# Accidently put Castrol Syntec 5w-30 in 2003 GTI



## loafer87gt (Apr 12, 2008)

Took my car in for an oil change last evening and when the guys asked what oil I wanted I told them 5w-30 instead of the recommended 5w-40. Should I take it in and have them redo the oil change putting the proper grade oil in? Or if I drive very convervatively (winter and snowy weather will soon be here) will it be OK till the next oil change? I feel so stupid for making this mistake. 

For the safety of engine and turbos sake, should I spend the $100 and have another change done before I hit the highway this weekend?

Thanks in advance for any advice. I did search a for 5W-30, but no results came up with the new search engine.


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## AudiSportA4 (Mar 3, 2002)

No problem. 5w-30 works well in 1.8t, plus you have the transverse, which holds a little more oil than the Audi. This is especially going into winter, where the improved flow will actually be a benefit. If you bail out and change the oil, you can of course leave the filter in place and just drain and refill the oil to the grade you want. I reuse the filter for a few changes at a time, basically one full year is 3 changes for me. I just remove it, drain and re-install. No reason not to and the filtration actually improves while it's in-use. Let me know if you have any questions.

Here are some examples of 5w-30 in a 1.8t doing fine...


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## cryption (Mar 28, 2006)

Always sound advice from AJ (however I always change my filter). 5w-30 won't hurt your motor at all. Change it next time yourself and you can get synthetic and a filter for $30. Save the extra $70 for :beer: to celebrate a job well done.


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## loafer87gt (Apr 12, 2008)

Thanks guys, you rock. :thumbup:


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## TechMeister (Jan 7, 2008)

If the oil is VW approved for your application it will be fine. If not, you'd be wise to change it. A $100 is a lot cheaper than a new engine.


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## dbrowne1 (Oct 31, 2000)

You're fine with the 5W30 Syntec until your next change. In addition to what has been posted already, if you search the archives of the 1.8T forum, you'll see that I ran Mobil 1 (two different formulations) 5W30 back to back, in the summer, in a modified car, and got phenomenal results on the oil analyses. Better, in fact, than with the much-touted and "approved" 0W40 Mobil 1. 

If your engine or turbo fail, I can assure you it won't be your use of synthetic 5W30 for one oil change interval that caused it.


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## AudiSportA4 (Mar 3, 2002)

Look at the fill tables and compare dry fill to service fill. Plenty of oil stays behind, up to 2 quarts.


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## Markhall (Apr 11, 2008)

*HA*

You all make this so annoying to read, no offense! 

My 2 cents 

This day in age, both oil and filters are WAY over engineered. I am no expert, but there are a few things I do know. 

Oil. What we used to do, with non-synthetic oils. Change oil every 3k, and filter. HAs changed! 

Since this time, we have had better oils brought to our world! Synthetic oils are great on newer cars, ****ty on old cars, for reason I don't think i need to explain. 

Each company that produces a synthetic oil, test the oil to well over 3k or even 7k. Does anyone know why? Because most people in general are lazy as ****! As well, most GOOD quality, or High quality oil filters do the same thing. Test them to ****, well over 3-k range. again, for the same reason's 

the fact we change them at 3k-7k is to help the engine last as long, and run as well as it can. Is there difference? Sure you can see a difference with extending your oil changes out, and not changing your filter. But the difference is very small on the short end of things. 

There are a lot of conditions that go with oil, and oil changes. Your conditions of driving, how hard you drive it, what are the air conditions? dusty? hot? cold? thin? humid? more important, what are the gas conditions? are they using 89? 87? 91? 92? (Oh, and I've done a real life study on the octane ratings next to millage as well) where they got this gas from, did it have water, were the tanks clean? A **** load of factors. When oil is trusted, some companies will use these real world factors, some don't. This is why i tell people to stay away from cheep oil, or ****ty brands. and ****ty markets with no name crap! 

Anyways. The above fact sheet is good for a coupe things. it does tell you what was in someone's oil after it's use. This is a real world study of the oil brake down. And it can tell you a lot about your car, and how it is running. GRANTED it did not really answer the question of, Should I change my 5w-30 to 40. 
(Most well running car's, that are kept in great over all condition are going to have ABOUT the same fact sheet as above!) 

And that all depends on how you drive, and what gas your using, among other things. I would have to say no. I would not go back and change it at this point. 

Now, from what I know, and see, been told, went to school for... and so on. this is just what I am told, does not mean I follow it, or believe in it. 

Oil changes should be done depending on how you drive, miles, and time. As oil sits, it can brake down, and varnish. 

Miles is a no brain move! if you have 10K on an oil change, it's time. If you look in a lot of car manufacture owners manuals, you'll see, they don't recommend oil changes till 7-10K. Do you think they got some special oil, made by the rainbow man? NO, they use what we can get as well! I say this is a good rule of thumb. If you drive hard, and go fast, change it more often! if you don't, and Gram is driving the car, a bit less is ok. Do i wait till 10k? No f-ing way! I drive hard! I try to do it between 4500-7000. Thats been my range! Why 4500? 

After my trip to Florida, and back, I had quiet a bit of millage! Was not using my normal gas station's. And racked up about 3500-4000 miles!!! Soon after I got home, she went for a bath! (oh, funny to say, Zmaxx...even VW gets behind it now! i use every oil change! and I also use a mix of lucas synthetic additive. ) Did I change my filter? YES i did. 

Now the change before that, and changes even before those were 6500-5400 In the middle, I did not change out my filter. I looked it over and it was clean, for the most part. I ran a little oil through it to clean it some more, but thats it. I use Mann filters, and a couple other high end filters I order from germany. 

I use different oil's to try them out, and see how they work. Rottela, Castrol, royal purple, mobile one. I do try them to test the difference, and of course, price can effect what one I use at that time. I STAY away from most other oils. This is just me, and what i do! thats all. 

Once i get done with a filter, i have it tested. (friends in low places, lol) and really, the flow rate between my highest mile, and my lowest mile are different, but close! not enough to open up the bypass valve! or be worried about doing that. You know how much crap it take to clog up a filter? Then why do I still change it? FOR PEACE OF MIND! thats all! I want to spend the extra cash, it makes me happy! 

NOW, if you want to feel better about your self, and spend the extra cash each time on a filter, do it! it's your car! What ever makes you happy. Are you going to kill your car by not changing out the filter between one change, or even two, Not in the least! Even more so, if you do the OIL change more frequent, and are using HIGH grade oil's. 

Is anyone wrong? I don't know, This is what I have been told, and have learned. This is my real world experience. Results may vary! LOL I have always wanted to say that!


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## CE (Jan 21, 2001)

Markhall said:


> You all make this so annoying to read, no offense!
> 
> My 2 cents
> 
> ...


 VW says not to use any additives, and it's unnecessary actually. And I can't find MOBILE, in a MOBIL can. And it's QUIET, when it should be quite. I thinks perhaps yous is not even realizing whats yous is using? Gas is gas, as long as it has no water, from a station with high turnover etc. I always use 91 or 93 in unavailable 89. If oil meets specs, it's fine. As long as VW spec and SAE it's good, how do you know what's in teh can made by whom, in store brands, etc. It could well come from the same plant that does Castrol or Mobil, and probably does, read teh specs, I always use Castrol, it's spec'd for Audi/VW all is good. Changing your oil more than recomended is a frivolous waste. Additives are useless. It's mind games, advertising BS. VW says no additives, ask em why?


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