Volvo Synthetic oil campaign 2016 - warranty requirement?

Post by **abscate** » 03 Aug 2016, 09:44

Normally cross posting is frowned upon, but here is a link to the V60 thread on a change in oil requirements for 2012 models coming from Volvo

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... 26&t=76779

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 05 Sep 2016, 17:25

Crazy that Volvo would do that to their customers but I agree- synthetic with a turbo engine...buy the 5qt jug at Walmart for $26 on sale...one more quart to round things out...go to the Mobil Oil site and upload the receipt for a sometimes $15 rebate. Last time I did it I got $12 back...2 receipts- one in my name (the other in my wife's)...one per customer... So for about $64 worth of oil (2 cars), we got a rebate for $24 ($40 for 2 cars)... huge savings and piece of mind using a synthetic oil!

Post by **jimmy57** » 05 Sep 2016, 21:39

Do what to their customers? Make a policy that they should be using synthetic oil for 10K interval oil changes?
So letting customers kill their engines is the better approach?
There have been other car manufacturers that required synthetic after the fact when they realized far too many were not following recommendations for shorter intervals. Most of these people don't recognize their use as not within standard guidelines.
Remote start is getting to be a feature on more and more cars. It has already begun to show up as a cause of sludgy engines. People don't realize how bad idling to warm up is for an engine and this feature also adds engine hours to the oil before its next change.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 13 Jan 2017, 21:30

What I was saying was that I think 10K intervals is to long, even with synthetic. If I'm wrong I'm sorry but I haven't been convinced yet! I agree with everything else you said.

Post by **June** » 26 Mar 2017, 16:56

MadeInJapan wrote:What I was saying was that I think 10K intervals is to long, even with synthetic. If I'm wrong I'm sorry but I haven't been convinced yet! I agree with everything else you said.

10k is insane in my opinion. My car has had synthetic oil from my Volvo dealer approximately every 3k and this is what my engine looks like under the oil cap. Some years 3k took 8 months. Castrol synthetic is not that impressive. My car is a 2004 with 134k. A couple of years ago when I noticed that the engine was dark under the cap I looked through the grates with a flashlight and the head looks clean but the cam looks like it has varnish coating it. The impurities must collect under the cap due to those grates. What would my engine look like inside had I done the 7500 miles change as Volvo recommended or these newer cars at 10000k or nonsynthetic? I probably would have a clogged engine and pcv system. It the long run where it makes the difference, not those who trade every couple of years. June

Post by **oragex** » 10 May 2017, 07:23

10k on synthetic is fine IF the car is driven mostly highway/long distances and not in areas with extreme temperatures Alaska/Texas.
Bmw also specified 15k miles interval which was later on reduced to 10k miles, that was a dumb marketing or environmental approach that caused engine issues. However, most Bmw engines have a larger oil sump - 6,7 or even 8qts which helps oil to last more.
Requiring synthetic is however smart probably mostly because the PCV systems have been problematic even after 2010 on many european car makers, and synthetic may reduce the chances of a blocked PCV that would ruin the engine.

Post by **abscate** » 22 May 2017, 04:52

We ran our X3 on 15000 mile intervals , it was very lightly sludged at 150k miles. If I compare the cost of 10 extra oil changes to the PCV service, I'm way ahead.

I have gone back to 7500 miles since I want 250 from this car. It uses about one liter per 7500 as it has from new to us.

June, 3000 miles on synthetic is wasteful. No judging! Your engine is really lightly sludged, if at all. Varnish is normal.

Post by **June** » 22 May 2017, 17:27

abscate wrote: ↑22 May 2017, 04:52 We ran our X3 on 15000 mile intervals , it was very lightly sludged at 150k miles. If I compare the cost of 10 extra oil changes to the PCV service, I'm way ahead.

I have gone back to 7500 miles since I want 250 from this car. It uses about one liter per 7500 as it has from new to us.

June, 3000 miles on synthetic is wasteful. No judging! Your engine is really lightly sludged, if at all. Varnish is normal.

The OP and I live in hot climates and the oil just breaks down. Here is a pic of driving 60 on a open road and notice the outside temperature. It is not even hot July or August yet but the middle of May. That I think makes the difference, rather than the cooler weather up north or Europe. My engine has always had full synthetic installed by my dealership until the last couple of changes at 3000 miles and still some varnish, had I gone 7500 miles I am sure I would have ended up with sludge clogging the engine. The last three changes I have had Valvolen full synthetic 10w30 rather than the dealerships Castrol Edge and have noticed the oil stays cleaner. I am just not happy with varnish in a regularly serviced engine with synthetic oil.
June

Post by **precopster** » 22 May 2017, 19:22

The most crucial thing is engine temps which the cooling system (both oil and coolant) is doing a good job of keeping down during regular driving without traffic snarls. If we were able to view oil temperature in both hot and colder climates through a live reading I don't know if it would be that different in colder or more temperate climates.

The most engine destroying driving is traffic snarled congestion where coolant temps are consistently higher (therefore oil temps will correlate). Also driving hard in traffic just destroys engines because the friction created in the transmission transfers to the engine.

Fortunately Volvos do have a transmission oil temp sensor (but not an engine oil one) and live data shows marked increases in transmission fluid temperature during traffic congestion through Vida.

My 2001 T5 has recently been running on semi synthetic oil with 10,000km intervals and it definitely has very dirty oil at change time, however I use a K&N filter and there NEVER seems to be sludge or carbon buildup at the base of the filter housing. Previously I used Mahle, Bosch and other brands and there was always residue.

Post by **June** » 23 May 2017, 10:43

precopster wrote: ↑22 May 2017, 19:22 The most crucial thing is engine temps which the cooling system (both oil and coolant) is doing a good job of keeping down during regular driving without traffic snarls. If we were able to view oil temperature in both hot and colder climates through a live reading I don't know if it would be that different in colder or more temperate climates.

The most engine destroying driving is traffic snarled congestion where coolant temps are consistently higher (therefore oil temps will correlate). Also driving hard in traffic just destroys engines because the friction created in the transmission transfers to the engine.

Fortunately Volvos do have a transmission oil temp sensor (but not an engine oil one) and live data shows marked increases in transmission fluid temperature during traffic congestion through Vida.

My 2001 T5 has recently been running on semi synthetic oil with 10,000km intervals and it definitely has very dirty oil at change time, however I use a K&N filter and there NEVER seems to be sludge or carbon buildup at the base of the filter housing. Previously I used Mahle, Bosch and other brands and there was always residue.

There must be a difference in oil temperature between being driven on a 90 degree day vs 60 degree day. Otherwise why does the Volvo manual clearly state if operated in a area where the stable ambient temperature is above 86 degree 10w30 or 5w40 must be used or engine damage will occur.

So if the coolant temperature kept the oil temperature cool than 5w30 would be fine no matter what the outside temperature was because the cooling system operates within the same premiers at both a 60 degree day as a 90 degree day.

Correct me if I am wrong, but engine oil is run through the turbos? I know in my cars case after driving on a hot day the heat coming from the turbos is intense where as on a cool day hardly more than a non turbo car. The temp gage never goes beyond the halfway mark on the temp gage in either case. So could higher turbo charger temperature on a hot day be the reason for heavier oil be used and cause higher oil temperature causing premature oil breakdown?

There must be a reason for Volvo to list the number 86 degrees as the cutoff temperature, something must be different. I understand there is a external oil cooler, maybe higher under hood temperature makes the cooler less effective? I really don't know why the oil breaks down by 3k but all the Volvo cars back to my first turbo back in 1989 it has been the same and I have lived here in Florida the whole time.

My husband back in the 1980's had a 1985 Corvette which had a oil temperature gauge and it would rise to 200 degrees quickly and would exceed 350 degrees. I remember the 350 degrees because that is the temperature I deep-fry chicken at and I would always think to myself the engine oil was hot enough to fry chicken in. I don't think it ever went too far above 400, but that car has been gone for nearly 30 years now so exactly how high the oil temperature would get I can't say other than deep-fry temperature of 350 degrees. I assume that is normal for a Corvette V-8 of that time or even engines in general on a hot day. Just a thought, June