special oil requirment on diesel

The TDI has two special needs. First it is "D" a diesel so the ability to handle soot is important and in general, oils formulated for gasoline cars will not handle it well enough. The TDI is also "T" turbo. The turbo has special issues with heat. That usually means synthetic.

I have never had to top up my TDI but I am always sure to use oil of the right specs. Note. It is interesting that many dealers don't use oil that meets VW's specs. They come close, but not quite.

I have not seen the specs for the 05, so I can't say anything about them.

If there is anything new on this subject you are likely to see it at

|| snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net wrote: ||> just read a window hanger warning inside a new 05 tdi jetta that is ||> unusual because it states in no uncertain terms the importance to the ||> driver/owner of making sure not to even top off the engine with non spec ||>

||> oil let alone doing a complete change with non spec oil. does anybody ||> know why the tdi engine requires this very special oil?....[not going to ||> look for the official spec numbers, but have seen and heard that it is ||> required for warranty] ||> this is the most direct warning i have seen about this subject....when ||> it's hanging inside the car pointed directly to the owner it's pretty ||> strong..usually this kind of info is listed on about page 594 of a 600 ||> page owner's manual. ||>

||> regards || || The TDI has two special needs. First it is "D" a diesel so the ability ||to handle soot is important and in general, oils formulated for gasoline ||cars will not handle it well enough. The TDI is also "T" turbo. The turbo ||has special issues with heat. That usually means synthetic. || || I have never had to top up my TDI but I am always sure to use oil of the ||right specs. Note. It is interesting that many dealers don't use oil that ||meets VW's specs. They come close, but not quite. || || I have not seen the specs for the 05, so I can't say anything about ||them. || || If there is anything new on this subject you are likely to see it at ||

Texas Parts Guy

The 2004 and later TDI motors with the PD injectors require a VW 505.01 oil. The pump injectors are driven off the cam and the new oil is said to prevent wear to the injector cam lobes.

There are three oils available in the US right now: special Castrol at the dealers, Motul, and Elf. The Elf has shown up on ebay a few times. The Motul is available at impexfap.com, among other places. The Castrol at the dealer had a price drop and is about $6.50 per quart at most dealers now.