Are You Using Oil?

[big_amir]

Took car in to vw today. they have topped it up with about 800 mils of oil for another 500 mile test. Considering i only put a litre in it on saturday and the car has only done 1300 miles since the oil scraper rings were replaced. 350 of those since saturday. they said once they get the reading they will get in touch with VW again.

[Edi30]

Took car in to vw today. they have topped it up with about 800 mils of oil for another 500 mile test. Considering i only put a litre in it on saturday and the car has only done 1300 miles since the oil scraper rings were replaced. 350 of those since saturday. they said once they get the reading they will get in touch with VW again.

This will be interesting to see what VW respond with if the oil consumption is proved to be still too high?

For info dealer rang today and mine is going in to have new rings after the bank holiday.

[big_amir]

Edi30 I think they may be delaying on purpose as I think vw already know the fix doesnt work. But I will have completed the 500 miles by end of next week and will update with what vw have to say about it.

[Grey_Polo]

My 1.4 16v Petrol Polo is now 20 months old and has covered just under 30,000kms (18,600 miles) and today it went in for its first service.

I never needed to add any oil. The only question at the service from me was the headlights seemed set too low. They were and the dealer corrected them - something he should have done 20 months ago pre-delivery!

The cost fo the service in Switzerland was CHF405.00 including 8.7% VAT. But at least the wash the car and vacuum the inside for that. This is £343.22 at today's rate - but would have been £168.75 3 years ago. Come on Britain, get that pound working again...

[skipster]

My 1.4 16v Petrol Polo is now 20 months old and has covered just under 30,000kms (18,600 miles) and today it went in for its first service.

I never needed to add any oil. The only question at the service from me was the headlights seemed set too low. They were and the dealer corrected them - something he should have done 20 months ago pre-delivery!

The cost fo the service in Switzerland was CHF405.00 including 8.7% VAT. But at least the wash the car and vacuum the inside for that. This is £343.22 at today's rate - but would have been £168.75 3 years ago. Come on Britain, get that pound working again...

Hi Grey_Polo, yes - it is clearly only a problem affecting the twin charge engine, yes that service was pretty expensive!

Just back on the oil subject, I am getting confused now as to whether VW really know how to fix the problem once and for all. It seems upgraded rings or even a replacement engine are not guaranteed to fix the problem. I don't want to have to keep going on these 1000km tests. As we do very few miles, the only advantage is the longer I leave it, the greater the chance that a permanent fix will be found. Surely though GTI's leaving the factory dont have the problem.

[gavs]

I checked mine today and at 4000kms, oil level has seemingly settled. Last check was at 2500kms and it doesn't look as if the oil has dropped at all.

Perhaps it has to do with the type of oil also, mate here is running LiquiMoly in his GTI and since a top-up at 2000kms, it hasn't used a drop since. I plan on running the same oil after dropping whatever is currently in it and do a filter change too, see what happens after that........

[Edi30]

Edi30 I think they may be delaying on purpose as I think vw already know the fix doesnt work. But I will have completed the 500 miles by end of next week and will update with what vw have to say about it.

Great thanks look forward to the response.

[Edi30]

I checked mine today and at 4000kms, oil level has seemingly settled. Last check was at 2500kms and it doesn't look as if the oil has dropped at all.

Perhaps it has to do with the type of oil also, mate here is running LiquiMoly in his GTI and since a top-up at 2000kms, it hasn't used a drop since. I plan on running the same oil after dropping whatever is currently in it and do a filter change too, see what happens after that........

I assume the oil meets the VW specification for both normal and long life service plans? I checked the UK website and there are not enough details so can't check. This would be a better alternative than new rings.

[wezzel98765]

Hey guys

I've read a LOT in to this over the last few days, particularly over on golf gti forums

Many MANY people have said that if they pushed their brand new cars (not redlining ... AND... once the car was "up to temperature) and driven the engine up to say 4k rpm in 3rd gear, then let the engine braking bring the revs down, and kept doing this for the first 100 miles or so.

They have reported that this method has made their car use little to no oil whatsoever!

However, those that have "babied" their engines in like the manual says, have had oil consumption issues!

Has anybody pushed their car from the off (once warmed up) and still experiencing oil consumption issues?

The reason for putting a slight load on the engine soon as possible forces the rings in to place so that the oil cannot slip around it, rather than putting no strain on the engine so that the rings only sit in place before the pistons glaze

something like that anyways ...

sooo... anybody pushed their engine a bit and not having the consumption issues?

[skipster]

Hi Wezzel, I can't say I have 'babied' the engine, I have just been driving it normally really. I have not given the engine a hard time from new, just varied the revs a bit and just treated it with mechanical respect.

I have had several new cars over the years but have never any oil consumption issues with any of them. (all Fords I should add).

I still only have 2,800 on the clock so in theory I m still within that running in 'window' if you like where oil consumption will be higher anyway. I added 2.5 litres for the first 2,500 miles and the dealer topped it up for me last time. Bizarrely though in the 400 miles I have done since, the level has been maintained, but I am expecting it to drop at some point.

[Edi30]

Has anybody pushed their car from the off (once warmed up) and still experiencing oil consumption issues?

The reason for putting a slight load on the engine soon as possible forces the rings in to place so that the oil cannot slip around it, rather than putting no strain on the engine so that the rings only sit in place before the pistons glaze

Yup loaded mine from new for the first 30 miles to bed the rings in and then used it normally with no running in. Car was fine to start with and has used more oil as the miles have increased (6000 now) and I have premature ring wear so using oil.

Used the same method on my last car from new, Golf Edition 30 and never used any oil.

[gavs]

My method was to find some hills, use a gear-too-high to get up the hill, rev the engine out to redline (yes, redline), then use engine braking to slow the car down. Along with variying engine speed by using different gears at 100kph, then taking the car for a good, hard fang on some twisty roads and yeah, oil consumption seems to be stady now. APR Australia have done over 8000kms and they ran teh car in with exactly the same method as I did (I actually copied them to be honest!) and their car has no oil consumption issues whatsoever. If you don't take the car to redline in the first place, what happens when you get there later on? Suddenly, your bores have a 0.01mm lip on top because the pistons weren't fully worked through their operating range, that lip suddendly chips off and / damages your rings when they hit it, oil creeps past that damage and once fluid gets past, it stays past. You burn it up and have oil consumption issues. Just a theory but a couple of engine builders (1 builds weekend-rally car engines, the other does it as a hobby)I've spoken to seem to think this is quite viable/

TO answer the other question, yes, the oil does meet the specs, well, the australian delivered stuff does, not sure about your UK delivered stuff (yes, different markets get different oil. Castrol advertise how good Castrol EDGE is, yet they don't even sell it here, they only sell Castrol EDGE SPORT which only meets standards for piece-of-crap australian built cars!)

The oil is:
Liqui Moly Top Tech 4200

double check the bottles, it generally says the manufacturere specs it complies to.

[Edi30]

Thanks for the info on the oil, I will see if the uk has this spec.

Ref bedding in the rings on my car I did almost exactly the same thing as described using all the revs in 3rd and 4th and then using engine breaking to force the rings against the bores and repeated process for 30 miles and then drove it hard down some twisty back roads but took it easy on the brakes.

My oil light came on again today and the car has done less than 500 miles since it was topped up by the dealer.

[Stiggy]

I think the different experiences above show what I would expect; regarding oil use, it doesn't matter how you have 'run in' the car.

My guess is there is a fault with components in some engines which leads to excessive oil use.

Mine has had the oil light come on for the first time after 2200 miles, which means I'm not too worried... yet.

[Edi30]

I think the different experiences above show what I would expect; regarding oil use, it doesn't matter how you have 'run in' the car.

My guess is there is a fault with components in some engines which leads to excessive oil use.

Mine has had the oil light come on for the first time after 2200 miles, which means I'm not too worried... yet.

I would agree that there are some engines which are affected by faulty components. I hope for your sake that you are right about your engine. My own experience of having owned VW and Audi cars (8 VW and 3 Audi in total) over 16 years is that the Polo GTI is the only car which has used oil.