Hello everyone,
Regarding this frequently asked question, I have attempted to find an answer for the VW Bus FAQ (http://www.t3-forum.de/user/wolfgang/faq.htm). I'd really like to hear your thoughts on this, especially regarding the B4 standard.
Hello
Wolfgang
Q: Which oil is best for my Bulli?
A: Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to this. The requirements for oils have become more complex in recent years due to new engine developments (TDI, pump-injector), the rise of fuel-saving oils, and extended oil change intervals. These new trends are often incompatible with older engines, so caution is advised.
In contrast dazu stehen die übertriebenen Werbeslogans der Ölunternehmen, die leider eher an Werbeslogans für Waschmittel erinnern und wenig hilfreich sind. Therefore, one can only rely on established standards.
VW has its own standards for engine oil, and initially, you should make sure to check which standard VW specifies for your particular engine. This is stated in the operating manual, is it missing or very outdated? You should inquire about the current standards at the VW dealer.
Since April 1997, Otto engine oils can only be approved according to the VW standard 502 00. However, the previous formulations remain valid. 502 00 replaces the previous VW standards 500 00 and 501 01 and is based on the requirements of the previous 500 00 approval, plus a T4 2.0l Otto engine test. Approval according to 502 00 represents a preliminary stage in the development of engine oils with the potential for extended oil change intervals. Currently, formulations of 15W-40 or 10W-40 cannot achieve approval according to standard 502 00.
For the diesel range, the VW standard 505 00 remains applicable. The exception is for pump-nozzle engines. Currently, engine oils according to VW standard 505 01 are required for these engines. Engine oils according to this standard are characterized by good cold flow properties, high thermal resistance, and low pump work. For the 2000 model series, oils according to 503 00 for Otto engines and 506 00 for diesel engines are required. This refers to specialized products that enable longer oil change intervals.
(Please refer to http://www.castrol.de/schmierstoffe/2_motorenoel_klass/m_klassifikation_4.html)
For standards like 505 00, there are relatively inexpensive oils available. Especially with an older engine, this is sufficient, and it doesn't make sense to switch to a modern, thin, high-performance oil. However, the 505 00 standard generally still applies to newer TDI engines (without pump-injector). In this case, one might already wonder if there isn't something better.
Here, the new European ACEA (Association des Constructeurs Européens de l' Automobiles) classification can help: there is class A for Otto engines, B for passenger car diesel engines, and E for heavy truck diesel engines. These are further divided by numbers, but not strictly in ascending order, so a B2 oil does not necessarily meet the requirements of a B1 oil, see
http://www.acea.be/ACEA/20021220Publications.pdf
http://www.acea.be/ACEA/20020618PublicationsOilSequences.pdf
Important in this context is the following ACEA test:
VW TDI (CEC-L-78-T-99)
A 4-cylinder, 1.9-liter turbocharged intercooled DI Diesel engine (81 kW, 235 Nm) is used to
investigate piston ring sticking and piston cleanliness. Test duration is 54 hours. A cyclic engine
The operation consists of alternating phases with cold idling and phases with maximum load (at
(4.150 r/min and 145 0 C oil temperature)
This test is part of the ACEA B4 standard. This specification is based on ACEA B3 with the additional requirement of testing in a VW 1.9l, 81 kW turbocharged diesel engine. This stringent requirement regarding piston cleanliness is largely not met by previous ACEA B3 products. In the B3 test, a similar test is conducted with a VW 1.6-liter vortex chamber engine.
Of course, the oil should also definitely meet the VW 505 00 standard in addition to the B4, although VW in North America, where the 505 00 standard is largely unknown, will likely recommend an API class that is equivalent to ACEA B4 (see http://www.alientech.net/nbinfo/tdiinfo.html).
Oils from Class B4 are not very common, with Castrol being the main brand offering synthetic oils. Specifically, the GTX7 DYNATEC · SAE 5W-40 is available for around 35 euros for 5 liters.
Interestingly, special diesel engine oils generally do not meet the B4 standard.
Here's the translation:
For informational purposes, here are some excerpts from the future fuel-saving oils from http://www.shell-helix.de/haendler/artikel_b2b_42.html
**{PRODUCT_NAME}**
{PRODUCT_DESCRIPTION}
**Key Features:**
* {FEATURE_1}
* {FEATURE_2}
* {FEATURE_3}
**Benefits:**
* {BENEFIT_1}
* {BENEFIT_2}
* {BENEFIT_3}
**Technical Specifications:**
* {SPECIFICATION_1}
* {SPECIFICATION_2}
* {SPECIFICATION_3}
**Applications:**
* {APPLICATION_1}
* {APPLICATION_2}
* {APPLICATION_3}
**Packaging:**
* {PACKAGING_SIZE}
* {PACKAGING_TYPE}
**Availability:**
* {AVAILABILITY_INFORMATION}
**Contact:**
* {CONTACT_INFORMATION}
In discussions about long-life oils, a third viscosity value is now playing a significant role: the HTHS number. HTHS stands for High Temperature High Shear, meaning high temperatures and high shear stresses, as found in bearing surfaces of crankshafts. This value indicates the lubricity at 150 °C in a gap between a rotating cylinder and the housing. The so-called shear rate is measured, which is defined as the ratio of gap thickness to speed. Conventional motor oils have an HTHS (High Temperature High Shear) value of over 3.5 mPas (millipascal seconds).
In a gasoline engine, the engine's requirements for a product according to ACEA A1 are hardly different from those according to ACEA A3, except for the lower HTHS of less than 3.5. However, the A1 or B1 classes also require a fuel saving of more than 2.5 percent compared to the reference oil (15W-40) during a standardized consumption test. This requirement is met by low-viscosity and appropriately additive-treated lubricants. It should be noted that A1/B1 oils can only be used in engines that are specifically approved for them, due to their thinner HTHS viscosity, as otherwise wear damage can occur.
In the case of automotive diesel, there are four ACEA classes: B1, B2, B3, and B4. However, the engine properties of B1 oil are not comparable to those of B3/B4 lubricants. It is extremely difficult to find a suitable additive mixture that makes low-viscosity fuel-saving oil sufficiently wear-resistant. High, uneven loads increase the wear of bearings, especially in diesel engines, disproportionately when the HTHS value drops below 3.5 mPas. However, the minimum consumption level for modern diesel engines is a HTHS value of 2.9 to 3.0 mPas.
As the Volkswagen Group wants to reduce its engine consumption, it is demanding an HTHS value of less than 3.5 mPas in its internal standard VW 506 01. Oil manufacturers and engine constructors must work closely together to ensure that this low-viscosity oil still provides sufficient separation between the metal surfaces in the bearings. And to make the task even more complicated, the engine oil should also change very little in its properties within a period of two years or up to 30,000 kilometers.
With class B5, the conflicting requirements of B1 and B2/3/4 are to be combined. B5 oils do not yet exist. As with the B1 oils, they will likely only be approved for use in engines specifically designed for them. |
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