Synthetic Oil

[CalAltaDubber]

Thanks Anika for bringing this thread back. Has this been a year already? Wow.

I guess I should leave some kind of update.

So I have changed over to synthetic oil for all my cars. For the most part it is pretty simple. I have not seen any leaks, or the like. But I should mention that the two cabbys were switched over just before I parked them last fall (they come out sometime this week).

The change over is pretty streight forward, and the synthetics are direct replacments for the dyno oil. In particular I was concerned by the cabbys requirement for zinc in the oil.

I did find a couple of brands that did cover this issue, but for the most part they were small specialty producers, so I wasn't totally assured by their claims.

I ended up using Amsoil, for all the gas engines (I'll get to the diesel in a sec.), simply because they had a specific product for each of the cars I have and the documentation to back up their claims.

I know there a re a lot of folks that will dispute all of Amsoil's claims, and feel it is only some type of snake oil and should be avoided. I respect their opinion, but I did my due dilligence and I am happy with my choice.

Now comes the diesel. For the interm, I am using oil from my local VW dealer. The Comon Rail Clean Diesels are very particular about oil (see VW spec 507 00) Although the oil here is 5W30, it has some very strict tollerances. The list of compatable oils is very short and only a couple of those are available in Canada or the US. In fact even the independent oil manufacturers do not list an oil compatable with this spec.

I'm sure that will change as time goes by, Diferent brands that do conform to the VW spec. will appear.

In the end, I think the changover went well and the cars seem to run as well as ever.

[randy1234]

I know the thread is covering synthetics- -is there a reason to run synthetic in a diesel?

Is there a special oil for older diesels- -1.6 vw?

[CalAltaDubber]

I know the thread is covering synthetics- -is there a reason to run synthetic in a diesel?

Is there a special oil for older diesels- -1.6 vw?

Good question, and I don't have a definitive answer.

All newer VW engines are designed to use synthetics. In fact the clean diesels only run synthetic. I assume your 1.6 is from an older car, so unless the engine is newly rebuilt, I would just go with the oil type listed for the origional application of the engine.

Again, the issue that caused me to look into synthetics in the first place is the removal of zinc from the newer forulations. The zinc is what protects the cam and lifters from ware. Is it the same issue in diesels? I don't know. That is something you would need to reserch.

[Briano1234]

If the synthetic is rated for CC/CD, then it should be okay it is the cc/cd on the bottle of oil Dino or synth, that makes it diesel ready.
When I had my 81, I used Penzoil or Cheap shit... Why? after a oil change and with in 3 days the oil was black anyway.

I personally think the Synth in a diesel would be too thin, and the chance for the engine to go in to runaway from burning the internal oil would possibly increase. If you never experienced a runaway diesel... Having it runaway while driving, or running a Hobart Generator sitting next to a Helicopter.. Let me tell ya... It can be a Scarey Scarey thing........

[Calimus]

There are special formulations of synth for the oil burners. Rotella makes them as I actually run the T6 variety in my A6.

[randy1234]

Thank you. I just changed the oil with a rotella that is made for diesels- -not the synthetic type.

I agree Briano- -it looks pretty dirty in a short time. I have a kubota tractor and it only takes about 3 hours to look nasty.

Thank you for your suggestions- -I had not thought about it running away- -good point!