Oil & Sensor Trigger

[AGB]

Hey Guys

Wondering if I could pick the group's collective brain.

1. My car has just cleared 3000 miles so I decided to carry out a full check of consumables and on checking oil levels, noticed that I was quite low, slightly below the minimum mark. I would have expected an alert on the dashboard warning me when I hit the minimum level at least. Has anyone else experienced this? I just wonder if the oil sensor is not working properly or whether the warning alert is a seized engine? Wondering if I need to go into VW and have them recalibrate the sensor, it's not something that I want to take a chance on.

2. When I bought the car, I bought some oil as recommended by the dealer. Mobil Syst S 5W-30 Special V Synthetic. It's rated as VW505 01. Now looking at my owner's manual, my engine oil spec is with LongLife Service which is VW 504 00. Looking at the product spec on the back of the bottle, it appears more suited to high performance diesels and the fact that it doesn't match the spec rating as per the owner's manual means I don't want to pour it in and hope for the best. Can I use 505-01?

Thanks



Alex

[am1w]

Hi Alex:
504 00 is the specification for the latest VAG engines which are Euro IV complaint and which require lubricants of low sulphur, low phosphorus and low sulphated ashes rates.
The back compatibility is for 505 00, 505 01 and 502 00. So you should be ok.

I use Motul Specific 504 00 which our resident oil expert mac7, I think, also uses and recommends. You can buy it from:

http://www.powerenhancer.co.uk/section.php/131/2/engine-oil---5w-30

Asker

[RickS]

Hey Guys

Wondering if I could pick the group's collective brain.

1. My car has just cleared 3000 miles so I decided to carry out a full check of consumables and on checking oil levels, noticed that I was quite low, slightly below the minimum mark. I would have expected an alert on the dashboard warning me when I hit the minimum level at least. Has anyone else experienced this? I just wonder if the oil sensor is not working properly or whether the warning alert is a seized engine? Wondering if I need to go into VW and have them recalibrate the sensor, it's not something that I want to take a chance on.
Alex

I may be wrong, in which case one of our friends will correct me; but I don't think the oil sensor works on level, it probably works on pressure, so if your oil pressure is at least at minimum required the alert will not flag up. But best advice is always check your oil level regularly, don't wait for the alert, particularly until you've done 2 or 3k miles. After this the oil consumption should reduce.

[AGB]

504 00 is the specification for the latest VAG engines which are Euro IV complaint and which require lubricants of low sulphur, low phosphorus and low sulphated ashes rates.
The back compatibility is for 505 00, 505 01 and 502 00. So you should be ok.
I use Motul Specific 504 00 which our resident oil expert mac7, I think, also uses and recommends. You can buy it from:

Cool. Thanks, that makes sense.

[AGB]

I may be wrong, in which case one of our friends will correct me; but I don't think the oil sensor works on level, it probably works on pressure, so if your oil pressure is at least at minimum required the alert will not flag up. But best advice is always check your oil level regularly, don't wait for the alert, particularly until you've done 2 or 3k miles. After this the oil consumption should reduce.

I do check my oil more regularly than 3000 miles! I just have a habit of doing full checks at milestone mileage then I have a point of reference that I can remember.

[Rhyso]

Should be two sensors - one for pressure and one for oil level

The oil level is right at the base of the sump and I've always thought if the light came on for that then you can kiss goodbye to your engine as there's very little left in there!

[Keithuk]

2. When I bought the car, I bought some oil as recommended by the dealer.

Didn't you ask for some oil Alex? VW used to give you a litre of oil with every new Mk5 car sold. Obviously they are saving money. I asked about this and they gave me a litre which would have cost £15.

No as previously mensioned the oil sensor only measures pressure and there maybe another one that measures temperature. 

[RickS]

I may be wrong, in which case one of our friends will correct me; but I don't think the oil sensor works on level, it probably works on pressure, so if your oil pressure is at least at minimum required the alert will not flag up. But best advice is always check your oil level regularly, don't wait for the alert, particularly until you've done 2 or 3k miles. After this the oil consumption should reduce.

I do check my oil more regularly than 3000 miles! I just have a habit of doing full checks at milestone mileage then I have a point of reference that I can remember.

I didn't mean you only need to check the oil every 3000 miles, I check mine every couple of weeks; what I meant was after 2 or 3K miles the oil consumption rate will reduce

[RickS]

2. When I bought the car, I bought some oil as recommended by the dealer.

Didn't you ask for some oil Alex? VW used to give you a litre of oil with every new Mk5 car sold. Obviously they are saving money. I asked about this and they gave me a litre which would have cost £15.

No as previously mensioned the oil sensor only measures pressure and there maybe another one that measures temperature. 

Yes, the oil temperature is displayed on the MFD if you scroll through.

[andykram]

Isn't it weird? One member's worrying about his oil level after 3000 miles. I never came close to having to top mine up in the year up to its first service in July. 12000 miles it had done by that point.
How come there's such a difference?