Break in oil and first oil change??
04-25-2010, 10:44 AM
#22
My break-in was in between what DrGP has talked about and babying the engine. I haven't had the pedal floored yet...but I've done a couple runs up to 6,000 rpm. We have some big hills here in St Louis and I've made a point to put the DSG in a gear to hold the engine RPM in the 3,000-4,000 range and do long compression breaking down those big hills.
I'm averaging about 22 MPG and no oil consumption.
I'm averaging about 22 MPG and no oil consumption.
Still wondering why you decided to do you 1st oil change at 1,000 mi? In your initial post, seemed like you were planning to change at 2,000 mi -- what changed your mind?
04-25-2010, 11:04 AM
#23
AudiWorld Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: St Louis
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I also partly curious to see how the factory fill oil does on a similar mileage compared to the GC I'm going to use (German Castrol...thru Autozone). I'm going to do oil analysis on each oil change and compare the results.
I'm also going to nail down my dealer and see what they are going to use at the 5,000 mile oil change. If they use a oil I don't like, then I will bring in my own oil and have them fill it with that.
After that 5,000 mile service I will probably change the oil about every 5,000 miles...depending on how the oil analysis results go from there...
That's the new plan!
04-25-2010, 11:42 AM
#24
AudiWorld Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: St Louis
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
the other item I'd add is that all of us should make sure we are using VW 502 approved oils. I don't think there are many Dino juice VW 502's (someone on this thread mentioned switching temporarily to Dino oil at the beginning)...most all of the 502's are going to be synthetics.
It appears that the VW 502 standard is one of the toughest standards in the industry to meet. So any oil you can find that meets this requirement should be a pretty fantastic oil.
5W40
0W40
5W30
Probably no reason why you couldn't use a 0W30 either. GC has been tested as even though it's a 0W30 oil it actually test's much closer to a true 40 weight oil, and it's shearing properties make it one of the best in the industry at holding that viscosity over long oil change intervals....hence it's a VW 502 oil.
Many people suspect this is the oil our vehicles get delivered with...hopefully I will find something out on this soon after I do my testing.
The owners manual for NA states that if you must use a API SL oil to only use 1/2 quart to top off the engine.
Now...the API SL designation is not the highest standard... API SM is the highest standard and (make our own decision here), but it is likely close to as good as the VW 502 standard. Audi recommends we all carry and extra quart of VW 502 oil with us in case we need to top off...
It appears that the VW 502 standard is one of the toughest standards in the industry to meet. So any oil you can find that meets this requirement should be a pretty fantastic oil.
5W40
0W40
5W30
Probably no reason why you couldn't use a 0W30 either. GC has been tested as even though it's a 0W30 oil it actually test's much closer to a true 40 weight oil, and it's shearing properties make it one of the best in the industry at holding that viscosity over long oil change intervals....hence it's a VW 502 oil.
Many people suspect this is the oil our vehicles get delivered with...hopefully I will find something out on this soon after I do my testing.
The owners manual for NA states that if you must use a API SL oil to only use 1/2 quart to top off the engine.
Now...the API SL designation is not the highest standard... API SM is the highest standard and (make our own decision here), but it is likely close to as good as the VW 502 standard. Audi recommends we all carry and extra quart of VW 502 oil with us in case we need to top off...
04-25-2010, 07:32 PM
#25
AudiWorld Super User
I'm gonna use either Castrol European forumula (AKA as German Castrol)...this stuff is really known well by people who scrutinize their oil and do consistent oil analysis. You can only purchase this specific oil at Auto Zone. Look on the bottle..it HAS to say "made in Germany", otherwise it's NOT German Castrol.
04-30-2010, 07:37 PM
#26
AudiWorld Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: St Louis
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well...changed the oil in my S4 today. I had 1,566 miles on the odometer. It's really not that difficult. A couple interesting items.
First...the belly of the S4 is highly engineered to control the flow of air. I must have spent 15 minutes checking it out and enjoying all the tools the Audi engineers used to control the airflow.
Second...the drain plug faces the cement. So when you take the plug out you should use a old ratchet because it's going to get covered in oil...no way around that one.
Third...when you purchase a oil filter (Mann) you get 2 different rubber compression rings...I could only find 1 to be replaced. If there is another one I missed I'd really be surprised. And their are directions in the box but they only mention 1 compression ring.
Fourth...I really like the technology Audi uses for their oil filters...very clean design and very easy to access.
Fifth...the owners manual says the car will use 6.6 quarts of oil. Well...mine took 7 3/8 quarter to bring it to exactly the full mark. I put 6 quarts in the car and then added the remaining oil by putting in about a 1/4 quart and then checking the oil level...both by my dipstick and the MMI. I did this and ended up at 7 3/8 quarts of oil added to get to the max mark.
Sixth...the MMI will adjust the level of oil being shown in seconds after you add oil. I left the car in the 'accessory' position with the oil level displayed and it would move up each time I added oil. So, based on this, I think this system for measuring oil levels is HIGHLY accurate. I would trust it 100%.
Seventh...before I changed the oil today I checked my oil level...both thru my dipstick and the MMI and I had not burned any oil.
Eighth...I'm mailing my sample of oil to Blackstone for an oil analysis to see how this oil performed for the first few miles. I know the oil will look fantastic...but just curious to see what the TBN number is and if there are any break in wear metals present in the oil like there have been in my last 4 or 5 cars. This is the first German car I've owned in a while and curious to see the results.
Last but not least...know that the engineering that is put into these cars is simply amazing. IMO, most cars are not built to the standards from an engineering perspective as our Audi's. I'm sure others are close...BMW, MB...but I know my Acura's and Infiniti's simply did not possess the attention to detail like this car has almost everywhere you look. Not to mention the whey they are screwed together...just take the underbelly off the car and you will see what I'm talking about.
I will post some version of my results when I receive them back in a few days.
First...the belly of the S4 is highly engineered to control the flow of air. I must have spent 15 minutes checking it out and enjoying all the tools the Audi engineers used to control the airflow.
Second...the drain plug faces the cement. So when you take the plug out you should use a old ratchet because it's going to get covered in oil...no way around that one.
Third...when you purchase a oil filter (Mann) you get 2 different rubber compression rings...I could only find 1 to be replaced. If there is another one I missed I'd really be surprised. And their are directions in the box but they only mention 1 compression ring.
Fourth...I really like the technology Audi uses for their oil filters...very clean design and very easy to access.
Fifth...the owners manual says the car will use 6.6 quarts of oil. Well...mine took 7 3/8 quarter to bring it to exactly the full mark. I put 6 quarts in the car and then added the remaining oil by putting in about a 1/4 quart and then checking the oil level...both by my dipstick and the MMI. I did this and ended up at 7 3/8 quarts of oil added to get to the max mark.
Sixth...the MMI will adjust the level of oil being shown in seconds after you add oil. I left the car in the 'accessory' position with the oil level displayed and it would move up each time I added oil. So, based on this, I think this system for measuring oil levels is HIGHLY accurate. I would trust it 100%.
Seventh...before I changed the oil today I checked my oil level...both thru my dipstick and the MMI and I had not burned any oil.
Eighth...I'm mailing my sample of oil to Blackstone for an oil analysis to see how this oil performed for the first few miles. I know the oil will look fantastic...but just curious to see what the TBN number is and if there are any break in wear metals present in the oil like there have been in my last 4 or 5 cars. This is the first German car I've owned in a while and curious to see the results.
Last but not least...know that the engineering that is put into these cars is simply amazing. IMO, most cars are not built to the standards from an engineering perspective as our Audi's. I'm sure others are close...BMW, MB...but I know my Acura's and Infiniti's simply did not possess the attention to detail like this car has almost everywhere you look. Not to mention the whey they are screwed together...just take the underbelly off the car and you will see what I'm talking about.
I will post some version of my results when I receive them back in a few days.
05-01-2010, 07:02 PM
#27
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the info, I will probably be doing my first change myself as well. I am debating when, I am thinking about 1500 miles. I will be interested to see how your oil analysis comes out. Which oil did you end up going with? I have pretty much been a Mobil 1 guy the last 15 years or so.
05-01-2010, 07:12 PM
#28
AudiWorld Senior Member
05-01-2010, 07:25 PM
#29
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
