What makes VW 507 oil so necessary?

58568 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?

101 - 120 of 196 Posts

BeemerMikeTX

· #101 · Jun 7, 2016

Black Grouse said:
WHY? Do we need to know?

Because that is the question/issue raised in Post #1.

Black Grouse said:
As an aside, the ACEA classifications in Europe take away all the need for debate that seems incessant in the US.

You've already acknowledged that ACEA classifications do not replace VW's specifications (e.g., 507.00), so they don't take away all the need for debate (or more correctly, understanding).

ameoba

· #102 · Jun 7, 2016

Here are the actual specifications....

The big spec for diesels is ash. That's what plugs DPF's. 507 also has a much longer wear test than the other specs (which is why it is a Long Life oil).

It's pages 130-132 in the attached PDF, or just look at the screen shots. edit - sorry they are out of order. They seem to go 3, 1, 2 instead of 1, 2, 3

FYI - there was also a press release last week about a new VW Oil Spec. VW 508 and VW 509 are coming. Looks like thinner oils for higher efficiency - they've gone to 0W-20 weight....
Castrol® announces new low viscosity engine oil for Volkswagen Group

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Bo Duke

· #103 · Jun 7, 2016

I love these threads very entertaining......... but cant help wonder why those who seek the magic look it up for themselves ?
google it and ye shall find.

Black Grouse

· #104 · Jun 8, 2016

Bo Duke said:
I love these threads very entertaining......... but cant help wonder why those who seek the magic look it up for themselves ?
google it and ye shall find.

Do you trust everything you can find on the internet? If not, how do you tell the difference.

On the internet there's no "fact" that doesn't also have the exact opposite "proved" on the internet

Bo Duke

· #105 · Jun 8, 2016

Hmmm..... yes your right

BeemerMikeTX

· #106 · Jun 8, 2016

Bo Duke said:
I love these threads very entertaining......... but cant help wonder why those who seek the magic look it up for themselves ?
google it and ye shall find.

Well, if you read the thread you will see that some of us are trying to "google it", and reporting and discussing what we've found. No one, so far, has posted a google result that clearly explains what makes 507.00 engine oil "507.00".

Philth

· #107 · Jun 8, 2016

And that chart posted a few posts back doesn't really clarify much.

Reactions: 1

BeemerMikeTX

· #108 · Jun 8, 2016

Philth said:
And that chart posted a few posts back doesn't really clarify much.

Yes, a "required" Diesel Particle Filter Test that needs to be discussed with VW on a case by case basis, does not really add much understanding.

Bo Duke

· #109 · Jun 8, 2016

hi there again! Has anyone had a look at the luberizol web site ? if not lots of info there they supply nearly every lubricant manufacturer with the additives to make oils to the auto makers specs.... Luberizol.com worth a look .

Oregon TDI

· #110 · Jun 8, 2016

Unless someone in Wolfsburg who works on VW's Lubricant Engineering team happens to read & reply to this thread, we'll probably never know for sure!

Stabone33

· #111 · Jun 9, 2016

Oregon TDI said:
Unless someone in Wolfsburg who works on VW's Lubricant Engineering team happens to read & reply to this thread, we'll probably never know for sure!

Gives us something else to pointlessly discuss while we're waiting for something relevant over in the Dieselgate thread... :-/

BeemerMikeTX

· #112 · Jun 9, 2016

Oregon TDI said:
Unless someone in Wolfsburg who works on VW's Lubricant Engineering team happens to read & reply to this thread, we'll probably never know for sure!

No, there are other folks who understand what makes 507.00 engine oils 507.00 who don't work for VW. It's just no one here has found any article that discusses it.

Oregon TDI

· #113 · Jun 9, 2016

BeemerMikeTX said:
No, there are other folks who understand what makes 507.00 engine oils 507.00 who don't work for VW. It's just no one here has found any article that discusses it.

If the formula for LL03/507 is proprietary (bottle label says "Ingredients: Proprietary"), maybe NDAs prevent other parties from disclosing VW "trade secrets". Even the MSDS for LL03 doesn't say much.

BeemerMikeTX

· #114 · Jun 10, 2016

Oregon TDI said:
If the formula for LL03/507 is proprietary (bottle label says "Ingredients: Proprietary"), maybe NDAs prevent other parties from disclosing VW "trade secrets". Even the MSDS for LL03 doesn't say much.

We're not trying to MAKE 507.00 engine oil, so we don't need to know the details of the proprietary contents of any specific oil (and most would probably not understand them if we did know). But it would be helpful to have a qualitative explanation of VW's performance goals in 507.00 to distinguish it from other engine oil specifications. For example, we know that 507.00 requires "low SAPS" to protect the DPF (without knowing the detailed contents that meet this requirement), and so using an oil that does not have low SAPS will probably shorten the life of your DPF ($$).

ConservativeConsumer

· #115 · Jun 10, 2016

This thread makes me feel that I am missing Niner...

Reactions: 1

noobytoogy

· #116 · Jun 10, 2016

BeemerMikeTX said:
We're not trying to MAKE 507.00 engine oil, so we don't need to know the details of the proprietary contents of any specific oil (and most would probably not understand them if we did know). But it would be helpful to have a qualitative explanation of VW's performance goals in 507.00 to distinguish it from other engine oil specifications. For example, we know that 507.00 requires "low SAPS" to protect the DPF (without knowing the detailed contents that meet this requirement), and so using an oil that does not have low SAPS will probably shorten the life of your DPF ($$).

Why don't you just ask VW in Germany for a simple explanation?

Oregon TDI

· #117 · Jun 11, 2016

Maybe Bob Is The Oil Guy | The Internet's Number One Motor Oil Site knows.

BeemerMikeTX

· #118 · Jun 11, 2016

noobytoogy said:
Why don't you just ask VW in Germany for a simple explanation?

I thought the purpose of forums like this is for people to pose questions that they have, and then have other forum members provide them with any answers or information that they have. You know, sharing knowledge. The original poster asked why our engines need the "magical" 507.00 engine oil that we cannot get at our local auto parts or big box stores. Although some of us have attempted to discuss what is the "magic" about 507.00, most of the posts have dealt with side issues like 507.00 oil is not that expensive, don't put anything but 507.00 in your engine, or how you can get 507.00 at your VW dealer or online ordering.

So what we need to do is just send all of our questions to VW HQ in Germany? Sorry, my bad.

BeemerMikeTX

· #119 · Jun 11, 2016

Oregon TDI said:
Maybe Bob Is The Oil Guy | The Internet's Number One Motor Oil Site knows.

No, they apparently don't know either. Just a bunch of "my X brand 507.00 oil is the best" threads.

nickyt

· #120 · Jun 11, 2016

While the Pumpe Düse engine was a total masterpiece of engineering... It was very expensive, very over-engineered (aka mechanically complicated), and only a bit better then the competing lower-cost common-rail diesel.

It hurt VW's pride a lot to give up on their PD engine, but in the end it was the right choice.

The oil related point is that it seems that there is not a oil made that is capable of preventing camshaft wear and protecting the rest of the engine while not damaging the emission systems.

101 - 120 of 196 Posts

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