[s-cars] Which oil/oil filter for UrS4?

[Dave Ellis]

A good full synthetic oil and VW/Audi/Mahle/Mann oil filter is usually 
best.  In the last two years or so I've started avoiding the newer 
formulation oils and have begun looking for an ACEA A3 rating on the oil 
container.  This is because in the last few years, a lot of oil 
companies have been changing their formulations to the newer "Energy 
Conserving" standards, which are designed to offer slightly less 
resistance and lower shear values to try and get an ever-so-slight 
increase in fuel economy.

While this sounds fine in principle, most turbo charged engines like to 
have oil with higher shear properties to better lubricate parts that are 
*really* moving fast (like turbo bearings).  From what I understand (and 
I freely admit to not being an oil engineer so could conceivably be out 
to lunch on this) our older I5 engines will be better off with a 
non-energy conserving formulated oil, which is getting harder and harder 
to find in North America.  I also vaguely recall reading something about 
hydraulic lifter noise being exacerbated by lower shear oils as well on 
one of the VW lists.

Because of this, I stopped using Mobil-1 for the most part about two 
years back when the new Mobil-1 formulations hit the market and the old 
Mobil-1 was phased out.  I now tend to use Castrol Syntec 5w40 or 5w50, 
and have also used the Mobil-1 5w40 truck & SUV (which although not 
rated for ACEA A3 seems to meet all it's specifications).  During the 
hotter parts of the summer I also sometimes use Mobil-1 Extended 
Performance 15W-50 when I can find it in my area at a reasonable price.

Let the Great Oil Controversy rage once again!
-Dave



Evan Levine wrote:
> 5w40 should be fine, personally I run 15w50. Run a good synthetic oil and a
> Mahle or Mann oil filter and you should be all set. People will argue oil
> weights till the cows come home. Truthfully either, or anything in between
> will likely be just fine.
> 
> Evan