I need the real deal on oils.

[gunny]

I've used amsoil for many years {100%synth} in my diesels and gassers, and they work great, lower pour point, better thermal transfer and shear. The only bad thing about synth oil is if you don't have any oil leaks now, you will after you start using synthetic oils, I can gurrantee it. It's more fluid than dino oil and will find any "leaky" spot in the motor. so unless you want to do a gasket change, avoid it. But if you want to do the pan and valve cover gaskets I highly recommend them. The initial cost is around $50 to to convert to full synth. then about half that at each change, with the added benifit of an extended change interval. I change the oil on the golf about every 25k or once a year, which ever comes first, which for me is just shy of once a year. You can use the synth, just get one designed for a diesel, and you won't have a slidge problem, and remember, just because it says "full synthetic" doesn't mean it's 100% synthetic, according to the standards, as long as it contains a certain percentage of synthetic oil, they can call it "full synthetic, which is what mobil one is, a "full synthetic" . boils down to getting all the info you can, and using it to your advantage.

[hillfolk'r]

ive never personally seen any oil leak caused by switching to synthetic,,,usually the problem oil leak was there before,,and more noticible now,especially if its a thinner weight you switched to,,,,

[gunny]

Exactly my point, you may not notice a very minor leak in an older engine, that is until you switch to a 100% synth oil, I've seen it dozens of times. the lubricity of synth is such that it will find its way out. On a tight engine, you won't have any troubles. I've been using amsoil since about 1984, got my fist batch of it from a buddy in the air force, they used it for the jet engines in the fighters, I figurede what the heck, if it would work for that, why not in my car, of course at that point you could get it for cars, I just didn't know it. My wifes subaru has the same amsoil in it that I put in it in 1999, minus the oil samples I've sent in to the company every 6 months. 110000 miles without an oil change, not to shabby if you ask me. Granted I do replace the 2 ounces of oil I send in for the sample, so I suppose the oil has actually been changed over the years, but you get my point. No matter what oil, use the best you can afford, made for the application at hand, as for my diesel, nothing but rottela.

[ajt3nc]

I have used shell rotella in my 86 n/a jetta since it's 500 mile change and it now has 300k without incident.
My 04 pd tdi golf has had mobil1 extended since the first change. I know I am supposed to use 505.01 but I put 120k on it in 2 years and my camshaft is fine.Not endorsing you to do this, just sharing.
I purchased a pristine 89 bmw 525i with 40k and switched it to mobil1 and it leaked like a sieve.I replaced the pan gasket, front and rear mains and assorted other gaskets to solve it's issues. I think it was just a dried out older car which had minimal care.
My POS ranger had 120k when I bought it and was a sludge monster. I switched to synthetic and it cleaned it up after a few changes and does not leak at all.

[bhtooefr]

ajt3nc: You might want to go to a GTG, and get someone to take pics under your valve cover (on the PD).

And post in this thread: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=129373