D5 (2005 on) Engine Oil

[younger06]

Is it necessary to use 0W-30 oil ??

The list of recommended oils in the owners manual looks like 5W-30 might be ok for the UK/IRL climate as long as it meets A5/B5 specification, any thoughts would be much appreciated.

[skyship007]

Originally Posted by younger06

Is it necessary to use 0W-30 oil ??

The list of recommended oils in the owners manual looks like 5W-30 might be ok for the UK/IRL climate as long as it meets A5/B5 specification, any thoughts would be much appreciated.

In a word, NO!
The Acea A5/B5 spec is important, but the 0W part is only required for starting below around minus 25C, which is 10C below the temp that Tesco diesel will gell at and block the fuel filter.

If you want a more accurate minimum safe cold start figure when using BP or Shell winter diesel (Gells at minus 21C), look up the pour point figure in the TDS and add 10C. The result for Castor oil Edge will be around minus 33C.

A major brand (Castrol, Mobil, Shell or Liqui Moly) full synthetic 5/30 (Or 5/40 for an older engine that is burning oil) is fine in winter and odd enough a 10/30 is perfectly OK in summer.

There are three main reasons why 0/30 is recommended, firstly manufacturers like, "One size fits all figure" and they don't want law suits from some muppet that calls a dealer in the South of Spain to complain that his battery failed after his holiday to Siberia in the winter.
Secondly there is a very slight improvement in MPG figures between an 0W and a 10W oil.

Thirdly it looks cool in the advertising, as Castrol keep hyping 0W30 or 40 oils! It's a well proven fact that unless you are in Siberia for the winter Gulag holiday season (No heated garage or plug in power points), it makes no real difference in engine wear terms, as all normal engine oils are too thick for simple oil film protection when an engine is first started. Modern oils rely much more on the anti wear, extreme pressure and friction modifying additives (Zinc, Boron and Moly compounds mostly) than the viscosity improvers that allow the 30 or 40 grade to act as an 0W when cold. As long as it can be pumped around the block all is well.

I would note that when selecting oil grades it is worth figuring out where the actual kinematic viscosity is at 100C, as SAE grades are a range and there are differences between one 0/30 and another. That can be important in noise terms with some older diesels.
Castrol Edge 0/30 is at the top end of the 30 range and nearly the same when warm as Mobil 1 0/40 in viscosity terms, as M1 is at the lower end of the 40 range.

I'm a mid range sort of chap, so use Shell Helix Ultra 5/40, mostly cos it's the cheapest major brand full synthetic from a good Germebay dealer near the Polish border. I do spice it up with half a can of Liqui Moly Ceratec, but even that combination is almost 20 Euros cheaper than LM Synthoil High Tech 5/40, the true liquid Gold in German oil engineering terms.

PS: The tought of not using an OEM filter from a real Volvo dealer or Skandix has never crossed my mind. They are worth every cent in both performance and quality terms. If the can ain't white, it's not right!

[younger06]

5W/30 it is so!!

Thanks for the very informative reply skyship007.

[Shadeyman]

I changed my fuel and oil filter in January this year. Changed the oil at the same time. It now has Castrol Edge 5W/40 in it and loves it.

[skyship007]

Originally Posted by Shadeyman

I changed my fuel and oil filter in January this year. Changed the oil at the same time. It now has Castrol Edge 5W/40 in it and loves it.

If you use Castrol, their oil finder works well:

http://ew5.earlweb.com/search.php?si...=6&model=volvo

Some newer cars do list Edge 0W30 and although this is a real good winter oil, it's best to move up a grade for a higher mileage diesel to an 0 or 5/40.

I would recommend steering well clear of the DPF rated (Acea C3) Edge Turbo Diesel 5/40, as the normal Edge (A3/B4) 5/40 is much better for a DPF free engine.
I tested that C3 oil and my old diesel did not like it, with some real bad UOA figures from Blackstone.

[skyship007]

UMM, This seems to be the current lists of Edges!!

Castrol EDGE 5W-30

Castrol EDGE Longlife II 0W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional A5 0W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional BMW LL04 0W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional C3 0W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional E 0W-20

Castrol EDGE Professional H 0W-20

Castrol EDGE Professional H 5W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional H C2 0W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional LongLife III 5W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional OE 5W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional V 0W-20

Castrol EDGE Sport 0W-40

Castrol EDGE Sport 10W-60

Castrol EDGE Turbo Diesel 0W-30

Castrol EDGE Turbo Diesel 5W-40

Castrol EDGE 5W-30

Castrol EDGE Longlife II 0W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional A5 0W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional A5 5W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional BMW LL04 0W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional C3 0W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional E 0W-20

Castrol EDGE Professional H 0W-20

Castrol EDGE Professional H 5W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional H C2 0W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional LongLife III 5W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional OE 5W-30

Castrol EDGE Professional V 0W-20

Castrol EDGE Sport 0W-40

Castrol EDGE Sport 10W-60

[Clan]

Originally Posted by younger06

Is it necessary to use 0W-30 oil ??

The list of recommended oils in the owners manual looks like 5W-30 might be ok for the UK/IRL climate as long as it meets A5/B5 specification, any thoughts would be much appreciated.

yes it is , thats what volvo have decided after extensive testing on the road and dynamometer in conjunction with castrol . we are not qualified to choose anything else ... 0w/30 A5/B5 .. it results in less friction too and therefore a little help with fuel consumption .

"The correct viscosity coupled with the ACEA rating must always be used
in all engines fitted to the Volvo Car range. (For example, an engine requiring only a 0W-30 ACEA A5/B5
lubricant should not be filled with a 0W-40 ACEA A5/B5 lubricant.)"

[skyship007]

Originally Posted by Clan

yes it is , thats what volvo have decided after extensive testing on the road and dynamometer in conjunction with castrol . we are not qualified to choose anything else ... 0w/30 A5/B5 .. it results in less friction too and therefore a little help with fuel consumption .

"The correct viscosity coupled with the ACEA rating must always be used
in all engines fitted to the Volvo Car range. (For example, an engine requiring only a 0W-30 ACEA A5/B5
lubricant should not be filled with a 0W-40 ACEA A5/B5 lubricant.)"

That's correct when a Volvo is under a new car warranty, using the wrong oil could result in potential warranty claim issues if the engine failed.
Once the warranty expires, stick to the recommended Acea ratings which vary with the exact engine type and I NEVER USE NON MAJOR BRAND OIL COMPANY PRODUCTS, it's just too risky in both actual contents and quality control terms.
In very general terms new Volvo engines should use a full synthetic 0/30 and older ones a full synthetic 0/40. If you have even the slightest suspition that your car is subject to extreme conditions (Mostly too many short trips, lots of time in traffic, serious heavy towing or off road use) cut the oil change interval in half. The oil filter can be used until the max change interval unless the engine is being cleaned of sludge or is in bad condition. There is nothing wrong with changing the oil twice for every filter change IF you use a real Volvo oil filter, BUT do not try and drain it.

Never use a C3 or 2 cat oil in a diesel that does not have a DPF fitted, as even Edge Turbo 5/40 is nasty stuff due to lack of Zinc based additives.

Castrol supply Volvo dealers with good oil, BUT it was not designed for the actual engine except in the case of the newer 2.0 Ford blocks, so any major brand full synthetic 0w30 or 40 (If listed) will do a good job, BUT the viscosity of Castrol Edge 0/30 is almost into the 40 range, so if you want to use an 0/30 and think Mobil, Shell or Liqui Moly make better or cheaper oils, make sure the listed kinematic cSt (centi strokes) figure at 100c is NOT BELOW that of Edge, as it's right near the top of the SAE 30 range. In most cases like M1 0/40 that means moving up to an 0/40.

Once the engine ages and the oil consumption starts to creep up, move up to an 0 or 5/40 full synthetic in summer in particular, as it reduces oil consumption and is better for worn bearings. If you don't intend cold starting below minus 25c, a 5/30 or 40 is perfectly OK (In technical terms you should not cold start a diesel less than 10c above the pour point). For a full German standard group 4 synthetic, that lower limit is 35c for a 5/40. It's also lower for Shell Ultra as it has a Gas To Liquid (GTL) base stock and the pour point of that 5/40 is minus 45c (Castrol Edge 0/40 is minus 46c).

Another final word, USE THE OIL FINDER GUIDES (Ultra is not listed by Shell yet, as they don't make a profit from selling it in my opinion) and pick the best oil listed. If for some reason you are given a cheap drum of non major brand oil, either get it tested or boost the additives up with a can of MoS2 or Ceratec, then change it at 5K miles max. Cheap oils don't last long and are a classic case of you get what you pay for.

If you find an oily bargain, make sure it's not from a company in direct breach of Acea regs (8 different oil mixers are under investigation in the UK at present):
http://www.ukla-vls.org.uk/case-outcomes/
Then check to see if it was approved for use by VW, as they test nearly every oil for sale, there are several different VW lists to check for company names, but those lists can be found here:
http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/3005/V170801.pdf
VW are not fussy in engine oil terms, so if you can't find a cheap oil listed by them, I would never even think of using it.

The difference in fuel consumption terms between an 0w30 and an 0w40 is around 2%, BUT it depends how much Moly is included in the oils own additive pack. In the case of major brand full synthetics the difference is too low to detect, BUT is more significant in winter, IF you use a 10 or even a 15/40, as the engine will take slightly longer to warm up or even be pushing the pour point limits if very cold. The oil pressure relief valve then opens for longer and that's not too good for engine wear either.

[Darlo 1]

Originally Posted by skyship007

That's correct when a Volvo is under a new car warranty, using the wrong oil could result in potential warranty claim issues if the engine failed.
Once the warranty expires, stick to the recommended Acea ratings which vary with the exact engine type and I NEVER USE NON MAJOR BRAND OIL COMPANY PRODUCTS, it's just too risky in both actual contents and quality control terms.
In very general terms new Volvo engines should use a full synthetic 0/30 and older ones a full synthetic 0/40. If you have even the slightest suspition that your car is subject to extreme conditions (Mostly too many short trips, lots of time in traffic, serious heavy towing or off road use) cut the oil change interval in half. The oil filter can be used until the max change interval unless the engine is being cleaned of sludge or is in bad condition. There is nothing wrong with changing the oil twice for every filter change IF you use a real Volvo oil filter, BUT do not try and drain it.

Never use a C3 or 2 cat oil in a diesel that does not have a DPF fitted, as even Edge Turbo 5/40 is nasty stuff due to lack of Zinc based additives.

Castrol supply Volvo dealers with good oil, BUT it was not designed for the actual engine except in the case of the newer 2.0 Ford blocks, so any major brand full synthetic 0w30 or 40 (If listed) will do a good job, BUT the viscosity of Castrol Edge 0/30 is almost into the 40 range, so if you want to use an 0/30 and think Mobil, Shell or Liqui Moly make better or cheaper oils, make sure the listed kinematic cSt (centi strokes) figure at 100c is NOT BELOW that of Edge, as it's right near the top of the SAE 30 range. In most cases like M1 0/40 that means moving up to an 0/40.

Once the engine ages and the oil consumption starts to creep up, move up to an 0 or 5/40 full synthetic in summer in particular, as it reduces oil consumption and is better for worn bearings. If you don't intend cold starting below minus 25c, a 5/30 or 40 is perfectly OK (In technical terms you should not cold start a diesel less than 10c above the pour point). For a full German standard group 4 synthetic, that lower limit is 35c for a 5/40. It's also lower for Shell Ultra as it has a Gas To Liquid (GTL) base stock and the pour point of that 5/40 is minus 45c (Castrol Edge 0/40 is minus 46c).

Another final word, USE THE OIL FINDER GUIDES (Ultra is not listed by Shell yet, as they don't make a profit from selling it in my opinion) and pick the best oil listed. If for some reason you are given a cheap drum of non major brand oil, either get it tested or boost the additives up with a can of MoS2 or Ceratec, then change it at 5K miles max. Cheap oils don't last long and are a classic case of you get what you pay for.

If you find an oily bargain, make sure it's not from a company in direct breach of Acea regs (8 different oil mixers are under investigation in the UK at present):
http://www.ukla-vls.org.uk/case-outcomes/
Then check to see if it was approved for use by VW, as they test nearly every oil for sale, there are several different VW lists to check for company names, but those lists can be found here:
http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/3005/V170801.pdf
VW are not fussy in engine oil terms, so if you can't find a cheap oil listed by them, I would never even think of using it.

The difference in fuel consumption terms between an 0w30 and an 0w40 is around 2%, BUT it depends how much Moly is included in the oils own additive pack. In the case of major brand full synthetics the difference is too low to detect, BUT is more significant in winter, IF you use a 10 or even a 15/40, as the engine will take slightly longer to warm up or even be pushing the pour point limits if very cold. The oil pressure relief valve then opens for longer and that's not too good for engine wear either.

Bet your heads really spinning now!!!!

[jp11]

Originally Posted by Clan

yes it is , thats what volvo have decided after extensive testing on the road and dynamometer in conjunction with castrol . we are not qualified to choose anything else ... 0w/30 A5/B5 .. it results in less friction too and therefore a little help with fuel consumption .

"The correct viscosity coupled with the ACEA rating must always be used
in all engines fitted to the Volvo Car range. (For example, an engine requiring only a 0W-30 ACEA A5/B5
lubricant should not be filled with a 0W-40 ACEA A5/B5 lubricant.)"

Guys, you can pontificate all you like about oil preferences (and that's what they are - preferences), the use of additives like Moly, etc. But if you value you engine, and rely on it as I do for my 600 miles a week commute, then do as Clan says and use the recommended A5/B5 0w30. I don't think it matters too much about brands, as long as they're reputable. Yes it's expensive, but if you only have to do it every 18k it's not such a big deal (even though I do mine at 10k). I've done 150,000 miles with D5 engines (both Euro 3 and 4) always with 0w30 A5/B5 and all of them sounded great. A friend now owns one of them with 200,000 on it right now, and he also does 600 high-speed miles a week with it.