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What engine oil do you recommend ?

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jjwebb123 Wolfsburg Wizard

617 posts · joined Aug 2009 ·

#760931
Hey all.
Just about to put the engine back in and thought would do oil change while we are at it what type of oil do you recommend,
What make and Grade?
Cheers
"A car for the people, an affordable Volkswagen, would bring great joy to the masses and the problems of building such a car must be faced with courage."
Adolf Hitler At opening of 1934 Berlin Auto Show

colonel mustard Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,829 posts · joined Feb 2009 ·

#760932
run in or just replacement?>

trickysimon 100km/h is only 9 seconds away

1,473 posts · joined Dec 2007 ·

#760935
Valvoline, you know what I mean.
Our whole family has used it for years with no issues.
Depending on the age of you engine:
10w30 on a new engine
20w50 on an engine getting a bit long in the tooth

jjwebb123 Wolfsburg Wizard

617 posts · joined Aug 2009 ·

#760942
just replacement,getting the old original oil out and putting new stuff in.
"A car for the people, an affordable Volkswagen, would bring great joy to the masses and the problems of building such a car must be faced with courage."
Adolf Hitler At opening of 1934 Berlin Auto Show

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#760947
jjwebb123 wrote:just replacement,getting the old original oil out and putting new stuff in.
thats good you should do it about every 2000miles
😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 ·

#760948
I use Penrite HPR30 on a couple of mine. Seems okay.

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#760997
Hi

I use Nulon 15W 40 in our bug, Prado & Corolla, Nulon is a sponsor of the VW Nationals and one of the big wigs there drives a bug and is a Club VeeDub member.

I've done a factory tour of their facility in Moorebank in South Western Sydney, very impressed and its all Aussie made.

Steve

jsheppard64 Officially Full-On Dubber

323 posts · joined Mar 2008 ·

#761003
Valvoline 20 50 it was $9.99 once so dad bought a few when it was on sale at supercheap or autobarn

71-BEETLE-SEDAN AKA Josh

1,058 posts · joined Mar 2009 ·

#761007
I use penrite 15w 40 but after sat and seen dave and steve rub nulon i think im gunna get nulon next time.

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#761016
Hi

It all depends on personal preferences, I don't think any of us have the resources to properly compare motor oils, just don't use no name oils from supermarkets.

I personally had oil use issues with Valvoline XLD in an old Passat TS, went back to the usual Mobil super drop and oil use ceased, a friend with a low ks 4.9 VL dunnydore had the same issues.

A friend had foaming issues with GTX during a track day in a 2180 bug, lost oil pressure, pulled the dipstick to check oil level and the oil foamed out of the dipstick tube like whipped cream.

Steve

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#761018
It's a big can o worms.....
I use Ace in customer engines, it's Aust. made and designed specifically for air cooled. Some of my hipo engines/customers prefer Brad Penn from the states. It has ZDDP which has been removed from most oils due to pollution and vehicle manufacture constraints. It's also recommended by many early Porsche specialists. I found my wbxr loves it.

I am strongly against many popular brands, some mentioned above.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#761029
i generally use castrol GTX in the older well used vws and GTX3 in all my modern cars and the subi but i run my 1776 on pennzoil 10/30w mainly cos its a fresh new engine and didnt like GTX/GTX2

i think alot of the oils are much of a muchness but i refuse to use shell oils now after having dramas with engines running on it with oil related problems

Phil74Camper Head in the Clouds

2,703 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#761041
The Haynes VW manual recommends Castrol oils and greases for VWs, with the recommended oil being normal Castrol 20W-50 (not the GTX oils, which are a different formula).

For more discussion on VW oils, read here: http://www.vw-resource.com/engine_oil.html

Gixer41960 Casual Dubber

31 posts · joined Oct 2009 ·

#762049
Has anyone tried ULX-110??? I'm thinking about getting that for my car next time.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#762059
jjwebb123 wrote:Hey all.
Just about to put the engine back in and thought would do oil change while we are at it what type of oil do you recommend,
What make and Grade?
Cheers

I've always used Castrol GTX2 in My beetle since it was rebuilt in 1997..

had no dramas..

change it every 1000kms...

I clean inside the tappet covers and inside the sump so the new oil stays nice & clean longer...

always use an oil change gasket kit..

LEE



PS: I read all the oil labels etc... and still go back to GTX2..
I don't like using 30 or 40 multigrade or mono grade oils in My beetle.. I like xx/50 grade GTX2 CASTROL..

Maybe I'll make a change one day...

always used Castrol Magnatec in My Lancers for years...
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

VWCOOL 23 Windows of Awesome

5,158 posts · joined Jun 2003 ·

#762090
68auto, 1000km? That's silly with a modern detergent oil. Have you ever had an oil analysis done?
Pay your debts, CxxT

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#762133
VWCOOL wrote:68auto, 1000km? That's silly with a modern detergent oil. Have you ever had an oil analysis done?

that's the problem...
the detergent oils keep cleaning things and You end up with very dirty oil...

I have always changed my Oil in My Lancers etc at 5000kms...
and they have proper oil filters....
and recommended changes or 15,000kms..
I'll do the same with My Suzuki Swift...


VW Brasil and Mexico had recommended oil changes at 3000 kms from memory??.. in 2003 etc..

I know it was a lot sooner than most people change the oil in beetle engines... especially in the USA....
they like the oil to last over there..... lol

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Uber Kafer Wolfsburg Wizard

414 posts · joined Nov 2009 ·

#762137
actually, VWCool, your question is important, but not the way you think.

Having worked in an industry that had access to oil sample analysis for rotating industrial machines, there was a pretty interesting story floating around about tests performed on engine oils - but fresh oil. It seems that one of the oils that is advertised very heavily, most heavily, across Australia at least, was one of the worst performers.

Just anecdotal I admit..... but the point is - do your research, and just because the product name is on the side of a race car doesnt mean they use that product in that car for racing.

jjwebb123 Wolfsburg Wizard

617 posts · joined Aug 2009 ·

#762153
i end up using penrite HPR30,Thanks for your help.
"A car for the people, an affordable Volkswagen, would bring great joy to the masses and the problems of building such a car must be faced with courage."
Adolf Hitler At opening of 1934 Berlin Auto Show

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#762160
You know what i mean..... lol valvo..

I just hope that if I pay a premium price I am getting a premium oil.....

and if the specs on the oil bottle are SM or SH it actually means something...

I notice that the no name branded oils at supermarkets always have the older specs... CC instead of CF etc...

so are these the same or similar specs to the original oil used in VWs???

probably NOT as now all oils are detergent oils...

[there may be the odd special NON detergent oil>???]

LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#762193
You could tell me anything about any brand of Oil...
but I'll still be using GTX2...

its a pick and choose thing...

then stick to it....

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#762208
I think you need to be open to the fact these brand oils all come from similiar if not the same oil stock and are blended to the manufacturers spec's. As time goes on and new engines and government restrictions take place, these blends become further from what our engines require. I have had a client doing some comparisons for me on an engine I built, a 2165 100 rwhp dual 40 IDF streeter and going from Castrol Professional Magnatec to ACE 30, he saw an improvement of 3-5 psi at 750 idle and 15 psi at 3300-3500 rpm (60 psi @ 85-90* oil temp).

Good enough for me 🙂

ACE 30 or 40, designed for Air Cooled Engines. 👍
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

chippy Slammed & Awesome Dubber

94 posts · joined Jan 2010 ·

#762218
where do u get ace mat? cheers todd

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#762226
There is a list of stockists around the country in the VWMA magazine, in the ACE oil ad. I am a distributer on the sunshine coast and would be happy to send you some if you wish. Ace 30 (20W-40) for good condition engines and Ace 40 (25W-50) for older engines or very hot conditions.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

tar76 Custom Title Time!

1,622 posts · joined Dec 2009 ·

#765432
I've been told that with aircooled motors you should use engine oil with a high zinc? I think that ace oil might have this?
"Obey your Dreams"!


62 Std beetle.
65 11 wnd Split "The Cross".
6? coming very soon!!!!

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#765437
Here (hopefully) is the spec sheet of the ACE oils, as you can see the zinc is listed, the spec relates to 1100ppm.

1 attachment · Log in to view

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#765438
OK, maybe one of you techo dudes can make it appear without being a doc to click on....you know what I mean 🙂.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#765442

Futue te ipsum!!!

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#765449
Thanks Barry
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

tar76 Custom Title Time!

1,622 posts · joined Dec 2009 ·

#765482
That stuff sounds the goods!
"Obey your Dreams"!


62 Std beetle.
65 11 wnd Split "The Cross".
6? coming very soon!!!!