# 20w50?



## VR6DUBcity (Jun 29, 2011)

Been doing some research and everyone says run 20w50 in the summer. My lifters are loud as F%@! (I'll post vid) and someone told me to run 20w50 and some Mystery Oil and it should shut them up. Opinions?

BTW car is a 2003 Jetta 2.0 with 127k

http://s1049.photobucket.com/albums/s396/pfefmister391/?action=view&current=IMG_0062.mp4


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## Hurt (May 3, 2011)

I've never heard that. I've always heard 5w-40 and that works well. Maybe you should look into replacing your lifters? Maybe one is getting stuck open/closed. You could put a cam in at that time, too.. :thumbup:


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## VR6DUBcity (Jun 29, 2011)

Hurt said:


> I've never heard that. I've always heard 5w-40 and that works well. Maybe you should look into replacing your lifters? Maybe one is getting stuck open/closed. You could put a cam in at that time, too.. :thumbup:


I actually thought about that too. I'm just really unsure about messing with my timing, and my timing belt. But that too needs to be changed. It would be a good day, doing cams, lifters, and timing belt. My mechanic seems to think I have a lifter stuck open, but who knows. Being summer, I was told by like 10 people, all whom build and show VW's, to run a heavier oil as the heat thins it out. Plus a lot of people with 2.0's run 20w50 or 10w50 so I mean it can't do any harm. If its still making sounds, I'll go back to my normal 10w40.


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## zero. (Aug 14, 2001)

I've only heard of people running thick oil like that in air cooled VWs. 0w40 or 5w40 is what most probably run. You could try replacing a quart of oil with ATF and run it for 15 minutes or so. Kerosene works too. Mystery oil probably safer to leave in.


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## 91B3DUB (Jul 1, 2010)

yes it is better in air cooled vehicles, i ran 20-50w in my 16v year before last and it did quiet my lifters but i kno dubs love thick oil, bcause of the heat the engine makes! if youhave tons of miles 20-50 isnt bad once its cold, but over the summer try 10w-40w


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## tdogg74 (Mar 1, 2002)

*FV-QR*

20W-50??? Hell no. 

If your lifters are loud, replace them. A thicker oil than a 40 weight is just a Band-aid and will only mask the issue. You think they are loud now....put in a _thicker_ oil and see how loud it is on cold-starts. 

Stick with a 5W-40 oil. (recc. Shell Rotella or Castrol Syntec)


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## ELiT3 (May 18, 2011)

the only oil i used is 10w 40 castrol never had a problem cold or hot.


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## VR6DUBcity (Jun 29, 2011)

Running a mix now: 

2 qt Valvoline 20w50 
2 qt Valvoline 10w40 
1 qt MMO 

Not loud at all. Quiet, smoother start up and quiter after long distance trips. 

Thicker oil in summer, lighter oil in winter. Also went back to conventional, as I put in synthetic and it went to hell. (just bought it and buy here pay here never changed the oil and had no clue what oil was in it.)


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

zero. said:


> I've only heard of people running thick oil like that in air cooled VWs. 0w40 or 5w40 is what most probably run. You could try replacing a quart of oil with ATF and run it for 15 minutes or so. Kerosene works too. Mystery oil probably safer to leave in.


 replace a quart of oil w/ atf and run it for a week, not 15 mins..


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

plus, its a VERY BAD idea to mix weights/grades of oil...


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## zero. (Aug 14, 2001)

Glegor said:


> replace a quart of oil w/ atf and run it for a week, not 15 mins..


 People got different methods...the point is to not leave it in your car long. I'm going by what's listed on the back of most flush products that do the same thing :thumbup:


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## VR6DUBcity (Jun 29, 2011)

I was recommended to mix this by 3 different VW Dealerships in my area, along with 2 other mechanics. They advised me against running straight 20w50, that it would be sort of sluggish in the motor but no real harm would be done because the heat from the summer would allow it to flow properly. They said to mix it with 10w40 and MMO so that it would quiet the lifters, and it has. My car feels a hell of a lot better now.


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## foundonroadead (Feb 3, 2010)

i would say that 20w 50 is too heavy. pressure will probably be too high and i bet you'll see new oil leaks. 10w 40 is just fine


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

foundonroadead said:


> i would say that 20w 50 is too heavy. pressure will probably be too high and i bet you'll see new oil leaks. 10w 40 is just fine


 ive never seen a properly running engine tick from 10w40.. 

10w40 should be more than enough for any of these old engines. i dont run anything besides 10w40, or 15w40 in my gasser, and my lifters are nice n quiet. it gets ATF every few oil changes. i wait until a week before i change my oil, then dump in a quart of ATF, and change my oil a week later. 

ATF is made to sit in a transmission for 50k miles, i dont see it harming an engine in 500 miles.. 

ATF/MMO is not engine flush, so i wouldnt use it as directed by engine flush.. if i FILLED my crank case with ATF, i would run it a max of 15 mins. but just replacing a quart of oil with ATF/MMO is in no way harmful to the engine. the reason your supposed to run engine flush only 15 minutes, and not throttle the engine, is because there is very little lubrication in it, just detergents.. if you drove your car with engine flush, it would likely wipe the bottom end bearings out in short order..


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## VR6DUBcity (Jun 29, 2011)

foundonroadead said:


> i would say that 20w 50 is too heavy. pressure will probably be too high and i bet you'll see new oil leaks. 10w 40 is just fine


 I bet too. Seriously. I'm actually looking into getting an oil pressure gauge. Oh well though, because this will give me more of a reason to rip **** apart and have fun! LOL.


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## tdogg74 (Mar 1, 2002)

Glegor said:


> plus, its a VERY BAD idea to mix weights/grades of oil...


 :sly: Not sure if serious..... 

Mixing dino and synth is bad. But mixing oil grades is seamless with today's oils.


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## VR6DUBcity (Jun 29, 2011)

Glegor said:


> ive never seen a properly running engine tick from 10w40..
> 
> 10w40 should be more than enough for any of these old engines. i dont run anything besides 10w40, or 15w40 in my gasser, and my lifters are nice n quiet. it gets ATF every few oil changes. i wait until a week before i change my oil, then dump in a quart of ATF, and change my oil a week later.
> 
> ...


 
Well sir if you've watched the video then you just heard a motor tick from using 10w40 fully synthetic Castrol oil. It shut my VR6 up but for some reason it made this car noisy. In my opinion, I believe the car was running conventional and when I switched to synthetic, it did something and possibly made it run like crap. I noticed power loss, bad mpg, and it felt like it was choking. When I switched, it feels better. The car feels healthy, if that makes any sense.


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## Two . Slow (Aug 5, 2009)

gtx 5w30 is the only thing my aeg sees. tried mobile1 fs 5w30 and it drank 5 quarts in less than 3k. went back to gtx 5w30 and doesnt use any oil between changes.


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