I'm amazed how oil weights affect the engine and turbochargers!

Post by **June** » 23 Aug 2021, 18:45

The last couple of oil changes I switched to 10W30 Redline from 5W30. 10W30 was used as summer oil in the past per Volvo specification. The car has been less powerful, occasional 3 second oil light with dry start sounds, noisy turbochargers. Last week I removed two quarts through the dipstick tube. Added two quarts of 0W20 Redline used in the Ford usually. My engine is back to normal! The acceleration is back to balls-to-the-wall nearly uncontrollable power, quiet turbochargers, instant oil light off with no noise upon cold start. Clearly lighter weight oil is best for these engines!???

Wednesday "Baby" my 2004 S80 T6 gets a oil change back to Redline 5W30. At 215K and 18 years old the clearance internally must be tight?

This is just a observation I thought I should share. Has anyone used 0W20 or 5W20 in these engines? June

Post by **MoVolvos** » 23 Aug 2021, 20:14

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When the oil is thin it will break down much quicker at higher temperatures. It does help the engine spin freely but at a cost during higher ambient temps. No way to get around the science. Best to be able to confirm oil temp. Been running the Castrol Titanium in the 0W-40 in the S80 T6, GS300 and L-Moly 0W-40 in the C30 T5.

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Post by **June** » 23 Aug 2021, 21:29

I have been running 5W50 year round since I started using Redline 100% synthetic until 200k. I thought maybe the 10W30 would be better as 200K is a lot of miles. I'm at 215K now. I'm going back to 5W30 and will monitor the engine closely. I run my S80 hard. It likes it as far as i can tell. or it is a extremely robust setup under the hood!?.

I believe these engines have a oil cooler? Also a jet spray system for the rings. Thinner oil might spray better lubricating the rings better causing less resistance? Just a thought? June

Post by **MoVolvos** » 24 Aug 2021, 08:30

June wrote: ↑23 Aug 2021, 21:29 I have been running 5W50 year round since I started using Redline 100% synthetic until 200k. I thought maybe the 10W30 would be better as 200K is a lot of miles. I'm at 215K now. I'm going back to 5W30 and will monitor the engine closely. I run my S80 hard. It likes it as far as i can tell. or it is a extremely robust setup under the hood!?.

I believe these engines have a oil cooler? Also a jet spray system for the rings. Thinner oil might spray better lubricating the rings better causing less resistance? Just a thought? June

I think the 5W50 is perfect for FL and the T6. I agree the engine is very robust even with the twin turbos. Just freely goes and goes. No wonder they didn't put it in any other P2's as it would dominate all other stock mass produced Volvos ever made.

Thinner oils will start easier besides less resistance overall for the entire engine. Again, however it won't protect as well when running hard due to losing it's properties much quicker with the temp gains. Less shear resistance between all moving parts so probably more quicker wear. High heat is an enemy for sure.

I doubt a manufacturer is able to do a 200K real world test before selling a new model. Everything is scaled to project a cars reliability and longevity or else there wouldn't be so many problems as in sunroof drain, PCV, alarm modules... The P3 S60 oil burning was another fiasco and resale value is a dime a dozen.

I am a believer that manufacturers use thinner oils to gain better or pass EPA requirements as told to me by the Chev guy who said Vettes needed the 0W20 to get obtain mileage numbers.

Here is a 20 Tiguan with less than 4,100 miles on factory 0W-20 oil. Can't find many new oils with the latest VW Factory Spec so have to go with the newer L-Moly in 0W-20 from FCP. Never driven the thing hard. One way trip in May from Raleigh to Lynchburg yielded over 37 MPG and a round trip a week ago 35 MPG from a 2.0T motor. Not gut less but not fast either but does glide due to the 8 speed once up to speed. City Avg is about 24 MPG.

The May trip followed a slower moving truck while last week at regular highway speeds.

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Post by **matthew1** » 24 Aug 2021, 09:23

Hi June!

MoVolvos wrote: ↑24 Aug 2021, 08:30 Here is a 20 Tiguan with less than 4,100 miles on factory 0W-20 oil. Can't find many new oils with the latest VW Factory Spec so have to go with the newer L-Moly in 0W-20 from FCP. Never driven the thing hard. One way trip in May from Raleigh to Lynchburg yielded over 37 MPG and a round trip a week ago 35 MPG from a 2.0T motor. Not gut less but not fast either but does glide due to the 8 speed once up to speed. City Avg is about 24 MPG.

I'm pretty sure VW standardized on Castrol synth for the 1.8 and 2.0 4-cylinders. That's factory for my '17 Alltrack. I don't know the weight. I'm sure it varies by region. I've gotten over 40 MPG many times on an easy drive to Castle Rock and back. Usually an easy highway drive will return 35 MPG without trying.

Standard operating procedure is to reset the MPG on the on-ramp. That way I'm measuring actual highway MPG, not the various city streets to get to it...

I always get to 6th gear ASAP and drive 5 MPH over the limit.

Be careful getting close behind 18 wheelers to draft. They don't like it.

Post by **MoVolvos** » 24 Aug 2021, 09:45

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Your Alltrack can use 0W40. VW 505. 00 and 502. 00 was the standard so Castrol Titanium 0W40 could be use on the 19 Atlas V6 4Motion I gave my brother in trade for his 19 Tiguan 4Motion. That thing was so noisy of crank knock (Miller Cycle Engine) I traded it for a 2020 lower line Tiguan with much less knock. Just swapped keys.

The 18 Tiguans and up with the newer EA888 requires VW 508.00/509.00 and that only comes in 0W20.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/0w20-t ... ly-lm20238

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-vol ... 2577m2kt1/

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threa ... 20.329270/

Great to know you can get such high MPG. Others have said they obtained over 40MPG. The drive to VA and back has lots of hilly terrain otherwise I think the car is capable.

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Post by **MoVolvos** » 24 Aug 2021, 22:53

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I kind of skip around so don't know which weight of oil they put in?

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Post by **June** » 28 Aug 2021, 14:13

June wrote: ↑23 Aug 2021, 21:29 I have been running 5W50 year round since I started using Redline 100% synthetic until 200k. I thought maybe the 10W30 would be better as 200K is a lot of miles. I'm at 215K now. I'm going back to 5W30 and will monitor the engine closely. I run my S80 hard. It likes it as far as i can tell. or it is a extremely robust setup under the hood!?.

I believe these engines have a oil cooler? Also a jet spray system for the rings. Thinner oil might spray better lubricating the rings better causing less resistance? Just a thought? June

5w30 not 5w50! Missed the typo. Back to 5w30 and Baby is back to nearly uncontrollable power!!! Big difference is when engine shutdown no cooling fan running still, 10w30 almost always had fan run after engine shutdown during hottest parts of the day.

Possible 5w30 flows quicker removing heat better? Car feels normal again and no more cooling fan running after shutdown with 5w30 Redline group 5 oil. Also I change the oil at 3K. June