Hi, I had the car in for service, including oil change, 6600km ago at this time last year. The dash is showing the service indicator now at 160000km. I've checked the oil and it's a bit low but still a nice brown. I'm just wondering if I can fill up the oil and try to reset the service indicator? Asking because the manual says either every 12 months or after 15000km. I do mostly long distance driving and drive pretty gentle. I do understand the importance of oil changes and have it done every year on my bikes, but then again I ride them a lot harder. Just wanna make sure I don't waste any good oil.
2010 1.4 Petrol Oil Change Advice (have read manual)
- Thread starter NateC
- Start date
There are two very different schools of thought on this. Some people are happy to follow the rather long oil change intervals recommended by the manufacturers. Others, myself included, are of the mind to change it a lot more often to really protect their engine. If it's been a year, I'd change the oil and reset your counter.
Timely oil changes is by far the most important thing you can do to keep a car healthy, happy and long lasting. There are things you can skimp on or talk about but oil changes is not one of them.
Change the oil and use high quality VW spec oil when you do it.
Change the oil and use high quality VW spec oil when you do it.
I really can't think of a good technical argument for extended oil changes - I can though think of plenty of good sales and marketing reasons why! - just do it every year/or 10 to 12 thousand miles (whichever comes first). I've spent my life in and around motor vehicle workshops and I've seen some pretty expensive examples of engines which have not had regular oil changes. Of course modern oils are vastly superior, especially in terms of stability and additives incorporated in them but you have to take into account that the engines of today, especially turbocharged engines and even more especially small capacity turbocharged petrol engines put demands on their lubricants which were unknown just a few years ago.
I'm especially interested in inlet carbon fouling on Direct Injection petrol engines and have read quite a lot about it. There seems to be an opinion that old oil in this particular design of engine (and nearly all new petrol units are now direct injection) contributes significantly to this problem. It seems to be that as the oil ages and the additives and polymers age it becomes easier for oil mist to get past the inlet valve stems and through the breather system which increases the rate of carbon build up in the inlet tracts and on the back of the inlet valves. So, far from pursuing an extended oil change interval on these engines, the argument seems to be that, if anything, the oil should be changed more frequently than recommended by the manufacturer. I'm learning more about this insidious problem all the time so I'll be continuing with my mileage/time based interval for the present thank you very much. As Mr Pig says above, only use the correct VW spec oil for your car too. The actual manufacturer isn't so important - although I like to use a "big" name that I trust (currently I'm running the whole "fleet" on FUCHS) but it's very important that it matches the VW spec for your engine. Currently for me that is a Fuchs 5w 30 to ACEA C3/API SN compliant with VW 504/507. This is actually an oil which can do extended interval changes but by changing at a year/10,000 miles I'm ensuring the oil is almost certain to be still in spec when changed. I actually rang Fuchs tech department and formulated this procedure as a result of that chat.
Not so long ago I would have said you were actually better to buy a cheap supermarket oil (of the correct viscosity of course - that's the 5w 30 or maybe 20w 50, whatever) and not worry too much about anything other than changing it regularly. Indeed many years ago I would do exactly that with my old Ford Anglia or the Cortina which replaced it. Not now though. I might still get away with it on our elderly Fiat Panda runabout but not on anything reasonably modern and absolutely not on anything with a turbo.
I'm especially interested in inlet carbon fouling on Direct Injection petrol engines and have read quite a lot about it. There seems to be an opinion that old oil in this particular design of engine (and nearly all new petrol units are now direct injection) contributes significantly to this problem. It seems to be that as the oil ages and the additives and polymers age it becomes easier for oil mist to get past the inlet valve stems and through the breather system which increases the rate of carbon build up in the inlet tracts and on the back of the inlet valves. So, far from pursuing an extended oil change interval on these engines, the argument seems to be that, if anything, the oil should be changed more frequently than recommended by the manufacturer. I'm learning more about this insidious problem all the time so I'll be continuing with my mileage/time based interval for the present thank you very much. As Mr Pig says above, only use the correct VW spec oil for your car too. The actual manufacturer isn't so important - although I like to use a "big" name that I trust (currently I'm running the whole "fleet" on FUCHS) but it's very important that it matches the VW spec for your engine. Currently for me that is a Fuchs 5w 30 to ACEA C3/API SN compliant with VW 504/507. This is actually an oil which can do extended interval changes but by changing at a year/10,000 miles I'm ensuring the oil is almost certain to be still in spec when changed. I actually rang Fuchs tech department and formulated this procedure as a result of that chat.
Not so long ago I would have said you were actually better to buy a cheap supermarket oil (of the correct viscosity of course - that's the 5w 30 or maybe 20w 50, whatever) and not worry too much about anything other than changing it regularly. Indeed many years ago I would do exactly that with my old Ford Anglia or the Cortina which replaced it. Not now though. I might still get away with it on our elderly Fiat Panda runabout but not on anything reasonably modern and absolutely not on anything with a turbo.
There does seem to be a number of approaches to cleaning them but my preferred method at this time is walnut blasting. It does seem to give the best outcome and as I recently upgraded to a nice big compressor it just might make financial sense to think of buying the kit myself. Here is a very relevant video which shows the problem and describes the process - hope you enjoy it:
By the way, thought I might just say, although my Ibiza (2016 1.0 litre 95hp 3 cylinder ecomotive ST) drives well on long journeys and really anywhere out on the open road and gives diesel like fuel economy with very adequate performance I do not like driving it around town. The suspension at lower speeds is hard and harsh, especially when negotiating speed bumps and the turbo lag when then subsequently trying to pull away again after the bump drives me to distraction. This is the first new car I've bought in many years - I'm old now so it may be my last - however if I find myself needing to buy another (and there is so much on this Ibiza which could go very expensively wrong) I will be buying a used car and I'll be looking at a port injected non turbo petrol engine for sure. - If the Ibiza failed right now I'd be looking for a nice 1.8 iVTEC Civic Estate or maybe a Jazz iVTEC if a nice one came along before I found a suitable Civic. I'm feeling sad as we've had VAG products, mainly Skoda and SEAT branded, in the family for years. Several Fabias, petrol and 1.9PD diesels, but the last, a 1.6 CR engined Scout was pretty poor - Cordoba 1.9tdi estate (vario) which was good but this Ibiza is causing me to fall out of love with the VAG product. I hate the cheap sounding "rattly" gearbox - which I'm told is typical of them. and I don't like the penny pinching on brake components etc. Think I'll stop there before I break down in tears! except to say I actually prefer to take our 1.2 2010 Panda around town. It rides the bumps much more comfortably and has instant throttle response.
I had a 2016 1.2 110bhp Ibiza FR, my son still has it, and I agree, the suspension is just wrong. It's harsh and crashy at low speed but unsettled and jittery at high speed. My other son has an Ecomotive SE and it's a better balanced car. If it's any conciliation I've driven the new Ibiza FR and it's even worse! It's horrible...everywhere. These cars are not set up for British roads.
Just to be clear. The title of the thread refers to a 2010 1.4 petrol engine and oil changes. I would assume this is the 1.4 BXW non turbo 4 cylinder engine which is an indirect injection (multi port injection) MPI type engine and therefore not subject to the inlet valve carbon build ups, as the fuel air mixture is injected behind the inlet valves. So I wouldn't worry.
The thread then moves on to discussing inlet valve carbon build ups on direct injection turbocharged petrol engines like the 1.0 TSI used in the later models.
I think I know where this discussion is heading - Oil Catch Cans on TSI direct injection engines ?! Am I right ?
The thread then moves on to discussing inlet valve carbon build ups on direct injection turbocharged petrol engines like the 1.0 TSI used in the later models.
I think I know where this discussion is heading - Oil Catch Cans on TSI direct injection engines ?! Am I right ?
Considering Direct injection petrol engines, as we now are here, a few years ago I'd have said "Yup, oil catch cans, definitely beneficial, providing you buy a properly constructed product" (there's a lot of cheap and poor product out there). Now though I'm not so sure. Oil catch cans will probably have some beneficial effect and slow down build up but I don't believe them to be the whole answer when considering this particular and unique problem.
I'm very interested in this problem and have been following up every clue I unearth. One of the best and simplest to understand is Andy Archer's article on the Oilem website. Look here: https://www.oilem.com/blog/turbo-fu...irect-port-injection-carbon-build-up-problem/ I think you'll find it very interesting.
I'm not a great believer in additives generally - especially not oil additives - but I decided to give their Archoil AR6900-P MAX a go on the basis that "every little bit might help". I buy it from Powerenhancer which seems to be their sales outlet (I've also had some excellent prices for quality oils from them too). I bought the Ibiza new in spring 2016 and gave it 6 months (probably around 3,000 miles) of running before I started with the additive as I wanted it to settle in without possibly compromising anything. I'm now approaching 25,000 miles (and about half way through my third one litre bottle of the additive) and notice no difference in performance and general engine running when compared to when new. I'd been intending to remove the inlet manifold/charge cooler and inspect the inlet tracts at around 5 years/30,000 miles but she's running so well and returning exactly the same fuel consumption figures as when new that I'm probably going to wait until she turns 50,000 (I'm a great believer in "letting sleeping dogs lie"). I'm not expecting the product to completely stop carbon build up to occur but, for what it costs, if the product substantially slows down build up I'll be very pleased and consider my money to have been well spent.
I'm very interested in this problem and have been following up every clue I unearth. One of the best and simplest to understand is Andy Archer's article on the Oilem website. Look here: https://www.oilem.com/blog/turbo-fu...irect-port-injection-carbon-build-up-problem/ I think you'll find it very interesting.
I'm not a great believer in additives generally - especially not oil additives - but I decided to give their Archoil AR6900-P MAX a go on the basis that "every little bit might help". I buy it from Powerenhancer which seems to be their sales outlet (I've also had some excellent prices for quality oils from them too). I bought the Ibiza new in spring 2016 and gave it 6 months (probably around 3,000 miles) of running before I started with the additive as I wanted it to settle in without possibly compromising anything. I'm now approaching 25,000 miles (and about half way through my third one litre bottle of the additive) and notice no difference in performance and general engine running when compared to when new. I'd been intending to remove the inlet manifold/charge cooler and inspect the inlet tracts at around 5 years/30,000 miles but she's running so well and returning exactly the same fuel consumption figures as when new that I'm probably going to wait until she turns 50,000 (I'm a great believer in "letting sleeping dogs lie"). I'm not expecting the product to completely stop carbon build up to occur but, for what it costs, if the product substantially slows down build up I'll be very pleased and consider my money to have been well spent.
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