1.4 ecotsi 150 - 5w40 oil?

[MA1601]

Hi all

I’ve always used 5W-40 oil in my previous VW/Audi Tfsi/tsi cars as I do mainly short journeys and town driving so change oil every 12 months. Not sure what’s the case now but it was the recommended oil grade for short drain (1 year) intervals. So is it OK to use it in my 1.4 ecotsi engine code CZEA? Everywhere online says 5w-30 so I’m wondering if 40 would be too thick for these newer tsi engines. Thanks

 

[oldgitdave]

It won't do any harm but may very slightly reduce your mpg. The best advice is to use oils that are recommended in the manual tbh.

 

[andylong]

I don't know if it does any harm but a thicker oil will flow less easily and in cars with oil pressure control reduce flow, oil pressure rises with thicker oils through the same restrictions etc.
Engines are designed with certain oil thicknesses in mind and there's a trend towards thinner oils nowadays

 

[SuperV8]

Your manual confirms the oil spec required for your car.
There are variations depending on year, time/distance - or longlife.

Pick an oil with the correct VW approval. (not just recommendation)
For the CZEA which has ACT looks like VW504 if on time dependent servicing.
VW502 is 5w-40
VW504 is 5w-30
VW508 is 0w-20

example from 2017 manual:

 

[MA1601]

Interesting stuff. Manual says

Your manual confirms the oil spec required for your car.
There are variations depending on year, time/distance - or longlife.

Pick an oil with the correct VW approval. (not just recommendation)
For the CZEA which has ACT looks like VW504 if on time dependent servicing.
VW502 is 5w-40
VW504 is 5w-30
VW508 is 0w-20

example from 2017 manual:
View attachment 37249

Interesting stuff. Looks like it was changed for the facelift (presumably for emissions reasons). Mine is a 2016 pre-facelift and the manual says:

 

[andylong]

Thinner oil is good, it still lubricates and gets to where it needs to be faster. This is particularly important while the engine warms.

 

[andylong]

Also there can be multiple viscosities at each standard.

 

[SuperV8]

Interesting stuff. Manual says

Interesting stuff. Looks like it was changed for the facelift (presumably for emissions reasons). Mine is a 2016 pre-facelift and the manual says:
View attachment 37250

ACT has some rather special variable CAM 'which craft' which may need certain oil flow characteristics so if it was my car I would be using VW504.

 

[SuperV8]

Also there can be multiple viscosities at each standard.

For genuine VW oils:
504 is 5w-30
502 is 5w-40

 

[MA1601]

I used to own a 1.4 tfsi Audi A3 (8p generation) which consumed a bit of oil on 5w-30 but none on -40. Since then I’ve always used -40 especially on my Mk6 gti. Maybe time to switch back to -30!

 

[andylong]

Oil consumption is normal

 

[Mr Pig]

Seat have changed their oil from 5w30 to 0w30. I don't know why but either will be fine as long as it ticks the VW 504 00/507 00 box.

 

[andylong]

Seat have changed their oil from 5w30 to 0w30. I don't know why but either will be fine as long as it ticks the VW 504 00/507 00 box.

I'm guessing economy again. Less drag etc.

 

[Mr Pig]

I'm guessing economy again. Less drag etc.

I don't know. Just when I serviced the cars recently the recommended oil was coming up as the 0w30 and I had to google it to see why. I can't see it making much difference to be honest.

 

[andylong]

I read somewhere, a paper on oil modifiers, that the base oils are different to offer low low temp viscosities and that modifiers allow that base to operate at the higher temps. So the oil will always be runnier (sciencey huh?) But behave like it has a higher viscosity so maybe the oil will offer less drag etc, over the whole temperature range, while still resisting the shear forces for example.
As to making a difference, it's likely one of a range of measures, tyres, oil, start stop, cylinder cut out, engine map, fuelling etc etc that each contribute to the really efficient engines we have now.