What makes VW 507 oil so necessary?

58569 Views 195 Replies 33 Participants Last post by jeffnhiscars, Mar 23, 2022

BenTDI

Discussion Starter · May 27, 2016

I can't help but to think, if our vehicles-3.0 TDI motors-are so special, so expensive and so exclusive, why do we need the magical VW 507 spec. oil? What is it in our motors that makes them so seemingly magical that they need this oil we can't just by at Vatozone, Advanced Auto, Walmart, etc. and have to pay about $10 a quart for?

1 - 20 of 196 Posts

cb62fcni

· #2 · May 27, 2016

There's a number of factors. One is the DPF, a cheaper oil will produce more soot as it is inevitably burned off in small quantities and lower the life of your filter. Another is the extended drain interval; the oil must be able to run in various temperature and conditions for 10,000 miles without significant loss of lubrication or deposit buildup. Bottom line: German engines are built to very tight specifications, and although you might be paying a bit more for the oil for them, this is definitely not something I would ever go cheap on.

Reactions: 1

Black Grouse

· #3 · May 27, 2016

Europe has used ever higher specification oils for a long time, several decades - so even brands that define oil "simply" by API viscosity and ACEA grade are expensive for modern engines because they're very high quality and permit exceptionally long OCI, up to 30,000 miles in a few cases, that's right 48,000 km.

VW seem to specify oil differently, or perhaps it's secretly, so the specific VW Approval needs to be adhered to.

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BenTDI

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 27, 2016

Thanks guys. I totally forgot about the soot factor and the diesel part of things.

I have no problem with paying whatever it costs for the oil at all, I just realize that I need to plan ahead and just have some around for when the level drops a bar here or there.

I have been towing the past month and a half and after 4,000 miles since the last oil change, the oil level has been down from 3 bars (12 oz.) to 5 bars (20 oz.) if I had read correctly, each bar is right around 4 oz.

I do like the 10,000 OCI.

fincher

· #5 · May 27, 2016

Of course, Porsche switched to 5k oil changes here for the diesel Cayenne because of our lower fuel quality. This happened early on when the 2013 model came here.

I stick with 10k and have no issues. Plenty of members here change more frequently.

compu_85

· #6 · May 27, 2016

507 oil is designed to protect the DPF and cat, and to improve fuel economy. Mercedes has a similar standard, I think with less emphasis on fuel economy so 5w40 oils are allowed.

-J

Oregon TDI

· #7 · May 27, 2016

My dealer sells Castrol LL03 for under $7 a bottle (liter). Just not worth my time to look for it elsewhere.

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Philth

· #8 · May 27, 2016

Can buy Mobil 1 ESP via Amazon for just over $9 a liter delivered. I'm done with teenagers doing maintenance on my cars.

Black Grouse

· #9 · May 28, 2016

compu_85 said:
507 oil is designed to protect the DPF and cat, and to improve fuel economy. Mercedes has a similar standard, I think with less emphasis on fuel economy so 5w40 oils are allowed.

-J

API 5W-30 / ACEA-C3 is used as generic specification on non-VWs to protect the cat, DPF and improve economy so 507 will be similar - BUT - if it doesn't list 507 among it's Approvals, don't use it.

nickm

· #10 · May 28, 2016

The big deal about 505 and 507 is specific protection for cam lobe wear. 507 is for dpf and 505 is non dpf. The way the tdi engine is designed, it requires a specific oil to prevent premature cam lobe wear.

Any modern diesel oil can deal with dpfs, but only 507 can deal with cam lobe wear prevention.

Reactions: 1

Oregon TDI

· #11 · May 28, 2016

nickm said:
The big deal about 505 and 507 is specific protection for cam lobe wear. 507 is for dpf and 505 is non dpf. The way the tdi engine is designed, it requires a specific oil to prevent premature cam lobe wear. Any modern diesel oil can deal with dpfs, but only 507 can deal with cam lobe wear prevention.

It baffles me why anyone would buy a $50K+ premium precision vehicle like the Touareg and then fret over an extra few dollars for an oil change.

Reactions: 2

nickm

· #12 · May 28, 2016

Oregon TDI said:
It baffles me why anyone would buy a $50K+ premium precision vehicle like the Touareg and then fret over an extra few dollars for an oil change.

Il be honest with you the LL03 at my dealer costs less than any other synthetic brand I can buy at whatever store. 7 bucks a litre is pretty much the going rate for any synthetic oil

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Oregon TDI

· #13 · May 28, 2016

nickm said:
Il be honest with you the LL03 at my dealer costs less than any other synthetic brand I can buy at whatever store. 7 bucks a litre is pretty much the going rate for any synthetic oil

I shopped around all the local auto parts stores for LL03. Knecht's, O'Reilleys, etc etc. Not only did they not have LL03 on the shelf, when I asked them they didn't know what I was talking about. So I figured, well, crap, I'll try the dealer and expect it to be $15/liter. To my surprise it was ~$7, about the same as all other full synthetic not meeting the 507 spec.

Score +1 for the dealer!

BeemerMikeTX

· #14 · May 28, 2016

nickm said:
The big deal about 505 and 507 is specific protection for cam lobe wear. 507 is for dpf and 505 is non dpf. The way the tdi engine is designed, it requires a specific oil to prevent premature cam lobe wear. Any modern diesel oil can deal with dpfs, but only 507 can deal with cam lobe wear prevention.

So, do we know what 507 oil does for cam lobe wear? Higher ZDDP levels is a typical solution, but maybe this adversely impacts the cats.

Philth

· #15 · May 28, 2016

BeemerMikeTX said:
So, do we know what 507 oil does for cam lobe wear? Higher ZDDP levels is a typical solution, but maybe this adversely impacts the cats.

507 is strictly low SAPS for the DPF.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BeemerMikeTX

· #16 · May 28, 2016

Philth said:
507 is strictly low SAPS for the DPF. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SAPS?

Oregon TDI

· #17 · May 28, 2016

Low SAPS (low sulfated ash, phosphorus-sulfur)

Diesel Particulate Filters : Comma Oil & Chemicals Ltd.

Black Grouse

· #18 · May 28, 2016

Oregon TDI said:
Low SAPS (low sulfated ash, phosphorus-sulfur)

Diesel Particulate Filters : Comma Oil & Chemicals Ltd.

It's a requirement when a car is fitted with a DPF to use ultra-low sulphate diesel and low SAPs oil, otherwise the sulphur destroys the DPF - crude oil's sulphur content varies greatly according to oilfield.

compu_85

· #19 · May 28, 2016

nickm said:
The big deal about 505 and 507 is specific protection for cam lobe wear. 507 is for dpf and 505 is non dpf. The way the tdi engine is designed, it requires a specific oil to prevent premature cam lobe wear.

Any modern diesel oil can deal with dpfs, but only 507 can deal with cam lobe wear prevention.

In the CR TDIs I don't think cam wear will be an issue since they have roller rockers now.

505.01 oils were also lower SAPS than 505.00. 505.00 is an old standard, it's what my 91 ECODiesel Jetta called for. I'll also point out again that although VW claims 505.01 is enough to protect the cams in PD TDIs, expierence has shown otherwise :frown2:

EDIT: I'll add that my dealer also has great pricing on the Castrol 507.00 oil. From what I've read it does a fine job of protecting the motor, and oil analysis in my Passat confirms it's fine for a 10k oil change interval

-J

Solandri

· #20 · May 28, 2016

Oregon TDI said:
It baffles me why anyone would buy a $50K+ premium precision vehicle like the Touareg and then fret over an extra few dollars for an oil change.

I'm not really sure the oil even costs extra. The recommended change interval is 10,000 miles, and my local dealer charges me $87.50 (which I take it is rather low). That's $8.75 per 1000 miles.

My previous car's oil change interval was 3500 miles, and used to cost me $33. That's $9.42 per 1000 miles.

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