Which 5W40 oil to buy?

[OllieVRS]

I'm sure this question is as old as time itself. But I want some quick recommendations based on Irish prices

127k miles, stage 1. Track day coming up on Easter Monday. Halfords won't have my usual Millers NT+ for €75 in stock on time, nor any non-NT+, so I have to consider other options. I change my oil every 5000km, 3.1k miles.

(All are 5L, available to buy locally):

€91 Miller's 5W40 CFS NT+
€59 Shell Helix Ultra 5W40
€67 Castrol Edge Titanium 5W40

Called the local VW dealer here and they don't do anything besides 0W30/5W30.

Millers NT+ did reduce my oil consumption by nearly half compared to the Shell Helix Ultra I used before, which makes me slightly biased towards it. But buying it meant I didn't have to spend and extra 20-25 quid on an additional 1 litre bottle to top up since it burnt so much less oil.

Cheers!

[Octoparrot]

If your changing your oil that frequently I'd be tempted to go for the cheapest.

[OllieVRS]

I think I'll going to succumb to the Millers stuff again. After all it brought my oil consumption down from 0.4 to 0.25 litres per 1000km.

Considering the fact I push the car quite hard, and even more so doing a full track day on Monday, it just makes sense to spend a little extra. It may be difference between the engine lasting till the end of my ownership or not, and they're not cheap engines to replace in Ireland.

Also might as well add €20 to the price of the other ones since another 1L bottle will be needed anyway. So it's only €4-12 more in the long run anyway.

Apologies for making this useless post when I subconsciously knew my choice the entire time. I think I was just looking for positive confirmation bias 

[pudding]

Mobil 1 0W40, Quantum Platinum 5W40, Fuchs GT1 Flex 3 5W40 were all good for oil consumption in mine......and much cheaper than Millers!

Millers vs Shell is a bad comparison unfortunately as Shell is well known for burning off quickly, and their diesel is sh1t as well 

Interestingly enough, I was watching REPerformance's RS3 engine rebuild video the other day and he mentioned that a particular oil with the word "Nano" it can't handle the heat of track days / 1/4 miles etc. 

[OllieVRS]

Thanks for the reply Pudding, good to hear from you again.

Of those you mentioned, I think I could've only gotten my hands the Mobil 1 0W40 - €65 from Halfords. The others aren't sold in Ireland afaik.

Yeah the Shell was an annoying b*stard - burnt 0.416L/1000km if I remember correctly 

Also just to update my previous figure of 0.25L on Miller's - that was a miscalculation. It used only 0.8L/5000km, and that's accounting for 100ml of oil left over around the engine when doing the change. That's 0.16L/1000km.

About the oil REPerformance mentioned that has a strange resemblance in name to what I just put in - I'll keep an eye on it. I have driven quite aggressively since I originally put in the oil and it's felt fine.

On a side note - is it normal to here a clackity sound for ~1 second when starting the engine from cold? Sounds like the cam chain not having pressure momentarily, but can't be sure. Or maybe it's the Miller's 

[ROH ECHT]

The clackity sound at startup may be due to the gooeyness of Millers...stay tuned. I would stay away from using Millers for the duration of an interval used on a daily. You might consider Millers for a trip to the track and then drain it for your normal VW 502.00 approved oil. I use Liquimoly Molygen 5w40, although Mobil 1 is slightly better against friction in a test. Millers responded to someone and said "there's is more of a race oil and should not be used in a daily...it is not VW 502.00 approved. Millers does provide good protection against friction, but it isn't meant for longer intervals or even for 5k mile intervals." Also...Millers, in a test where Millers and Pennzoil were heated and then cooled, can get a bit gooey. This is a pic of a cold pour test performed with both oils new poured beside themselves after heating and poured when chilled;

[mjmallia]

On a side note - is it normal to here a clackity sound for ~1 second when starting the engine from cold? Sounds like the cam chain not having pressure momentarily, but can't be sure. Or maybe it's the Miller's 

My wife's Golf Mk5 does this most of the time and has done for years, but my Mk5 GTI has never had a single clatter on start up........but I do oil changes every 3 to 6 months and the wife's once a year

[pudding]

Yeah mine used to clackety clack for a second or two for years, but only when really cold or if left for a week.  To me it just sounded like a couple of tired tappets taking a while to re-pressurise.

[pudding]

For track work, I would use an ester oil without nano bits in it.  I'm really not convinced by that stuff.  Engines have managed fine for a century without bits in the oil, and modern engines picky with their fluids.

Fuchs Titan Pro S is a great oil and good for daily use as well, although it's not VW approved.

Motul 300V is another good one, but again, not VAG approved as they're both classed as racing oils.

[OllieVRS]

Thanks for all the replies!

I like that boil and cold test that you posted @ROH ECHT , it gives quite an interesting insight. Pouring out the Miller's with 3k miles on it, seems as viscous as any other used oil that's come out of there, bar the 5W30 that was originally in the car when I got it. Thankfully Ireland rarely goes below freezing temperatures so the cold use of it isn't something I'm worried about, especially considering this is pretty much gonna be my oil for the whole summer.

But the common consensus is that I should dump the €91 Miller's as soon as the track day is over, right?

EDIT: This is the right Mobil 1 you mentioned earlier, @Pudding ? https://www.halfords.ie/motoring/engine-oils-fluids/engine-oil/mobil-1-fully-synthetic-0w40-engine-oil-5l-390633.html

[pudding]

Yeah that's the stuff, although it's £48 in the UK Halfords. Halfords Ireland appear to be ripping you off!  Have they not got an Easter sale on over there?

There are no right or wrongs, only what suits your wallet and driving style, consumption rates etc.  Oil is funny stuff because it can be so divisive like tyres, brakes and suspension brands.  Everyone has a preferred brand, in spite of smoother running etc being placebo    The only metrics to compare oils with are, consumption and wear rates.  We can't measure wear rate obviously as it happens so gradually.

Anyway, this is probably what I would use on track days, if you can get it over there - https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-68897-fuchs-titan-race-pro-s-5w-40-ester-fully-synthetic-engine-oil.aspx

[OllieVRS]

Yeah that's the stuff, although it's £48 in the UK Halfords. Halfords Ireland appear to be ripping you off!  Have they not got an Easter sale on over there?

That IS the Easter sale price  normally it's €75. Everything motoring related in Ireland tends to always cost 20% more than in the UK.

Will keep that Fuchs oil you mentioned in mind, although it ends up working out to £71 or €81 once delivered. Essentially the same price as Millers normally costs from Halfords, before my 8% work card discount. And it'd probably be stuck in customs for weeks.

I think I'll actually go pick up that Mobil 1 on the way home from work to take advantage of that Easter discount, and to have it ready in case the track day does really toast the Millers oil.

Cheers 

[OllieVRS]

Told the Halfords fella that I've got an 8% discount with my Perks card from work, he couldn't find on it on the system so he gave me a 10% discount instead - cost €57, now that's closer to UK prices 

[pudding]

Good stuff 

I don't think I'll be moving to Ireland any time soon! I thought England was expensive 

[ROH ECHT]

Thanks for all the replies!

I like that boil and cold test that you posted

But the common consensus is that I should dump the €91 Miller's as soon as the track day is over, right?

Right....race oil is not meant for running normal to long intervals. Any "Race" oil you use is probably not going to be factory approved...but will likely protect better under track conditions and use.