Oil?

So my Mk1 Golf 1.6 GTI 1982 went in for a service and it was running on 10w40 but the mechanics changed it to 5w30 is this okay? 

too thin IMHO.

Mine uses 15/40 w.

10w40 semi is what I use. 

10w 40 for me also. Semi synth.


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I normally use 10w/40.

I did once use 5w/30 by mistake, decanted from the wrong drum, realising my mistake I though I would start it up and try it out, I quickly discovered that when the engine was hot at higher revs the oil pressure would drop so low as to illuminate the low oil pressure warning light, I immediatly changed it for the 10w/40.

Your engine may differ but if you have an oil pressure gauge fitted I would monitor it closely

Mk1.Dan said

So my Mk1 Golf 1.6 GTI 1982 went in for a service and it was running on 10w40 but the mechanics changed it to 5w30 is this okay? 

Wrong oil, take it back and ask them to put the right stuff in. 10W40 semi synthetic is what should be in there.

The stuff VW would put in your car.
AVS Car Parts

The stuff I use. Don't forget to use discount code.
https://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-parts/engine-parts/engine-parts1/engine-oils/?521776011&1&cc5_245

mark1gls said

Mk1.Dan said

So my Mk1 Golf 1.6 GTI 1982 went in for a service and it was running on 10w40 but the mechanics changed it to 5w30 is this okay? 

Wrong oil, take it back and ask them to put the right stuff in. 10W40 semi synthetic is what should be in there.



The stuff VW would put in your car.
AVS Car Parts

The stuff I use. Don't forget to use discount code.
https://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-parts/engine-parts/engine-parts1/engine-oils/?521776011&1&cc5_245

Don't forget to have them replace the filter with a known good one ie: Mann, Mahl, Genuine VW… Don't take Generic, or Store Branded.

Ok. So it looks like i'm the only one using 15/40 as recommended by vwh.
Do i need to switch?

marcsa3 said

Ok. So it looks like i'm the only one using 15/40 as recommended by vwh.
Do i need to switch?

I use the thicker 15w40 in my 78 Scirocco as older engine and 10W40 in my later Mk1 golf,  I would not worry about changing it straight away but next oil change swop to 10w40 semi synthetic and don't use Castrol as lots of bad reports out there about the stuff.

Thats a bummer. I've just bought a 4ltr tub of castrol. What's the problem with castrol oil mark1gls?
Thanks.

Zinc content is low to negligible.

In the bin for that then. Thanks for the heads up. 👍

Here is an interesting article from Valvoline that tells you what Zinc does.
https://www.valvoline.com/about-us/faq/racing-oil-faq

With that being said, I have been a proud user of Castrol products since the ripe old age of 14, when I found out that Wagner DOT3 Brake fluid ate the seals out of my 67 MG Midget, Clutch/Brake Master, and slave cylinders.  I found out that Genuine MG seals were natural rubber and that Wagner ate the hell out of them after a honing and re-build…  So I switched over to Castrol GT/LMA hydraulic fluid way back in 72….
I have been happy with Castrol products over the years, but ahve been reading that they have re-formulated the standard motor oils to eliminate the Zinc Additive for improvements in the Emissions department.  It seems that Zinc being good for the engine, is tragic for Catalytic Pervertors.

There are Zinc Additives that you can buy out there, and mostly over here they list the engine oils as Racing blends to demark the Zinc ones from the Regularly Everyday ones…..  Now I have been adding Lucas Oil Stabilizers to my engines since I found out about the Zinc loss and haven't noticed any real wear on my cam or cranks, but I do drive them daily.  I have well over 300K on a Rabbit Diesel that was running Pennzoil 10W30 CC/CD for years, and well over 150K on the rest of my fleet.

I do not drive the cars like a little old lady, as Case in point, I was being Chased by a guy that wanted to talk to me down the interstate at 80-95MPH about a week and a half ago.  I slowed to match traffic, and well Traffic was flowing at 80-90,,,, He didn't catch me, but later on last week did when I was driving my Green Car in town to get a new antenna for the blue, when he told me he was chasing a Blue one with a tan top… (I am the only one I know of with that color combo, and the interstate number was correct.

Will I switch, I don't know, but I still add other things to my oil ie: Slick 50, and Lucas….
I have been using Slick since 1980 on my first Diesel Rabbit, and it saved my engine 3 times, for loss of coolant, and loss of Oil, no oil scupper over the valve cover and the oil cap departed the car.  I can go in to specifics of why Slicked worked, but the new Slick isn't the same formula that it was in the 80's, and I do trust the OLDER stuff… My Brother still has a few cases of the old as he used to sell it…..

Have I "Slicked" my Cabriolets, you bet your posterior…..
Have I "Slicked" my other cars, you could bet your posterior again..Is that why I don't have wear down, or is the fact that I have Hydro-Lifters in all my cars?  I don't know, but I am aware of the Zinc Loss in most Motor Oils now-a-days.

Thanks Briano. Great info as always. Was totally unaware of the lack of zinc in todays oils.
Any one want a cheap tub of Castrol?  😄

Briano1234, what oil do you use and where do you get it from?
Someone is asking on another forum and they are based in the US.

http://sciroccoregister.co.uk/carforum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=21064&p=147772#p147772
 

I use valvoline racing.  it is a tad bit more expensive, but there are also Zinc additives out there.

There are plenty of different oils and if yo read the labels they tell you they have zinc in them.