When to do your first oil change?

[Pete Geppert]

I know the book says at 10,000
but I want to know if people are changing oil in the first 1,000 miles or less?

[MyAvocation]

From threads on multiple forums the consensus is same as owners manual.

[VdubDiesel]

I changed mine at 3,000..... The manual does suggest you change it at 10,000 miles. I may change mine every 5,000. I spoke with the service advisor and he said there is nothing wrong with changing it early. I did notice at 3,000 miles my oil was filthy so I will change it every 5,000. I uploaded a picture of the oil they use it's Castrol SLX Professional LL03 5w-30

[YMZ]

Originally Posted by VdubDiesel

I changed mine at 3,000...

Why?

Originally Posted by VdubDiesel

I may change mine every 5,000.

Why?

Originally Posted by VdubDiesel

The manual does suggest you change it at 10,000 miles ...//... I did notice at 3,000 miles my oil was filthy

Is this your first Diesel? Diesel rated oils are formulated to hold the soot in suspension... Although this doesn't happen on all of the newer cars, traditionally Diesels turn their oil black as soon as it's changed... The VW engineers have been making engines that last well over a million miles with greater-than-10,000 mile oil changes for a long time... If you're worried about the state of the oil in your car, have a used oil analysis done... otherwise you're simply wasting money (and resources...)

Yuri

[skinnyb]

Originally Posted by YMZ

Is this your first Diesel? Diesel rated oils are formulated to hold the soot in suspension... Although this doesn't happen on all of the newer cars, traditionally Diesels turn their oil black as soon as it's changed... The VW engineers have been making engines that last well over a million miles with greater-than-10,000 mile oil changes for a long time... If you're worried about the state of the oil in your car, have a used oil analysis done... otherwise you're simply wasting money (and resources...)

Yuri

I second. I did oil analysis on my first CRD at 10k intervals every time and was reported that it easily could have went farther. 10k is recommended for a reason.

[Pete Geppert]

I am more concerned with the break in of a new motor and the metal that goes into the oil when a new motor is broke in.

[Kchorro]

Originally Posted by skinnyb

I second. I did oil analysis on my first CRD at 10k intervals every time and was reported that it easily could have went farther. 10k is recommended for a reason.

Well said... I also did many oil analysts in my previous Touaregs (had 2) and also they mentioned that I could go farther than 10K..
Personally, I will stick to 10k oil and filter change...and VW carefree will take care of it..

[Plus 3 Golfer]

Originally Posted by Pete Geppert

I am more concerned with the break in of a new motor and the metal that goes into the oil when a new motor is broke in.

When your engine was first produced the motor was placed in a test cell and "Run-in" by a computer run dyno. The motor after the run-in was DRAINED OF ALL ITS FLUIDS (Oil, Coolant etc), the filters were replaced and a unique break-in oil was installed to promote a proper break-in once installed in the car as well as to protect the engine from corrosion during shipping to final assembly.

The "Break-in oil", YES VW does use a specially formulated "Break-In" oil formulated under an internal "TL" specification and produced by Fuchs. The oil is a group IV synthetic 5w30 formulated to comply with the LowSAPS VW507.00 requirements as well as the TL specifications for break-in. The oil is intended to allow a controlled rate of wear while protecting the engine and allowing the internal parts to seat proplerly during the engines first 10,000 road miles.

Read this
and this
and this and this.

Only you can decide what you want to do.

[Pete Geppert]

Thanks for your comments and help.
I picked the car up today and I am going to wait untill 10,000 for the first oil change.

[krakus]

I always believe in flushing the engine early. It doesn't matter that the factory flushes is at the assembly. When rotating parts settle against static components, in addition to thermal expansion and contraction between the components will generate ever so small debries, Most get caught by the filter, sure they would, but some will pass by. A dirty filter constrains the free flow anyway. So, even if manual says 10,000 miles, I had my first oil change at 5,000. I used a kit from IDparts.com containing 5 liters of oil (I chose Pentosin 5W30 VW 507.00 spec, friends in Europe like it), an original replacement filter cartridge with 3 o-rings, and a standard plug for about $70 with shipping. Look for a kit for 2012 Passat (B7 chassis, CKRA engine code). You will need following tools: T25 Torx screwdriver, T47 Torx driver tip to remove a plastic cover under the engine and transmission, 32 mm shallow 1/2 inch drive socket to remove the oil filter housing cover, 1/2 x about 4" long drive extension, 1/2 inch drive torque wrench, 3/4 inch socket wrench (for the oil plug). Once you remove 9 T25 screws from the sides and the front and 3 T47 bolts in the rear, gently insert flat screwdriver and lift the edge of the apron on the right just enough to clear a snap tooth from a slot and slide the cover skirt back and out of the way. The oil drain plug is clearly visible. Before you do that remove and replace the filter cartridge. To do that gently lift a plastic engine cover starting with unsnaping one corner first and gently following around (4 snap posts). Put it to the side. The filter housing is located to the right and front of the engine. You will notice a large hex on the black filter housing cover. Use 32 mm socket, extension and 1/2 inch driver to losen the cover. It will resist slightly (there is a large o-ring on it). The cap/stem and filter will be freed up as one assembly. You may need to move a black cable bundle slightly and carefuly out of the way, while wiggling the cover and filter upand out. It is rather tight between the engine head and a metal pipe wrapped with a greyish fiberglass shield, so don't get frustrated. Pull filter cartridge off of the cap. It will unsnap. Observe which way the filter was installed. The holes on both sides of the cartridge are different so it goes on only one way. Replace all o-rings. There is one large between the flange and the top of the thread (make sure you put new one into the gland correctly) and two small ones that go onto the stem tip (two diffrent sizes). Do not use sharp instruments to pull dig o-rings out of their glands. Use small wooden tonque depressor or a plastic equivalent. After putting new orings on snap the new filter cartridge onto the stem (remember to use proper end towards the cover). Do not put the filter into the housing yet. Loosen the 3/4 inch oli plug and drain old oil. Replace new oil pan plug and crushable gasket (comes with the new plug) using torque wrench. Torque to 18-20 ftlb (that is about what I measured on an installed plug). Do not overtorque, The pan is aluminum and the plug is steel. It is easy to strip the threads. Wet all o-rings with fresh engine oil with a finger and negotiate the whole assembly gently into the housing. Screw start the cover in by hand to make sure that the thread is properly engaged. It is easy to cross thread it. At some point you will fill slight resistance that means the o-rings are engaging. Remember, just some resistance. If you forcing it too much you may be cross threading. The housing and the cover are made of plastic. Use 32mm socket, extension and the 1/2 torque wrench driver and torque the cover to 16-18 ftlb (again that is what I measured). Do not overtorque. Remove engine oil filler plug and using a clean funnel put in all 5 liters of oil in. The capacity for this engine is 5.02 liter (per manual). Replace filler plug. Snap the engine cover back. Replace the undercarriage apron cover sliding forward and installing all torx screws and bolts. You are done. Before you replace both cover and undercarriage apron you may want to start the car, run the engine for a while and check for leaks. Ther shouldn't be any, if you did it right. Hope it helped.

Good luck