My dealer offers Castrol synthetic oil (Syntec?) in place of dino
oil if I wish and pay the difference. My 2.7T's first oil change is
due in a week. Should I accept the offer or should I bring my
own oil.

 

<p><a href="http://registry.audiworld.com/audi/registry/details.asp?car=5325">

<img src="http://www.cameo.net/stuff/augerspin.gif">
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp2.7T 2.XS&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp
</a>

 

Audiablo:

Not meaning to flame anyone here, but this kind of respose is aboslutelu useless to anyone on this Forum.

Audiablo: Do you have an experience with Castrol that you would like to share?......Andras

 

If you plan on changing oil every 4000 miles, then either dino or synth is fine although synth costs you more. If you plan to stick with Audi's 8000 mile change interval (recommended for the 2.8 engine at least), synth might be better. Here are the pros and cons based on my readings (there are some posts on the forum with very good links to oil info pages):

Pros:

1) Less viscosity breakdown over time.

2) Less sludge in the pan after 8000 miles.

3) Superior viscosity consistency at thermal limits help get lubication to the engine faster during startup, especially in the cold.

Cons:

1) Cost.

2) I believe that someone mentioned on the forum that synths may be more "leak" prone in Audi's. I've never read anything about it personally.

I, too am about to take my A6 in for its first service. I plan to stick to the 8000 mile oil change interval and use synthetic oil. My dealer provides Mobil 1 but I think the brand is somewhat irrelevant (IMHO).

If the dealer is asking that you to pay the difference in price between dino and synth, it sound like a good deal to go with the Castrol supplied by the dealer. If you have to foot the whole synth oil bill (like with my dealer), then it might be cheaper to buy oil in bulk elsewhere and bring it to your dealer.

Oil topics tend to be "religious" debates so all of the above is personal preference. I vote for synths.<p>Charlie
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/CDM_Myaudi3.jpg">
2000 A6 2.8 Frontrak

 

<p>Charlie
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/CDM_Myaudi3.jpg">
2000 A6 2.8 Frontrak

 

I do plan to use synthetic oil and stick to Audi's suggest maintenance schedule,
I see no reason to shorten the oil change period. People here seems to prefer
Mobil 1 and my question is there anything wrong with the Castrol brand. I dare
not nor wish to enter the synth vs. dino debate, Thanks for your reply.

 

Road & Track did an exhaustive comparison on oils many years ago. Mobil 1 was tops, and superior to other synthetics in the quantitative tests and comparisons they conducted. I've always used it, and found it entirely satisfactory. Therefore I've not researched or compared synthetics recently. If I remember, one characteristic of Mobil 1 is it's molecule, which is like 20 miles long. (exaggeration to attempt quasi-humor) This characteristic was the reason for Mobil 1's stability over time and under extreme conditions. This was unique, and unlike any other oil, including other synthetics.

 

Not sure of answer here, but would advise to pay close attention to your turbos. After engine shut-off, the oil on the turbos' bearings is no longer moving, so it will literally cook. Is synth better than dino for this?

I'm "old school" -- change dino every 3K -- and I've driven old Saab turbos past 180K on original turbos without loss in boost. Strongly suggest letting turbo cool down at idle after driving your 2.7T, particularly after high rpm and highway driving. It is the real secret to long turbo life. Synth + no cooldown = fried turbo, which tastes bad.<p>98 A6 2.8Q-Tip blk/onyx.

 

works for me too. One line of text brightened my day.

 

Castrol has apparently been caught using a dino formulation and claiming it is a full-synthetic. It was posted in the a4 forum several months ago. Castrol apparently settled out of court.

Synthetics don't carbonize like dino oil. The worst-looking synthetic (on an blown overheated engine) I've seen looked like a clot of black goop. It would breakup or just squirt out under normal oil pressure.

So, not only will it not carbonize, but the kkk0-series are water-cooled with a 360 bearing, a VAST improvement over the uncooled partial bearing turbos used by the old saabs. The temps will not be in the coking range regadless.