Polo GTI High Oil Usage - Discussion Thread

[kaanage]

60 per cent of the mechanical losses of internal combustion engines are due to cylinder piston ring contact. What to you do to reduce emissions ? You reduce tension between the two. Well in theory that produced the perfect engine with 138grams/ almost 200 hp stock and consumption only up by 10% when compared with cavd units ( still very sensible). In practice though they failed to accommodate for the rapid boost build up of the compressor with the new piston/piston rings setup, thus the screw up.

Finally something that makes sense of the whole situation. Thanks for that enlightening post - I had thought that VAG had simply leaned out the fuel delivery for the 118 TSI Golf and that was causing the problems with that car but it was puzzling why the Polo GTi seemed to be still afflicted with the same issues.

[readerr0r]

Finally something that makes sense of the whole situation. Thanks for that enlightening post - I had thought that VAG had simply leaned out the fuel delivery for the 118 TSI Golf and that was causing the problems with that car but it was puzzling why the Polo GTi seemed to be still afflicted with the same issues.

Yeah I never really understood why the 125kW MK5 GT engine is so solid compared to the newer one, thanks Varnak!

[gavs]

For sure I agree that for maybe 80% of afflicted engines the actual design is the issue. It is just glaringly obvious also that the original recommended oil (as recommended by the filler cap) is not up to task in this engine.

Toyota had exactly the same issue with their V8 turbo diesels not long ago and once they changed to Castrol Diesel GTX oil, oil consumption dropped. Sometimes the oil can make a difference.

[kevinctr]

For sure I agree that for maybe 80% of afflicted engines the actual design is the issue. It is just glaringly obvious also that the original recommended oil (as recommended by the filler cap) is not up to task in this engine.

Toyota had exactly the same issue with their V8 turbo diesels not long ago and once they changed to Castrol Diesel GTX oil, oil consumption dropped. Sometimes the oil can make a difference.

Yes, the oil does make a difference even when both have the 504/507 specs. Like I have shared with the rest here, I break-in my engine with normal Mobil1 5w30 oil by pushing the engine hard and do frequent oil changes during the break-in period. Its beyong my imagination how the factory oil can be left in your precious engines with those metal shavings for 15,000km... I got them out as early as 500km.

I recently upgraded to a Penzzoil/Quaker state/Shell 5w30 EuroL 504/507 specs oil. It makes the engine smoother, quieter and the oil temperature rises and cools better than the normal Mobil1 hands down. Too bad I do not have a oil pressure gauge in this Polo which I have on my previous Hondas...or it will show the difference even better. Try this oil as it has one of the lowest evaporation rates on test.

[Varnak]

It is just glaringly obvious also that the original recommended oil (as recommended by the filler cap) is not up to task in this engine.

No it is not obvious. Not to me anyway, after having tested 4 different brands that adhere to the correct standard i found no difference worth mentioning.
You have no evidence whatsoever for this claim Gav, or at least a working hypothesis m8. Why ppl that have swapped castrol for another brand still consume oil?
The problem does not lie with the oil but with engine design, until you understand this VW will be giving ya the cold shoulder.

[RoknRob]

No it is not obvious. Not to me anyway, after having tested 4 different brands that adhere to the correct standard i found no difference worth mentioning.
You have no evidence whatsoever for this claim Gav, or at least a working hypothesis m8. Why ppl that have swapped castrol for another brand still consume oil?
The problem does not lie with the oil but with engine design, until you understand this VW will be giving ya the cold shoulder.

There certainly is a lot of anecdotal evidence on this forum from people who have swapped oil and had some improvement in their oil consumption. It doesn't eliminate the issue, so I don't think anyone considers it a fix to the underlying problem.

Until such time as a proper fix is available, it may be worth a try, to keep your engine from running completely dry. Or at least make it take longer.

Sent using Tapatalk 2

[Varnak]

To me "anecdotal evidence" and " some improvement" in the same sentence form an oxymoron. This is not even close to empirical evidence.
For every story that someone thinks he saw an improvement using a different brand of oil, there are twice as many to counter it. Either way it means nothing. If it is not reproducible it is just an opinion and not a fact.
At least i would expect a working hypothesis to discuss.

I am not convinced at all...

We, at least, agree that oil brand is not the issue, but i don't think there will be a fix. Not from VW anyway...

[kawabanga]

I basically agree with my neighbor Varnak, even if I tried to change oil (Bardhal C60 5W30), without noticing any improvements, but my GTI is 1 liter per 10.000Km and now even better with the new breather...

In the hundreds of cases I read in our Italian forum and in other forum around the world, I can say that the oil consumption is not constant on this engine: the way it's driven, outside temps, short trips, high revs, many variables cause different consumption on the same engine in different periods... Sometimes oil consumption disappear for ever after a certain milleage.
This could be, IMHO, the fake behaviour that can let someone think that the type of oil is the real reason...

A different oil, specially changing viscosity, could lead to little differences not noticeable measuring the dipstick: who burns 1 liter per 1.000Km should look for the reason somewhere else...

I agree also on oil changing: I personally changed mine at 12.500Km just for the coming of cold winter temps, but as I shown with my pics, the oil was still clear and for sure the oil filter is able to do its job very well...
The CPU tell me that the oil would be fine till about 30.000Kms, I can beleive it's true...

[gavs]

Varnak;

First off, I never found Kawabanga's post offensive at all, I actually value his opinion and contributions to the community coming from another side of the world perspective. I also (again) do not disagree with what you are saying whatsoever yet you cannot seem to understand this.

Because I work in an engineering office that deals with such matters as oil and hydraulic fluid and how they operate, perform and degrade etc I clearly have no idea what I am talking about so I will not comment further.

And as you will find after your last barrage of insults against another forum member, nor will you for some time. For the record, I couldn't give a crap what you said about me.

[kawabanga]

First off, I never found Kawabanga's post offensive at all,

Thanks for clarifications, reading that message I also thought you were referring to me...