Here was an exchange between us and a 2002 VW 1.8 Turbo.
I have a 2002 VW Passat with a 1.8L turbo. It has 145,000 miles on it and uses about a quart of oil every 1500 miles. I get good fuel economy but have lost some power over the years. I have to use synthetic motor oil and usually use Quaker state. Can this product help reduce my oil consumption and bring back some power? If so, how should it be used?
We've had great success with the VW turbo's of your vintage. Many were an unfortunate side effect of VWofA over selling their product through too few service centers. That, added with specifying oils that were (at the time) in very limited distribution, really caused some issues. You can surely use a synthetic oil while using Auto-Rx. We ask you to avoid oils with PAO's, EOP's, and POE's in them. Quaker State, or any of the rest of the Sopus lineup (Shell -Pennzoil-Quaker State), use a Group III proprietary XHVI base stock that is fully compatible with Auto-Rx. Shell Rotella T synthetic 5w-40 is one frequently used in Euro/turbo applications. It's relatively cheap and has ample durability for the application(s).
If you have a known sludge condition I recommend buying a couple of extra filters. This will allow you to get full use of your oil. There you would change the filter between 500-1000 miles and top up. If you follow this procedure you may extend the cleaning phase as long as you are comfortable with the oil in the crankcase (2500-3000 miles being a minimum to get decent value). The oil's detergent and dispersant package will take care of whatever is below the filter's threshold in the oil.
Your turbo and ring packs should be clean early on in the process. These areas provide the heat required to allow Auto-Rx to act quickly. Oil consumption that is due to stuck rings can be reduced. Oil consumption due to worn rings cannot. Oil leakage due to fouled rotary seals can be cured when those seals are clean and allowed to relax. Oil leakage due to a torn seal can only be fixed by replacing the seal.
I hope that I've answered your questions. If not, or if you have any new ones, just hit the reply button.
I normally leave my oil in for 5000 miles. Can I leave it in that long if I change the filters every 1000-1500 miles?
Yes. This assumes that one needs to change the filter. I'd do it once early on just to be sure that it's not filled with silt. Auto-Rx doesn't wear out per se~. It's going to seek and bond with metal. It more or less "displaces" dirt in the process. The limitations that we publish are much like service recommendations before maintenance minders and (something like) the GM OLM came around. You have to fit the most habits into the recommendations to keep it simple. On an individual basis, like with someone like yourself, we can take the time to qualify all the nuances. We've tried many times to configure this for publication on the website, but it only confuses people. The more we explain, the less is understood. People don't necessarily glean what you want them to from the printed word. We've found that the 3k+/- clean/3k rinse works well for the most people who are our customers.
If you have any questions at any time during the process, feel free to get in touch.
