Audi Junkie

has Shell Rotella T Synth, a diesel-rated 5w-40 synth. Same parent company and base oil. Similar, if not better. Regular Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30 is a great product, I use it in my Acura, but it is thinner. It passed the new Honda HT-06 test for turbo 2.3 RDX. It would work in the stock 1.8t, a rare case of a Euro engine that works well with thinner oil. Back to the Euro 5w-30 thing. US 5w-30 (synth included) are 10cSt visc, the same oil in Europe is about 12cSt, on the thick end of the 30 range and makes the spec. Valvoline is a good example, their 5w-30 appears onthe VW 502 list although it's US formulation is thinner, as is typical for US/Asian engines. I spotted this error, and confirmed it with a friendly Valv tech. Some places just like oil thick like South America or Austrailia you will find viscs like 25w-70 on the shelf for no good reason!
In winter, I think a V6 will survive on PP 5w-30, but I would find a 40 weight for summer.

Audi Junkie

AMSoil's pretty unique.I see the HT/HS is high @3.4cP verses the usual 2.9cP.Close to the 3.5 needed

Audi Junkie

I like time intervals. 2-3-4 times a year. Adjust visc for seasons if needed. Best to have fresh oil in for winter. Short trips kill the oil with condensation. I say to decide how often you WANT to change oil and pick a quality that allows you to go the miles you anticipate in that time in the conditons you will encounter.
Changeing 2x a year with semi-synth, hi-miles or diesel-rated is fine up to 8000 miles. 10w-40 is fine down to zero F. 5w-40 if you see super-cold conditions. You can try GTX HM 5w-30 for winter or even maybe summer use if you don't have consumption issues. Blending the 5w-30 with the 10w-40 works too with more or less of the two. I grab two 5q jugs, one of each visc. Fill the engine with the thinner 5w-30 for winter and with the thicker 10w-40 for summer, topping it off with the other jug until next change.

ALAN553

Castrol SYNTEC 0W-30 European Formula is engineered to meet the Mercedes Benz 229.5 specification. The 0W-30 viscosity grade is ideal for winter conditions where low temperature pumpability is required. A unique, low-temperature formulation provides exceptional pumpability in cold weather and allows for unaided engine starts down to -40°F. Exceeds all car and light truck manufacturer's warranty requirements for the protection of gasoline, diesel and turbocharged engines where API SL, SJ, SH, CF or CD is recommended. Exceeds European ACEA: A3, B3, B4; VW 502 00, 505 00, 503 01; MB 229.1, 229.3, 229.5; BMW LL-01; GM-LL-A-025, GM-LL-B-025 and the engine protection requirements of ILSAC GF-3 for API Certified Gasoline Engine Oils.

bhvrdr

which is likely while Castrol 0w-30 is not on it and Castrol is an OEM audi oil that meets API and VW certs by submitting to the test protocol. Amsoil fully admits they have submitted to neither but to take their word for it that they do meet the certs based on their own numbers, which they may very well do. I'm not bashing them. Just stating they are not an approved oil as an email from Marc Trahan
Director, Product Quality and Technical Service
Audi of America, Inc.

has stated.

ALAN553

I know 0-30 isn't on "the list", that doesn't mean it doesn't provide the same or better protection than its competition and meet the same specs regardless of viscosity, not whether submitted to "audi" for their "approval" Also I should add that the manual in the 2004 A4 suggests using 0w-30 in the v-6 and clearly states to use synthtic 5w-40 in the 1.8T

bhvrdr

and manuals changed in 2005 IIRC but nonetheless who the heck knows why audi was suggesting only those three viscosities. I do agree that Amsoil might be a great oil. I just stick with some of the other great oils that is also approved and warrantied. I'm also usually upset when a company is deceptive and I had looked strongly at Amsoil thinking it was approved until I read and received email confirming it was not approved in any manner even API. I admit that made me sceptical to try it. I probably would have been more likely to try it if they had been more up front like Redline or Royal purple (not that i'd choose them) and not use deception. No biggie its just that many people who are less of car enthusiasts than you or me who dont know any better and have new warranties are still confused or simply fooled into believing the advertising.

Audi Junkie

In Europe, the warranty requires specific oil that is "approved". AoA can't do that in USA unless it is supplied free under warranty. So we are geting into a quandry w/o inclusive service. I dont' even want to think about it too much! How can Audi require an oil w/o supplying it? Mike has asome inshight on this, but believe me Syntec 0w-30 will not let you down, neither will AMSoil 0w-30. Basicly, if there is one thing I've learned, an oil that works or works well might not have specs. Look at an oil like Mobil Delvac-1. World-class ester-base...no need to seek Approvals for applications that it is not ~marketed~ for. It's made and marketed for industrial applications. So, no need to get angry with Valvoline "recommending" and excellent oil like MaxLife Synth nor with AMSoil and the like. Most are great products and offer the consumer something they might not get in an Approved oil. fwiw, the VW 502 test sequence was run on an old VW 2.0 Jetta engine.

akula-ssh

Motul E-tech 8100 0W-40 at 15000km OCI.

akula-ssh

At least that's what the oil analysis said of the last change of Motul in my car, about half of which city driving, plus 2 track days.