-30 is the same viscosity as any other xxW-30 at operating | > temperature. | | Incidentally, is there anywhere on the web an idiot's guide to the VW-Norm | numbers? In particular, supposing your car's manual says you should be using | VW yyy 00, but the shop has zzz 00, that might be "better" or "worse" but | it's not always easy to tell. | | Also is it safe to assume that 500 00 [or whatever] (1/97) is better than | 500 00 (1/92) - i.e. are the later dates always a more exacting standard? | | Again, I presume that zzz 01 is always OK if zzz 00 is specified, but that's | only my assumption. | | Regards | | Jonathan | |

True - but I wonder when our cars use oil - when they are cold, or when they are at operating temperature?

I don't know the answer to this, but assumng it is the former, wouldn't a 5W be better for oil consumption than a 0W???

As a side-note, only one weight from Mobil 1 (0W40) is VW-Audi approved. I am not 100% sure it meets all of the specs, but it does meet a lot of specs; such as:

Mercedes MB 229.5, BMW LL-01, Porsche Approval List 2002, VW 502.00/505.00/503.01, GM-LL-A-025 (gasoline), GM-LL-B-025 (diesel), ACEA A3, B3/B4, and API SM/CF.

Look, 0W-xx is STILL thicker at startup than 10W-xx is at operating temperature.

If oil consumption were a concern in the time between startup and the few minutes it takes to get to operating temperature, oil consumption would be spec'd in quarts per start, instead of quarts per 1000 miles.

I'm sure there are some engines that have a higher usage rate until they are warmed up, but its unlikely to affect consumption overall.

| >Don't work the wrong end of the number. | >

| >Any xxW-30 is the same viscosity as any other xxW-30 at operating | >temperature. | >

| >

| >| | >

| True - but I wonder when our cars use oil - when they are cold, or | when they are at operating temperature? | | I don't know the answer to this, but assumng it is the former, | wouldn't a 5W be better for oil consumption than a 0W??? | |