PSA - Oil in Cold weather
02-22-2007, 11:43 AM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
PSA - Oil in Cold weather
We just received three UOA's (Used oil analysis) back from drivers in cold climates, and the results are pretty conclusive.
1) If you have an RS4, and you do short driving in cold weather, or extended idling, be prepared to change your oil out often (<3000 miles). Fuel dilution is as high as we've ever seen it, with oil flashpoints dropping to dangerous levels near the engine operating temperature range.
2) Castrol Syntec 5W-40 (which one owner had in his engine after a dealer change) showed 50% higher wear than any other oil during cold weather.
3) Amsoil Euro 5W-40 is showing the best wear and resistance to fuel dilution at this time. (This driver was also very careful to drive long enough distances to heat the engine to full temperature.)
I sampled my oil with 3K miles on it after the extended cold that we had up here in New England, knowing that I'd driven quite a few short trips where the engine had never gotten up to temperature. Flash point had dropped to 235 F, Viscosity had sheared a grade and a half, and fuel dilution was around 3%.
One driver using Castrol went to the Audi Winter Driving School in NH, with -17 degree temperatures and extended periods of idling to keep warm. With only 2200 miles on the oil, this caused massive fuel diluion, flashpoint drop to 250F and 50% higher iron wear than any other oil analysis to date, at the same mileage.
1) If you have an RS4, and you do short driving in cold weather, or extended idling, be prepared to change your oil out often (<3000 miles). Fuel dilution is as high as we've ever seen it, with oil flashpoints dropping to dangerous levels near the engine operating temperature range.
2) Castrol Syntec 5W-40 (which one owner had in his engine after a dealer change) showed 50% higher wear than any other oil during cold weather.
3) Amsoil Euro 5W-40 is showing the best wear and resistance to fuel dilution at this time. (This driver was also very careful to drive long enough distances to heat the engine to full temperature.)
I sampled my oil with 3K miles on it after the extended cold that we had up here in New England, knowing that I'd driven quite a few short trips where the engine had never gotten up to temperature. Flash point had dropped to 235 F, Viscosity had sheared a grade and a half, and fuel dilution was around 3%.
One driver using Castrol went to the Audi Winter Driving School in NH, with -17 degree temperatures and extended periods of idling to keep warm. With only 2200 miles on the oil, this caused massive fuel diluion, flashpoint drop to 250F and 50% higher iron wear than any other oil analysis to date, at the same mileage.
02-22-2007, 02:54 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,364
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Castrol 5w-40...
is not a 502 approved oil, right? Isn't it the heavy duty diesel truck oil? I wouldn't put that in my car, and wouldn't like the dealer doing so either.
The Amsoil...interesting, it may be the sleeper oil out there, even if not 502 approved either. But it is a Euro blend according to Amsoil, so the base and add package must be legit, and it appears excellent based on your oil analysis results, and some earlier results with Amsoil that you have mentioned.
The Amsoil...interesting, it may be the sleeper oil out there, even if not 502 approved either. But it is a Euro blend according to Amsoil, so the base and add package must be legit, and it appears excellent based on your oil analysis results, and some earlier results with Amsoil that you have mentioned.
02-22-2007, 05:20 PM
#4
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 24,309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
it is 502.00 approved, amsoil is not.
the data presented, while interesting, are insignificant to the big picture. data sampled from 1 or 5 or even 10 vehicles don't have the statistical power to prove anything in this 'population'.
02-22-2007, 05:35 PM
#5
AudiWorld Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 817
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
if im not wrong thats the oil the dealer told me they'd be putting in if they changed the oil
I'm not sure if they said castrol 0w-40 or 5w-40. I'm thinking its 5w-40. Anyhow, I'll definitely be taking in my oil when I get around to the 5k oil change in a few months.
Trending Topics
02-22-2007, 06:44 PM
#8
Flash point down to 235F?
Wow, that seems rediculously low, considering a normal 40weight flash point is around 450F.
Makes me want to take a sample of mine now just to see, but I don't have an oil extractor.
Do you know anyone that has run Lubro-Moly 5w40 oil in the RS4? That will be my next oil that I use in mine. Worked amazingly well in my R32.
- Anthony
Makes me want to take a sample of mine now just to see, but I don't have an oil extractor.
Do you know anyone that has run Lubro-Moly 5w40 oil in the RS4? That will be my next oil that I use in mine. Worked amazingly well in my R32.
- Anthony
02-22-2007, 08:00 PM
#10
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
No one that I know of has run Lubro Moly
Get yourself an extractor here:
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/pump.html
or here:
https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/oai.aspx
and order a premium analysis kit from Terry Dyson here:
http://www.dysonanalysis.com/
You can add to the oil analysis record of this engine by performing a Virgin Oil Analysis (VOA) of Lubro-Moly, and then successive Used Oil Analysis (UOA).
My guess will be that if you did a sample of your oil right now, you'll find signficant fuel dilution. Out of 13 samples from 5 engines, the highest measured flashpoint 340F. The lowest measured was 235 F. The average was 293 F. The mean.
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/pump.html
or here:
https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/oai.aspx
and order a premium analysis kit from Terry Dyson here:
http://www.dysonanalysis.com/
You can add to the oil analysis record of this engine by performing a Virgin Oil Analysis (VOA) of Lubro-Moly, and then successive Used Oil Analysis (UOA).
My guess will be that if you did a sample of your oil right now, you'll find signficant fuel dilution. Out of 13 samples from 5 engines, the highest measured flashpoint 340F. The lowest measured was 235 F. The average was 293 F. The mean.