# best oil for 3.2



## spaceplace (Mar 10, 2013)

Whats the best oil for a 3.2? Ive heard people sometimes putting in thicker oil, Is it good to start using a thicker oil as the mileage goes up? Prob loads of information but the search doesn't recognise 3.2 or v6 so I just get 225 results. I have a slight rattle from the top end which ive read is fairly common (not the quietest of engine's) so think maybe a thicker oil may help? Any thoughts appreciated, what oil do you run?


----------



## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, There is no best oil, but as long as its 504/507 spec. Common oils are Castrol Edge FST 5w-30 & Mobil 1 ESP 5w-30.
Hoggy.


----------



## matt31 (Apr 4, 2011)

No 5W30 if you want to keep your timing chains not stretched. VR6 hates LL oil.

0W40 or 5W40, every 7500 miles. I personnaly use Shell Helix 5W40 after having used Mobil 1 0W40, changed every 10 00 kilometres. My camshafts corrections are good for yet (-1° and -3°, 140 000 km).

Hoggy, you should stop drinking LL oil at breakfast, it's not good for your health...


----------



## V6RUL (May 28, 2009)

You need to buy the best Audi spec oil you can afford as its not just for lubrication as the VVT system uses the oil for hydraulic controlled timing of the camshafts and the adjuster's oil ways a prone to sludgeing up.
Steve


----------



## matt31 (Apr 4, 2011)

What do you put in your engine Steve ? Motul 300V or something like that, ester based ? You shoud have different constraints with your turbo preparation...
I don't really deal with Audi most recent specs, it's more for logistical constraints that they only have one oil for all the engines (504.00/507.00). 
A RS specialist in France recommands, specially for V8 FSI, to put some 5W40 oil (after having testsed 10W60, but too thick). Ester based, or PAO. Not hydrocracked. 
5W30 is too liquid, and oil film doesn't last as expected at high temperatures. For this particular point, you have to deal with specific HTHS of each oil.


----------



## V6RUL (May 28, 2009)

I would love to put 300V in but can't justify it as I'm not revving too high and load is shared across 6 cylinders.
Millers 5/40 is all I need..
http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-60219-mille ... e-oil.aspx
Steve


----------



## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

matt31 said:


> Hoggy, you should stop drinking LL oil at breakfast, it's not good for your health...


Hi, No such thing as "Long Life" oil for the TT. Same spec of 504/507 whether fixed or AVS service regime.
Hoggy.


----------



## matt31 (Apr 4, 2011)

I've seen dirty engine pictures, with 50 K miles, LL oil on fixed intervals, with Castrol 5w30 oil. :/ 
So not for me thanks!


----------



## spaceplace (Mar 10, 2013)

so 0W40 or 5W40 is the best? and change a couple of thousand miles earlier? which out of 0W40 or 5W40 do you think is best ? or is there not much in it? also which plugs do you recommend for a mapped 3.2?


----------



## V6RUL (May 28, 2009)

spaceplace said:


> so 0W40 or 5W40 is the best? and change a couple of thousand miles earlier? which out of 0W40 or 5W40 do you think is best ? or is there not much in it? also which plugs do you recommend for a mapped 3.2?


OEM plugs are best vs cost.
Steve


----------



## Tbone (Jan 26, 2013)

So what 0w40 0r 5w40 do you v6 boys recommend?????


----------



## David C (Apr 15, 2013)

Tbone said:


> So what 0w40 0r 5w40 do you v6 boys recommend?????


I'm using Motul 5W30 VW504/507 Specific.


----------



## spaceplace (Mar 10, 2013)

I went with 5/40 as I heard its better, 504/507 spec but couldn't tell you which brand- my indi stocked both 5/30 and 5/40


----------



## Tbone (Jan 26, 2013)

Might give the valvoline 0w 40 a go or might use what steve is using.. looks a good oil&#8230;&#8230;. :?:


----------



## V6RUL (May 28, 2009)

Tbone said:


> Might give the valvoline 0w 40 a go or might use what steve is using.. looks a good oil&#8230;&#8230;. :?:


 :wink:


----------



## pette (May 7, 2002)

Just run across this thread, and would appreciate if someone could explain the logic behind using 5w/40 in a 3.2, to reduce chain stretch.
In my mind, surely an oil which is 40 weight when cold is only going to increase mechanical drag on everything including the chains, which must lead to increased or faster stretch, particularly if driven on a lot of short journeys with the car spending most of its time with the oil in the warm up phase.

Any ideas where this theory came from?


----------



## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Many theories on here & usually from people who've had loads of cars but not kept them long enough to know the long term effects.
Hoggy.


----------



## torqueit (Jan 22, 2019)

pette said:


> 5w/40 in a 3.2, to reduce chain stretch. In my mind, surely an oil which is 40 weight when cold


That (40) is what it is when hot. In theory, a heavier weight can provide better protection when hot. When cold, it's a 5 weight for viscosity.









Understanding Oil Weight: What Do the Numbers on the Bottle Mean?


Choosing the right engine oil weight doesn't have to be complicated. Here's a look at what the numbers on the bottle actually mean.




knowhow.napaonline.com


----------



## pette (May 7, 2002)

You're right of course. Think I'd got brain fog or something going on there. For some reason I was reversing the numbers in relation to their respective temperatures. So by going from a standard 30 weight to a 40 weight increases the viscosity slightly when hot. Understood.

Still not certain I agree with it though. It might add a little extra protection but it's also going to add some drag. Maybe the extra protection outweighs the drag penalty. Not likely to be simple to prove either way.


----------



## torqueit (Jan 22, 2019)

I'd think the drag would be insignificant. I've never heard of anyone running a thinner oil as a trick to get meaningful power out of an engine. Now of course, someone will post a link to this... LOL. I can see with age and loosening clearances a higher viscosity being of benefit. All of this is somewhat seat of the pants though. I would think as long as the bottom number is in spec, you're going to be fine e.g. won't damage anything with a little extra viscosity once warmed up.


----------



## pette (May 7, 2002)

Agreed. If that was a possibility, I'm sure it would be widely known. That said, while doing a bit of background research, I did find a table which explains the differences between the VAG oil specifications, and one or two types are supposed to be better for fuel economy, so I suppose that's indirectly related:
VW 507.00, VW 504.00, etc: Volkswagen Motor Oil Specifications Explained - oilspecifications.org
Anyhoo. I can see some logic in this and may give it a try at the next change interval.


----------

