re:first oil change

[Vincent Shek <vincent@algorithmics.com>]

Here is a repost from rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled.  The arthur of
the article, Randy Hubbard works at RACEWARE:

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From: raceware1@aol.com (RACEWARE1)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
Subject: Re: 7500 miles?
Date: 29 Jul 1996 16:48:18 -0400
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Reply-To: raceware1@aol.com (RACEWARE1)
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Hi Calvin,

I don't know how long you have been following this user's group, but
several months ago, I was engaged in a lengthy debate on this subject,
because my '96 Passat VR6 Owner's Manual said exactly what your's says:
The First Oil Change is to be performed AFTER 7,500 miles.

At times this became a VERY heated discussion as some people have almost
a
religious experience when it comes to engine oil. I will spare you the
hostility, insults, and name calling that dominated most of the
discussion.

>From my perspective as an automotive engine design engineer, working with
the car companies and professional race teams for the past 25 years, I
chose to change my oil at 7,500 miles as mandated by VW. I have
researched
this subject with quality control and lubrication engineers at VW U.S. &
in Germany. Last month I was at VW's engine plant in Salzgitter, Germany
and I specifically inquired about the "break-in oil" used as a factory
fill on these engines. As I have posted elsewhere online, the factory
fill
has additional additives to eliminate cold start wear, and prevent
corrosion. The oil is NOT standard "over-the-counter" engine oil.

By working with the engineers and quality assurance folks at VW, I was
aware that VW/Audi & reportedly BMW have all experience problems with
customers who change their oil before the specified interval. The
difficulty that customers experienced is high oil consumption. This is a
direct result of the piston rings not being "seated" or perfectly worn
into the cylinders, as normally occurs during the first several thousand
miles of operation. By changing the oil prematurely, from the factory
fill, the ring seating operation seems to take much longer, and in some
cases, appears to never fully occur. This is the reason VW changed it's
first oil drain from 7,500 miles or 6 months in 1995, to 7,500 miles or
12
months for the '96 models. VW wants you to keep the factory fill in
until
the piston rings are fully seated. After that you can change it at 7,500
mile increments, or everyday if you are inclined :-) 

You have no reason to be concerned about "gunk" in your new engine, as
your oil filter will catch and hold any debris large enough to cause
appreciable wear. (BTW, if you could see how clean the engines are
assembled in Salzgitter, you wouldn't blink an eye at going 7,500 miles
on
the factory fill).

The decision is yours, and don't count on your dealer for help, as most
of
them haven't read the Owner's Manuals and often provide inaccurate
information, unfortunately. Maybe someday more of the dealers will take
an
interest in QUALITY customer service.

Hope this information proves useful to you.

On the 'Bahn,

Randy, a.k.a. BoltMeister

****Check out VW Interests at HTTP://HOME.AOL.COM/RACEWARE1****

-- 
Vincent Shek 
mailto:vincent@algorithmics.com -- Toronto, Canada