Reddit mentions: The best oils

The Internet is your friend! I can't imagine the magnitudes of higher difficulty generations before us faced. These days, you can Google "oil change DIY <insert year/make/model of your car>" and you will get endless write-ups from forums that specialize in your car, YouTube videos, dedicated personal sites, etc. I definitely know it seems complex, but if you are even the slightest bit technical-minded and can visualize things, you'll very quickly realize that you can probably take apart almost anything you see under the hood and be able to put it back together. Just be careful, take pictures of things before you disassemble, and buy plenty of magnetic trays ($2-3 from Harbor Freight) to keep track of nuts and bolts. Fortunately, there are plenty of maintenance things you can start with that you can't really break, like changing your engine air filter.

Doing an oil change is probably the next simplest thing you can do. In short, safety first, learn how to jack up your car and put it on jack stands, or just buy Rhino Ramps for $40, undo the drain plug, drain the oil into a big pan, put the bolt back in with a new crush washer, find and remove the filter, sometimes it's one metal thing and other times it's a plastic thing with a filter inside of it, then put the new one back on, then pour in x quarts or liters of oil back up top. Your first few times will take an hour or two and will likely be messy, but you'll very quickly be able to shorten that amount of time and eventually be able to do it without spilling a single drop.

A starter set of mechanic tools will cost you $20-40 on Amazon. Oil and filter is usually $20-40 even if you use the good stuff. But then those tools and ramps will also be used basically forever, so they're one-time costs. Once you do this a couple times and get comfortable getting under the car, looking at things, then you can read about doing transmission or differential fluid changes, start removing some of your engine covers just to take a look around and compare it to all the DIY videos and articles/posts that you can find. Once you have a small set of tools, any subsequent jobs will likely just require maybe 1 or 2 additional specialized tools to access some weird things. Even today, after having done most of my own maintenance for years, I would sometimes have to go on Amazon and spend $7 just to buy some weird size socket just to get to this one thing on specific car. You'll familiarize yourself with bolt clamps, start to see how manufacturers like to connect things, where things get dirtier than other places, look at things that you don't normally see when the car is all buttoned up, all with very little risk. It's also definitely easier on a Japanese car. I learned to work on older German cars when I started, where it took 3-4 different bolts and bits and strange wrangling of plastic trim and linings just to remove a bumper, so then I was pleasantly surprised that all I needed was ONE SINGLE 10mm socket on a dozen exposed bolts to take off my Mazda bumper.

It took me a couple years of light wrenching before I was comfortable enough to do my own brakes (mentally, it always seemed like the biggest risk if I messed something up). Now, I can swap all of my brake pads before a track day in about half hour. I recently bought another VW and learned that it has a common coolant system issue, something I had never worked on before... I spent a couple days reading and watching videos, then just ordered the right parts and went in and did everything while following along and pausing the videos. Took me a couple hours, but now I am not nervous about doing anything coolant-related since I gained a deep understanding how the piping works, etc. In fact, I've now added a simple coolant system flush to my to-do list for my other cars.

I looked at your post history and did some light Googling... looks like this site has your full 553-page manual. Here is the link to page 448 that guides you through an oil change, but it looks like all the maintenance stuff starts on page 432. Based on Amazon's built-in car search tool, it looks like the Fram XG7317 is what fits on a '16 TLX V6 AWD. And the service manual says you should be using 0W-20, which is also something you can find on Amazon... I use Castrol Syntec 0W-20 for my track car that definitely sees a ton of hard driving, and it's usually $25 for a 5-qt jug. Based on this resource, looks like you only need about 4.5 qts. This video seems to be pretty informative to walk you through an entire oil change on the V6.

You probably want to create an account on tlxforums.com and start poking around the maintenance subs. Maintenance section and common issues section.

I would tell you to look for a formal service manual, but I may be dating myself here. It doesn't look like there are paper manuals available to buy (at least from Honda; there may eventually be third party ones). In the meantime, it looks like you can pay to access this one... $30/year? Maybe do some of the more simple DIYs, get yourself familiar, start building up a small tool collection, and then go in there and poke around and maybe even download/print some of the stuff you'd want to do.

Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss more or bounce some ideas around, or if you just need a cheerleader before you dive into your first job. Hell, in typing all of this, I'm feeling pretty good about getting down on some Acura V6 maintenance myself, lol.

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*edit* I didn't realize how carried away I got with this response. I'm sorry for thread-jacking with a text wall, u/op. Let me know if you'd like me to remove this post and share it in a PM instead.

Here is the filter you need (just search for the model number on Amazon and you can buy it there. Your model number is KN-138). For oil, I run Rotella Synthetic, but any 5W-40 or 10W-40 will work (the 5 and 10 just designate the temperature at which it will still run well, ie 5 C or 10 C. I live in the north east so I go for 5 for peace of mind). Regardless of which you choose, you'll need about 2.9 quarts for a full (ie with filter) change.

Get some nitrile gloves (especially for spreading oil on the filter when you install it), shop towels for clean up, and you may want to look into getting a new crush washer for the drain bolt (not sure if/when yours has ever been replaced. They can last a while, but it's not a bad idea to replace it if you aren't sure). An oil filter clamp isn't a bad idea to help with getting them off, but I doubt you'll have issue with it. Don’t forget a good oil drain pan (I recommend this one with a screw in, top spout – this is what the oil would drain into – the oil filter holder on the top so it can drain over 24 hours, as well as a front spout), as well as a funnel to help you get the oil in.

Let me know if you need help with anything else. I've found these instructions helpful for those new to it and they are the exact same for you, too. What do you need to change the rectifier for?

Thanks for the answer! This is the first time we've been met with a car that recommends a variety of oils. We've only owned Chevy, Jeep, and Toyota in the past and they all have a pre-set oil viscosity they want irregardless of your climate.

I'm in New England USA which means its fairly moderate. Warm summers, chilly winters but rarely anything into the extremes.

Our cars mostly run 5W-30 which is why I was hoping we could get away with using that if it is a direct place in.

I'm thinking of using the Mobil 1 European Formula
https://www.amazon.com/Mobil-120760-Synthetic-Motor-0W-40/dp/B00HG76A9A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478619568&sr=8-1&keywords=mobil+1+european+car+formula+0w-40

http://www.mercedesmedic.com/how-to-change-oil-mercedes-benz-diy-instructions-video/

Because that website recommended it. But I see it nowhere listed on the MB 229.5 page. Only general Mobil1 shows up there
Thanks!

Edit:
Got the Castrol 0W-40 :) all good

>Can you give me some examples of the cheap purpose made cleaners in case i cant get kerosene?

http://www.amazon.com/DuPont-Motorcycle-Degreaser-Sprockets-11-Ounce/dp/B003OBM5EQ/
http://www.amazon.com/Maxima-75920-Clean-Up-Chain-Cleaner/dp/B000WKATCM/

If you have a combined cleaner and lube that'll work just great. Apply to the inside of the chain, scrub, lube again and wipe clean.
Do your best not to get the lube on the tyres and if you do, clean that stuff off.

I'll preface this with I Am Not a Professional, and my situation involved a bathroom vent fan, not a furnace fan, but I had the same symptoms. Loud humming when it was turned on, giving the fan a manual push would start it for a bit before it would slow down and stop. I suspected that the fan had built up too much dust and the motor couldn't overcome the friction, so I picked up some small motor oil (e.g. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083V8MMG) and worked it into the moving parts. After a couple minutes of applying oil and giving the fan some manual help, it was back to normal.

What do the spark plugs look like? Are they fouled at all? If they are clean, you are most likely running completely fine.

The throttle response on 1.8 liter engines is a lot slower than you're used to with a 1.6. It's one of my main points when the classic 1.6vs1.8 threads pop up. I prefer the 1.6 because it's happier to rev and responds quicker. Other people prefer the power.

When you start your car in the video, it sounds healthy. It seems to take quite a normal amount of time to crank and start, and seems happy to do so. I don't think you have a problem there.

Rotella T6 is a well known oil in the NB Miata community. Many people swear by it. It's Shell's high detergent oil. (Yes, it's "Heavy Duty Diesel", but its within the acceptable range of viscosity as well as has API SM qualification for gasoline engines. Plus, hundreds of people here use it)

http://www.amazon.com/Shell-Rotella-550019921-Synthetic-Diesel/dp/B005CHT4W6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463093322&sr=8-1&keywords=rotella+t6

Thanks guys for answering. This is the one I ordered 2 days ago and had just arrived todayhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LH7L0KS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was reading the question and answer section and the reviews section and one guy used it for his 06 subaru wrx sti and he praised this product and said that it helps with the oil consumption in turbocharged engines, and is apparently popular among Subaru car drivers, as there is another guy with an 09 WRX that uses this and praises it as well.

LOL :) and this is why I will always tell people to avoid buying leased vehicles...

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if you want to see how long the car can go without changing oil then ...sure....just be ready to pay for the whole car when you blew the engine...

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You are renting the car pretty much when you are leasing... there's no way the dealer will let you off the hook for negligence.....

https://www.autotrader.com/car-shopping/leasing-car-what-type-damage-will-you-be-charged-216155

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so if you want to do some basic maintenance... just go by the owner manual

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5000 miles for severe driving or 7500 miles

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0w-20 or 5W-30 vary by countries

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rotate the tires with every oil change (be sure to change the oil filter as well.

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synthetic oil is not that expensive $19 for 5 qt and $9 for oil filter--

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https://www.amazon.com/Castrol-03124-0W-20-Advanced-Synthetic/dp/B00JGQLZJ4

Just understand that the xr650l is really restricted from factory for emissions reasons. If you buy a 100% stock xr650l like I did, expect to spend money/time on doing a couple things. Which, is was fun in my case, built not bought.

If the bike you buy doesn't have these things, expect to do these right off the bat:

REJET! The xr650l runs lean from factory for emission reasons. Running lean is bad for engine overtime (can make engine run hotter than it should and doesn't allow for enough gas to help lubricate the cylinder walls). If anything, make sure this is done first.

Air filter: don't buy the K&N filter. It allow a lot of air flow because it has bad filtration. Yes, it's bad for your engine. Either keep on the stock filter, or go with a UNI foam filter (like I did, and I suggest it)

Again, the engine is restricted from factory, change that exhaust slip-on. Stay with the stock header at first, it's sufficient. I got the EVO-R Big Gun exhaust (loud and proud)


Desmog: You buy a desmog kit off of ebay for like $16. Take off all the emission bullshit and the bike will behave a little better. Takes weight off the bike and looks a lot better without all that clutter

xr650r front stroke or the other one /u/Kilroy_1911 mentioned. If I could go back in time I would get the one that the guy on ADVRider is selling on ebay. The xr650r sprocket doesn't fit perfectly, I had to get an old router bit and grind off some of the inside of the xr650r sprocket for the retaining clip to go on. I went with the Moose xr650r front sprocket

WPS rear brake light. The factory rear brake light thing looks bad IMHO. drill holes and zipties the license plate to the fender. Read the reviews. The stock bulb that comes with it is garbage. Go ahead and order the one they talk about in the comments.


__

That's my "xr650l stage 1 upgrade" suggestion.

Other strong suggestions:

Get some bark busters. They will save your levers and perches. I waited too long to do this and ended up have to replace my clutch perch and clutch/brake levers because dropping the bike on the trail. So, procrastinating on bark busters ended up costing me a little bit of money. Bark busters are a go

If you plan on doing serious trail riding, D606 rear tire is great. Don't get D606 front tire



Changing oil before you drive a vehicle gives you 5+hp, or was that Gran Turismo 3 A Spec? Either way, the manual says to use Honda's GN4 (dinosaur) oil, but lots of people go with Rotella T6 synthetic oil. Without getting into the debate, synthetic oil is better, especially for oil cooled engines, as oil is just as much as a coolant as water in a water cooled engine, and synthetic will cool an engine better than Dino oil will. So, go with T6 oil.




Here's my old write up on my mods (it's outdated to where I'm at with mods)

Slow and smooth when letting the clutch out. Also, Allow the RPMs to drop to avoid the jerking/jolting. Pretty much treat it Zohan. Make it silky smooth

Being a 2017, i'd assume you're still in the break in period (or around there), which doesn't help matters.

I'd recommend the removal of the clutch spring as well to provide more driver feedback, making things that much easier.

If none of that helps.... maybe try a different oil like Motul 300 or Red Line MT-90

Thanks all for replying!

As far as I can tell, the shifter does not drain to the transmission itself, at least not in my car.

I ended up removing the reverse light switch with an adjustable wrench. I'd guess it's about 20 mm. The switch is about level with the fill plug, only closer to the front of the car.

Once you have the switch loose, empty out the old oil from the drain plug. Loosen it with a 1/2 in square recess. Clean off any metal shavings caught in the plug's magnet and tighten it back on after the oil is out. Don't be a gorilla about torquing anything down. Before fully removing the reverse switch, make note of the two wires and disconnect them.

I used a hand pump to add the gear oil, but you could probably feed a long hose above to the engine and fill using a funnel. I added 2 quarts of Red Line MT-90 (75W-90), which is a touch under how much the manual calls for (2 liters). Clean the area after you're done, and dispose of the junk oil responsibly.

So, the car is back on the road again, at least until I try to fix (break) anything else. There's a bit less transmission noise now, and shifting is slightly smoother. The biggest difference is the transmission tunnel temperature. Before, the shift lever and ash tray area would get almost too hot to touch. Everything runs much cooler now, so I'm happy!

Hope this helps anyone that may search through here in the future!

• For cleaning: DuPont Motorcycle Degreaser
  
  I used to always buy those until every can at Walmart started leaking directly from where the nozzle attaches instead of spraying out through the straw, so I stopped buying it. People in the comments also say the formula isn't as good as it used to be. Since then I've been using WD40 as a degreaser which works fine, but kerosene can be used as well.
  
  
• To make your life easier: Grunge Brush
  
  You're going to save yourself a ton of time with one of these. Get one. Spray, brush, wipe with rag, repeat until clean.
  
  
• For the end: DuPont Chain Saver
  
  I've been using this every time and it is great. Most people will recommend it. Make sure you get it on the inside of the chain as well as the orings. Gently wipe off the excess so it doesn't fling all over your bike.
  
  That chain of yours looks like death and has probably never been cleaned before. Get as much crap off of it as you can, then see if there's any significant rust or oring damage. If the chain is that bad, I can only imagine the chain slack is terrible. The owner probably also neglected to do simple things such as the brake fluid or coolant, maybe even tire pressure.
  
  Edit: Clean the sprockets while you're at it.

Motul 8100 x clean efe 5w30 full synth.

Usually I do 5w40 t6 rotella, but I have an e-tune with brentunning and this is what they recommend so im gonna give it a shot. it makes sense... idk. I always like having that 40 weight makes me feel a little better... I live in Florida it never really gets cold. But then again I always change my oil around 2500-2800 miles... I drive it pretty hard and I start to get that itch when I get close to 3k. IDK if there's any other addicts out there but im sure someone can relate to my story.

So when I discovered pb blaster, it was amazing. Stuff worked so much better than the other products I used. Then I got into the trades and a couple of the old timers swore by a product called Aero Kroil. I refuse to use anything else now. Literally works 20x better than pb blaster. Stuff is amazing. I have never had it fail to break anything loose.

http://www.amazon.com/Kano-Aerokroil-Penetrating-aerosol-AEROKROIL/dp/B000F09CEA

Also they make Sili Kroil which adds a silicon type lubricant, which works 10,000 times better than WD40 for lubricating.

http://www.amazon.com/SiliKroil-Penetrating-Solvent-aerosol-SILIKROIL/dp/B0003041WK

Yes I am very familiar with the XJ650

I recommend valvoline motorcycle 10w40 for air heads. If you don't want to splurge for the motorcycle stuff, just the non-motorcycle version will work fine. (ask 10 people get 11 different answers kinda deal) If you don't have prime, then don't order from amazon.

I would go ahead and change it if you don't know whats already in there.

I would say that if you are very motivated and want to learn and have someone you could rely on to guide you through the work, then you could do it. If the guys at xjbikes aren't completely burnt out by now, then I'm sure that they would love to help guide you through the process.

I seem to remember someone was able to do the job without splitting the cases, but if you drop a part into the crankcase, you'll probably end up having to split them anyways...

EDIT: make sure you know how to bump start so you know you won't get stuck anywhere!

Slick Stacks made by Oil Slick. They make other great products for storing and purging oil as well. I use their products daily and love 'em.

Pep Boys, Advance, and AutoZone all match WalMart prices, at least in my area.

$8 per quart! Kind of baffled that oil costs that much for commercial accounts! Why even have one? Just order Mobil1 on amazon and upgrade to prime -- instant profit margin boost.

Most larger shops in my area have the most common grades of oil in 55-gallon drums or even IBC totes. The large NTB location near me even has a 55-gallon drum of gear oil.

All small desk fans are going to use tiny induction motors with bronze bearings. The induction motor itself will last a long time but the bronze bearings wear out in a few years or less.

If you want to buy a fan and have it last a long time buy a cheap fan from walmart that looks easy to disassemble and lubricate the bearings every once in a while with:
http://www.amazon.com/3-IN-ONE-10045-Motor-Oil-Pack/dp/B0083V8MMG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393881068&sr=8-1&keywords=3+in+1+motor+oil

I switched the fluid mostly because I had problems with it grinding when I shifted into 4th and 5th at higher RPMs and I wanted to see if it would improve my gas mileages. This may be considered bad shifting, but I liked to quickly get up to speed through 1st and 2nd and then skip to 5th for cruising. The VW's mechanics seemed perplexed that I would skip 3rd and 4th and they said the linkage was normal.

I wanted to put GM's synchromesh in it, because I've had good luck with it in my last two 5 speeds but my mechanic (non-VW) refused to put anything but stock spec fluid. I believe this is what we settled on. It must of been a good choice because it's still in there after 100K more miles.

I've had great success with the dupont chain cleaner and lube.

26k on my chain right now

http://www.amazon.com/DuPont-Motorcycle-Degreaser-Sprockets-11-Ounce/dp/B003OBM5EQ/ref=pd_bxgy_sg_img_y

First oil change can be early. SOA doesn't mention it but dealers do offer it at varying intervals. I'm in FL and my dealer offered to do it at 1k after the break in period.

I'm doing my own changes and did the first one at 3k and second at 6k to get me back on track. Pretty easy to do on these engines and total cost is about $30: $23 for the oil and $8 for OEM filter, the latter you can probably get a little cheaper from other sites or possibly the dealer.

Thanks a lot, I wasn't aware of that. I use it for track days and DD, I am a beginner at track days so is M1 good for me and I am not in the extreme applications? What qualifies as extreme applications? One session is 30 min and one track event is 8 sessions per weekend, I have done 2 track weekends with M1 oil, how often do you recommend that I change it? also to double check this is what I use https://www.amazon.com/Mobil-94001-5W-30-Synthetic-Motor/dp/B000COX0JM

First off get a 27mm socket for the oil filter cap. I thought I had one that could fit before I started mine but didn't. The oil is kinda hard to find since it needs 5w-40, I ordered some on amazon: Liqui Moly 2041 Premium 5W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil - 5 Liter Jug https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005H2SHS8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_XlS3xbZ5QE743. The rest isn't too hard, you need to remove the engine cover to give you more working room. To remove the engine cover remove the 2 bolts in top and their is a spot near the rear that just requires a good pull to pop the cover off. I didn't even jack up my Jeep to drain the oil, I think the oil plug was a 13mm, I don't recall but its nothing fancy. The oil filter cap is rather inconvenient to get to but if you have a long socket extension it helps.

That's right, I think people switch over when they start power modding. For stock I would say 5w30 is fine. And yes, the place I had my oil changed used Mobil 1, which I don't prefer. I (and my Subaru) like the Motul much better. I typically Order it off Amazon and I just bring that in to whoever is changing my oil.

Lol what? A quart of synthetic is nowhere close to $30. Here is 6 quarts of Mobil1 for $27.
https://www.amazon.com/Mobil-94001-5W-30-Synthetic-Motor/dp/B000COX0JM

FYI my Tahoe with a 5.7 L V8 took about 6 quarts. 6 quarts will cover MOST vehicles. If you meant to say gallon, then figure around $40 for oil. Another $5-10 for the filter.

So you still save money and know the job is done correctly.

So then the fluids are the same?

I'm having trouble understanding the difference between this and this.

Is this just marketing from the company?


Yeah, I plan on buying these fluids myself in the future and having the mechanic do it, I just wanted to be sure I didn't put something where it didn't belong.

Thanks for the help, man. Solid advice as usual :)

I'm using the T6 synthetic and working smooth. I use subscribe and save from Amazon with a buddy and we buy a few 4 quart jugs every 6 months.

We are using it in a 96 cherokee with 120kand 2 96 grand cherokees with 200k+ miles


https://www.amazon.com/Shell-Rotella-550019921-Synthetic-Diesel/dp/B005CHT4W6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1465582556&sr=8-2&keywords=t6

Hmmm... interesting. I've been using Castrol 10w-40 full synthetic motorcycle oil since i've owned it. This one, right? My oil levels look fine and everything too, though I've heard controversy over the dipsticks in my model? Maybe I should try and add some extra oil to see if it stops it? I don't want to overfill but I also don't want it to be under filled. If it's not the oil, what else could it be?


For the SAI system, are there any drawbacks to bypassing it? Do you have a guide to show how to remove these things and what parts I would need? Thanks for the reply!

-Trackside Front/Rear stands for easy cleaning

• Degreaser
  
• Chain Brush
  
• Chain Lube
  
• Waterless Wash/Wax
  
• Wheel Cleaner
  
• Wheel Brush
  
  I clean and lube the chain about every 500 miles.
  Never pressure wash your electrical components (I just don’t pressure wash at all). Other than that, just changing the oil per the schedule and making sure everything runs fine.

Synthetic is usually better for the car and also lasts longer. I use mobil 1 oil filters (get them replaced every two/three oil changes) and I use 5w-30 mobil 1 synthetic oil (lasts up to 5-7k, depending on your driving style). Here's the oil I use, costco is cheapier I belive and here is the link to the Oil filter

how to tell from a good/bad oil filter: it says how much it filters somewhere around the box mobil 1 filters 99.6 percentage (one of the highest)

using these two together I found ran great, the oil lasted the longest (7k miles), I've been experimenting with different filters and oils. you can run 5w-30 is more heat resistant and better in the cold (east coast), 5w-20 is good for California-like weather because it will give you some more MPG. Some people have put 0w-20 but I haven't tried that yet. Also if you take the filter and oil to your dealer they usually do oil changes for 10 bucks.

Okay thanks! Could you possibly provide the Amazon link? I found two listings, one for five quarts and another for 6 quarts which is massively more expensive.

For future reference, these are awesome. And parchment paper works great in the interim as well, though not so much if it's a dryer concentrate.

Life expectancy is pretty limitless, what matters is how the transmission was maintained and used. Fluid changed at proper intervals, proper rev matching and use of the clutch.

Before you drop the transmission, try Liqui Moly, which has MoS2 (Molybdenum disulfide), mixed in with fresh transmission fluid. MoS2 completely resolved my major 2nd gear grind problems in the ZF transmission in my E36 M3.

https://www.amazon.com/Liqui-Moly-2019-Anti-Friction-Lubricant/dp/B00CPL8UPY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molybdenum_disulfide

You really have nothing to lose at this point; changing fluid is cheap and easy to do. Who knows, it might fix your problem. Do note, that it took about ~50 miles for my grinding to resolve itself after swapping the fluid and adding the MoS2.

You can wait until 10K according to VW's Engineers who are way smarter than you or I, or probably most other people on this board.

That being said, I did one at 5k and switched from OEM Castrol to Liqui-Moly https://www.amazon.com/Liqui-Moly-2332-Leichtlauf-Engine/dp/B00LIC29H6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1506552725&sr=8-2&keywords=liqui-moly+5w-40

Napa has it cheaper FYI if you want to buy it locally.

On my NB2 with the Tochigi Fuji Super LSD it made a bit of noise when i got it. Upon removing the drain plug i found two of these tabs. I drained the old fluid and replaced it with this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ONZXPK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and it quieted down substantially. These LSD's are clutch-type so even if those tabs all come off, the LSD will still partially work simply from fluid passing over the clutch, better than an open diff anyway. The other good thing is that the clutch tabs are nowhere near as hard as the gears, so they probably won't cause a catastrophic failure of the diff. I've put 20,000 miles on the diff since i found those tabs. No problems so far. Can still do two wheel peels.

Start with 5 qt of oil for $19. Don't buy a single quart extra -- that gets expensive, just get a second 5 qt and just use that with each change. End result is $3.80/qt, or $20.14 for your car. The $4.86 should be enough for a filter and maybe even wiper fluid.

Speaking to the AX15, mine refuses to engage properly, especially in the Colorado winters, without be filled with MT-90. I thought I was going to have to do full rebuild, but just that MT-90 made it good enough. 190,000 miles and only other maintenance has been clutch, flywheel, throwout bearing and slave cylinder (all done together).

I have a 2010 S4. Lately I have been running Liqui Moly 5W40. It's a full synthetic german oil, meets the 50200 spec, is cheaper than the audi spec alternatives - and free shipping off amazon!

http://amzn.com/B005H2SHS8

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008MISDH4/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1
6 pack for 51 bucks. Probably the best deal you'll find for this oil

Invest in this... it kicks the shit out of PB Blaster

http://www.amazon.com/SiliKroil-Penetrating-Solvent-aerosol-SILIKROIL/dp/B0003041WK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406440897&sr=8-1&keywords=sili-kroil

LL 01 is the specification

Castrol EDGE Advanced Full Synthetic "European car formula" is a good one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JGQLZSU

The viscosity could differ based on your local climate.

I have used Mobil 0W-20 in my 2018 for the last two oil changes. I've poured over online threads for all types of Subarus, and found that for the filter it's best to stick to OEM (blue is good, black is better but hard to find). This Fumoto drain plug also makes the process so much easier.

https://www.amazon.com/Valvoline-10W-40-Stroke-Motorcycle-Oil/dp/B00DJ4FGMQ

It's not happening when I shift, it's nothing about a false neutral, I rode the bike for two months, i'm familiar with those. I'm losing the ability to shift at all, it's like once the bike warms up the clutch is stuck pulled like i'm holding the lever when i'm not and the clutch cable has been adjusted

If you understand the ratings then get the bottle that has VW 502 AND 505 on it. Just because it’s 5w-40 doesn’t mean it is what Audi requires. Stop trying to save a few dollars at Walmart and just get LiquiMoly like the rest of us. Liqui Moly 2332 Leichtlauf High Tech 5W-40 Engine Oil-5 Liter, 169.05 Fluid_Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LIC29H6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Arz2DbD5QCHX7

If you want to use what Audi dealers use, get Castrol Pro: Castrol Edge PRO OE 5W-40 Quart 502 00 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077SY4DTN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Vsz2Db2HSCFQT

I would go to ex500.org and register on the forums first. Anyways here's my top mods:

• Replaced clutch springs with stiffer ones - this helps at higher RPMs because the stock ones start weak and get weaker with age $10.80
  
  
• Replaced rear shock with stocker from a new gen ninjette because it's a lot stiffer and raises the bike a bit $49.99
  
  
• Removed the pair system because it does nothing good and with exhaust it makes popping noises $15.00
  
  
• K&N air filter installed and drilled 4 Half Inch holes in the left side of airbox $49.99
  
  
• Airbox mod requires carb tweaking so I opened up the carbs and rebuilt them for reliability $45
  
  
• Got some shorty levers 36.99
  
  
• Replaced stock ignition with Coil on Plug type ignition for an '08 ZX6R - prices vary but i got mine for 40 bucks including harness.
  
  
• New sparks gapped at .30" $8.10
  
  
• Higher quality front brakes $32.00
  
  
• Oil changed to Shell Rotella T $19.16
  
  
• Avon Roadrider tires big upgrade over stock. Prices vary I got mine for 350 installed both front and rear
  
  
• Best for last: Racetech .90kg/mm springs with gold valves $300
  
  

I buy the euro blend castrol for my gti, the 0W-40 5qt jug, and it's only like $25 on amazon!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JGQLZSU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488127122&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=castrol+0w-40

I have been using this for years on my Minis and never had a problem with it. It was originally recommended to me on the northamericanmotoring.com forums. I highly recommended it too.

I think this is what I'll go with. Also looks like Amazon price matched https://www.amazon.com/Mobil-120760-Synthetic-Motor-0W-40/dp/B00HG76A9A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484927714&sr=8-1&keywords=Mobil+1+Full+Synthetic+0w40

Had notchy T-90 in a 65 Jeep after rebuilding it.

Liqui Moly 2019 MoS2 Anti-Friction Gear Lubricant

https://www.amazon.com/Liqui-Moly-2019-Anti-Friction-Lubricant/dp/B00CPL8UPY

Took care of that.

Also - now that I'm reading more about Rotella T6, it seems like it's for heavy duty engines and diesel engines. Am I looking at the right product? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005CHT4W6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=KVJUPJ7Q9EN0&coliid=I2S2373MP63RJ4&psc=1

I think the GM-LL-A-025 spec is technically obsolete and replaced by the Dexos requirements. Anyways, I source my 0w40 Mobil 1 Euro car formula on Amazon Prime.

https://www.amazon.com/Mobil-120760-Synthetic-Motor-0W-40/dp/B00HG76A9A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502915673&sr=8-1&keywords=0W40


$22.88 for a 5 quart jug. My 200,000 mile 2.0t seems to like the oil just fine, although I've never ran an oil analysis.

Well this is already turning into an oil thread, so I'll throw in my $0.02.

50 bucks for a gallon of semi-synthetic motor oil?!

Here's some JASO rated fully synthetic oil for ~20 bucks.

VW Turbos need (at least according the VW) pretty specific and expensive oil. Generally that alone is going to be $40 like this. Filter is another $10. So baseline, the parts alone cost $50. Then it's just a matter of being able to do it. I mean, yeah, you can probably go to Jiffy Lube and get a cheaper oil change, but I'd rather pay more for oil and not worry about the turbo eating its self, especially on a 9 year old car.

Yes. This is the 5 Liter jug Liqui Moly Synthetic Leichtlauf High Tech 5W-40 and this is the link for the 1L bottles

Edit: Here’s my post about Liqui Moly Synthetic Leichtlauf High Tech 5W-40 Motor Oil

A little off topic but if you haven't tried it yet, try switching to luqi moly oil. I made the switch to it coming from oem oil and the car is quieter and smoother! This is the one I put in my car. It's a little more expensive but it's straight from germany made for german cars. All the indy's around me use this oil.

A lot of Turbo Subaru guys seem to swear by Rotella T6 and report reduced oil consumption compared to other oils. I've been thinking about trying it on my FXT once the weather improves.

Works like a charm

Bring your own oil and filter, get basic change. 5qt mobil 1 is like $28 $23 on Amazon.

I use Castrol EDGE 0W40 from Amazon. It’s BMW LL-01 certified, however I’m not sure if that’s the correct weight for your car.

Castrol 03101 EDGE 0W-40 A3/B4 Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil, 5 quart, 1 pack @ ~ $26

• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JGQLZSU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_imXCCb07QBRXP

Either get a chain brush with nylon bristles, or else use an old rag. Apply chain specific cleaner, or else kerosene, or WD-40 to the chain and cleaning tool, scrub the chain. If you haven't touched the chain in a while, you'll probably want to spend around 10 minutes working on cleaning it up. After that, you can either use chain lube or chain wax. Either is fine, it doesn't really matter which you use. Wax does tend to make less of a mess, at least as far as I've noticed.

If you want specific products, here's a chain cleaner,
here's a brush,
and here's chain wax

So $50 in oil and a $10 filter. Yep confirms what I said to someone looking at a boxster, Porsche mechanics are highway robbers.

You can buy it on amazon.

Redline gl4, the "I give a fuck about this transmission enough to spend $60 on it."

or stalube cheapo for the "whatever, it's GOOD ENOUGH"

I've used both and the transmissions keep on truckin'

Hard to beat the price and shipping of Amazon IMO.

• $11 OEM Oil filter
  
• $11 OEM MTF
  
• $11 75/90 Diff FYI. There is no OEM diff fluid.
  
• $8 A pump
  
• $13 OEM Grease for your shifter

Here.


The noisy clutch is due to shrunken, dried out rubber dampeners in the clutch basket. There are repair kits available.


Believe it or not, the preferred oil for these bikes is actually [a diesel oil.](
http://www.amazon.com/Shell-Rotella-550019921-Synthetic-Diesel/dp/B005CHT4W6)

To elaborate, Shell Rotella t6 is JASO MA certified.

From Wikipedia:

> For four-stroke gasoline engines, the JASO T904 standard is used, and is particularly relevant to motorcycle engines. The JASO T904-MA and MA2 standards are designed to distinguish oils that are approved for wet clutch use, with MA2 lubricants delivering higher friction performance.

Prices on amazon go up and down, I've set up alerts and buy when I'm close to an oil change. Here is an example.

Just stick with Liqui Moly on amazon. I've never seen any European oils in autozone.

https://www.amazon.com/Liqui-Moly-2332-Leichtlauf-Engine/dp/B00LIC29H6/ref=sr_1_4?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1543619530&sr=1-4&keywords=Liqui+Moly+Leichtlauf+High+Tech+5W-40

You can also get it in the 5 quart size which is generally less expensive. Currently ~$4.58/qt. at Amazon.

Yea most just stock gl-5 fluid so they use that. Gl-5 was created for differential use so it is much slippier. Slippier is not good for your synchros since they need to be able to grab.

My old 2006 m/t corolla had same issue. Manual even said you could use gl-4 or gl-5. Swapped to gl-4 and buttery smooth shifting.

Heres a DIY


And some manual trans fluid

You can get this stuff for about $5 a quart. I'd say that's hard to beat. It meets LL-01 standards.
https://www.amazon.com/Castrol-03101-0W-40-Synthetic-Motor/dp/B00JGQLZSU

I've also never had problems with Mobil 1 0W-40, but apparently it doesn't meet LL-01 anymore. But last I checked, the two are almost exactly the same price.

picture

This is what I use for my 2009

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JGQLZSU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I get the filter from my local dealership, or the Mann filter off Amazon/ECS

Liqui Moly, the official oil of frickinsweetdude

http://www.amazon.com/Mobil-120764-Synthetic-Motor-5W-30/dp/B00I4E91GI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452996179&sr=8-1&keywords=mobil1+synthetic+5w30+5+quart

About $30.

I have the 6 speed and the torsion LSD.

I'm looking at doing my transmission lube and rear differential. I'm looking at
Red Line (50304) MT-90 75W-90 GL-4 for the transmission and
Red Line 57904 (75W90) GL-5 for the differential.

Would this work ok or should I just go with the GL-5 all around? Also am I correct that the transmission takes 2 quarts and the differential takes 1?

https://www.amazon.com/Mobil-120760-Synthetic-Motor-0W-40/dp/B00HG76A9A

Indeed... Shell Rotella (550019921) T6 5W-40 Full Synthetic, Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oil (CJ-4) - 1 Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005CHT4W6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_wGMOyb36R3SYD

7 quarts + $8 for the oil filter.

I've got the same bike, I use this oil: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008MISDH4

With the K&N oil filter: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000E2CVW4

And as for the air filter I stick with the OEM one, you can find it for about $16 online.

Slick Stacks!

[oil] (https://www.amazon.com/Shell-Rotella-550019921-Synthetic-Diesel/dp/B005CHT4W6)
I get the filter from napa. The gold filter. Been using this oil in my 09 tsi for years and in cold buffalo winters.

Oil

Filter

I was planning on this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008MISDH4/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687502&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0054SAL3E&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=BD47JJH40CKSE27EP9CM

Was wondering if I should stay with conventional or go to full synthetic.

https://www.amazon.com/Mobil-120760-Synthetic-Motor-0W-40/dp/B00HG76A9A

Hey, you're right. Thanks, no reason to head to Walmart anymore. Oil was the only thing I bought there. I despise Walmart, but at $15-20 cheaper a jug they got to my sellout point.

Here's the link without it referring to OP's wishlist (which causes warnings about adding something that someone has already bought):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008MISDH4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008MISDH4

Edit: Removing referral code, forgot I have a plugin that automatically adds it when copying Amazon links.

I use Castrol 0W-40 in my BMWs. Don't be alarmed by 0W versus 5W. SAE weights are kind of silly. For example BMW's spec basically generates oils in 0W or 5W and 30 or 40 grades even those guys the owner's manual says 5W-30 only. VW spec is probably similar. Basically buy the spec not the SAE grade.


Castrol 03101 EDGE 0W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil - 5 Quart https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JGQLZSU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_WfXfzbMRKFYXA

Is this the VW spec your car needs?

Meets BMW LL-01, Mercedes Benz 229.5 and 229.3, Porsche A40, VW 505.00 and 502.00, Ford WSS-M2C937-A, PSA B71 2296

10L of synthetic oil + oil filter? I mean it's also $100 in Canadian dollars if that makes any difference. It's actually low when I look up actual prices.

Liquimoly, which I prefer, is listed at $66 for 5L on Amazon Canada. So I'd need 2 of those, which is $132. Then a filter which is about $10.

A $142 (call it 150 w/ taxes) isn't out of range for a vehicle that originally retailed for a bit over $100k (Canadian).

That is extremely poor advice. All lubricants breakdown over time, and should be changed out with fresh fluids. This probably come from people putting the wrong fluid in. You need to replace it with GL-4 gear oil. Most gear oils you'll find at local auto shops is GL-5 and not safe for the syncros. If you need to change it, get some MT-90 from Amazon. You'll need to buy 4qts. Also, a pump will help out a lot.

Your flywheel is going to be fucked from driving so long with a slipping clutch. Shame on you OP for driving that long like that. You should replace that shit when it starts slipping to avoid damage. Your bell-housing is probably dinged up on the inside too. You're gonna want to drain the trans oil and inspect it for metal flake and then when you replace it (assuming there's no metal) you should probably go with Red Line MT-90.