[halfbytecode]

Originally Posted by AMG Power

Both are recommended oils - now. But when the brochure was put together 505.01 was not recommended. As both are recommended now there cannot be engine damage if they are mixed. But as VW was not recommending 505.01 the cautionary note indicating possible engine damage was put together.

Given the current situation, the cautionary note would be in the reverse order - recommending mixing a max of 0.5 litres of 507.00 with the recommended 505.01.

This is why relying too much on VW brochures can catch one on the wrong foot. So debating a VW recommendation beyond a certain point doesn't really help. In this case, it's better to leverage a little bit of one's own knowledge of tribology.

India is still an unknown quantity for VW - be it tyre pressures, recommended oils, owner handbook guidelines and the lot. Part of this is due to their global operations and the insignificant bit in the overall context that India plays for them to focus more. I'm getting OT here, but India 2.0 is another half baked attempt by VW to get India right.

Again I have already said what I had to based on my knowledge. My last post was just about the cautionary note in the picture posted by you, and the recommended oil in the same picture.

[halfbytecode]

UPDATE - 1,80,000 Kms

I completed this milestone about 2 months ago. The car now has slightly more than 1,82,000 to be more precise. Engine performance may never have been better, primarily due to Liqui Moly Top Tec 4100 5W-40 engine oil. Easily the best engine oil I have used so far. The acceleration is phenomenal, and it has actually reduced travel time for me significantly, especially in the city and state highways.

Michelin Primacy 4STs have also worn in now. The don't have the soft sidewall issue, that my previous tyres (Vredestein Sportrac 5) used to. Michelin Primacy 3STs were also reported to have this issue, but I have not used those. However, 4STs not having the soft sidewall issue means there is some compromise involved in the ride quality, which takes a hit especially on rough roads. That being said, handling is improved. I personally prefer 4STs, as the unpredictable behavior due to soft sidewall on rough roads is gone, making driving safer.

I will try to describe a few experiences, since my last post.

• Rat Menace: This huge rat/mouse used to creep into the engine bay every evening/night, and used to chew up the side indicator wires on both sides, as well as the windshield washer hose from above the strut/shock damper. I tried a number of possible solutions such as tying rat poison cakes using spare wires, above the shock dampers in the engine bay, as well as beneath the engine noise insulation. I also tied naphthalene balls in pieces of white cloth around these areas, as well as near the headlamps. Apart from this, I also kept mouse traps near the front wheels of the car at night. However, none of this helped. The rat was feasting on the Hit and Mortein rat cakes.

I then got rat poison commonly used for agricultural purposes. These are wheat grains covered in Zinc Phosphide. I found these at a local store that sells seeds for agriculture. The brand name was Ratox, and about 250 g of it cost me Rs. 30. A point worth noting, this poison does not make rats/mice run away in search of water, and instead they might get die within the area where the poison was added. While keeping this in mind, I sprinkled the granules on the floor near the front wheels on the car, and the area in the house particularly the opening where the rat also used to enter from and stay in. This finally worked and the rat died inside after a few days.

Ratol also seems to have a a variant of this Zinc Phosphide based poison, which seems identical to Ratox.

I am attaching a few pictures regarding this, that should make things a bit more clear.

• Windshield stone chip: This happened right in front of the driver position. The mark was also noticeable, as it was around 1 cm in diameter. I ordered the windshield repair kit from AliExpress, particularly the one with the syringe and UV light included. Cost me less than Rs. 300 shipped with tracking available. I carefully followed the included instructions and also saw the video on AliExpress. This was impressive in the first attempt, but I repeated the process for the second time to make it even better. The included UV light seemed to help curing the solution, in absence of sunlight, which I taped on the windshield overnight. This seems to be a great fix, at least visually.

I am including a few pictures of damaged area, the first showing the damage prior to fixing, second image shows the area after the initial attempt at fixing, while the third one shows it after the final pass. I have also attached another picture showing how I taped the UV light to the windshield.

• LED headlight bulbs acting up: I have been using these F2 LED bulbs that had been doing well so far. However, the one side of the low beam chips stops working for both bulbs at random. It seems the heat dissipation is not working on them anymore, as the fan starts immediately when the lights are turned off regardless of them being actually heated up.

I am so used to the crisp whitish light, that I will purchase LED bulbs again, albeit some other ones.

[hserus]

A 5w30 oil is perfectly adequate for use in hot climates like India (even the hot desert parts of the USA - Arizona and such - have plenty of f150 type light trucks that run on 0w20 without hassles so don't overthink 5w30 / 5w40). There is no need to make a cocktail out of different weighted oils.

I am glad to see Amsoil finally released their 5w30 European Car Formula in India - it'd be a great buy if you don't prefer Mobil 1 ESP 5w30 which is again 507 00 certified.

https://www.amazon.in/AMSOIL-Europea...dp/B07G5DJ7SJ/

API SN; ACEA C3; VW 504, 507 ;BMW LL-04; MB 229.51; CHRYSLER MS 11106

Originally Posted by AMG Power

Both are recommended oils - now. But when the brochure was put together 505.01 was not recommended. As both are recommended now there cannot be engine damage if they are mixed. But as VW was not recommending 505.01 the cautionary note indicating possible engine damage was put together.

Given the current situation, the cautionary note would be in the reverse order - recommending mixing a max of 0.5 litres of 507.00 with the recommended 505.01.

[das_ren_auto]

Thanks a ton for accepting my membership. It was indeed a herculean task. Thanks once again
I am not sure if I am following the correct procedure here. Request moderators to remove the thread if not appropriate

I am facing a problem with my VENTO 1.6 TDI 2013 Model. The vehicle has covered 33000 Kms and the AC was not cooling. It first happened during the lock down period and since the VWASC was in the containment zone, I could not take my car there. I visited a Mahindra First Choice workshop and they found out that the refrigerant level was very low. To be precise 30 grams was only left. But they said that the coil seems to be fine (they connected two tubes to a pipe from compressor (after opening the bonnet and checked it). They advised to fill the refrigerant. So it was filled and cooling was back to normal.

But again in a few weeks the cooling went down. This time the VWASC was open and I took the car there. They examined the vehicle and informed that the Evaporator Coil needs to be replaced. I was surprised by this quick diagnosis (in 5 minutes they diagnosed) and asked them how they found the problem. They said the compressor and blower is fine and that means the problem is with the Evaporator. I agreed and decided to replace it. The work took 2 days and the vehicle was delivered on the third day after replacing the Evaporator Coil and filling the gas.

The cooling is fine now but the middle portion of the dashboard (just above the central AC duct is getting chilled Within 5 minutes of turning the AC on with blower in 2 positions (mine has manual AC). The area above the right and left vents are normal.

I again took the car to VWASC and they said it is completely normal and I need not be concerned about it.
But I am not convinced. I request the experts to give their valuable suggestions.

Thanks in advance

[halfbytecode]

2,00,000 Kms done!

It has been a long time. My car completed this milestone in January this year. My car is also over 10 years old now, but it is running well. I have not been able to post for quite some time, as my health has not been remaining good since last year. I have had it serviced twice since my last post here, once in March 2020 and then in March 2021.

• Engine oil used: Liqui Moly Top Tec 4100 5W-40 was used last year, but now I have switched to Castrol Edge 5W-40 (conforming to VW 505.01 spec) this time. After having used the Liqui Moly oil twice, I seem to be inclined more towards the Castrol Edge, which I am also using for the second time, as the engine seems a bit smoother and peppier with the latter.

• Cabin filter: I used charcoal activated AC filters, Mann Filters CUK 2545 the previous time that I got off Amazon for about Rs. 700, and this time VW's having part number 6Q0819653B, which I ordered off boodmo, for Rs. 508. VW's seems to be better than Mann Filters' one, both in terms of filtering and thickness.

• Battery replaced: The earlier battery died towards the end of October 2020, after having served for over 3 years and approximately 90,000 Kms. It was an Amaron 60 Ah battery, if I'm not wrong. I opted for Amaron again, but a slightly different model was available this time in fresh stock. It is 65 Ah, and has the model number 565106590 from the Amaron Flo line up.

• High pressure fuel pump leakage (again): The seal that I had got replaced a few years ago, went bad in December 2020. I had it replaced once again, and this time I got a seemingly better built seal. The timing belt also had to be replaced along with it, as the fuel leakage contaminated the belt compromising its strength and life.

• Rear brake drums and brake shoes replaced: After over 2 lakh Kms, I finally had the factory installed ones replaced as they were worn. I procured parts from the aftermarket that are manufactured by Vika, which include both brake drums and brake shoes. The brake drums cost me Rs. 3000 for a pair, while the brake shoes cost me Rs. 1000. The part number for brake drums is 66090020501 (OE part no. 1J0609617B), and for brake shoes it is 66980004201 (OE part no. 1J0 698 525). The brakes seem to be worn in to some extent, but not fully yet it seems. I will report about the braking performance when the brakes are fully worn in and after having the brake oil changed. It is also worth mentioning that my car, being from the earliest lots, has Euro spec brakes which are different than the later cars' brakes. The Euro spec rear brakes are same as the ones found on the old Skoda Octavia. Even the front ones are likely the same, but I have not checked those.

While the car is driving fine, the front control arm bushings seem to have gone bad, the ones on the left more than the ones on the other side. Furthermore, I suspect the rear axle bushings may also be gone, but I have not checked those yet.

[rahulskumar]

Get well soon halfbytecode !!! Able to maintain a car till 200000 kms is an achievement. Do you plan to keep the car for another 5 years, I don't think there is any diesel car in this price range that will last this long

[Sushil.H]

Originally Posted by halfbytecode

2,00,000 Kms done!

It has been a long time. My car completed this milestone in January this year. My car is also over 10 years old now, but it is running well.

This thread has inspired me to keep my Ameo TDI with me for at least 1L kms. My Ameo will be completing 4 years and around 35k Kms this September.

My initial plan was to sell it off due to two reasons
1. VW no longer sells TDI cars, so in case something goes wrong with the engine , getting it repaired or finding spares would be difficult.
2. I have heard that issues ( with Injectors) start to crop up with TDI engines once the car crosses 70-80k mark.

However your thread has instilled confidence.

I love this car for its solid build quality and 250 NM of torque.

I currently have a 4 year (2 year standard + 2 extended) warranty for my Ameo, which can be extended on yearly basis. Last time when I checked with VW service guys , the cost of 1 year extended warranty is around 9k .

My car has a manual transmission. Also I follow the idling technique right from day 1.

Would you recommend taking this yearly warranty for additional peace of mind?

[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by Sushil.H

Would you recommend taking this yearly warranty for additional peace of mind?

Absolutely.

Be it any brand Jap or German, always buy maximum available extended warranty or keep extending annually in case of VW.

One small part failure and you will repent why you didn't buy extended warranty.

As years & kms go up, chances of part failure increases.

[Ravi Parwan]

Originally Posted by das_ren_auto

The cooling is fine now but the middle portion of the dashboard (just above the central AC duct is getting chilled Within 5 minutes of turning the AC on with blower in 2 positions (mine has manual AC). The area above the right and left vents are normal.

I again took the car to VWASC and they said it is completely normal and I need not be concerned about it.
But I am not convinced. I request the experts to give their valuable suggestions.

Thanks in advance

This means that maybe while removing the dashboard, they have messed up the alignment of the ducts/ insulation and there is cold air leaking around the central vent. They will need to remove the dashboard and correct the alignment of the ducts.

They are trying to get out of doing this as you might not want to pay for removing the dashboard as it was their fault in the first place.

[das_ren_auto]

Originally Posted by Ravi Parwan

This means that maybe while removing the dashboard, they have messed up the alignment of the ducts/ insulation and there is cold air leaking around the central vent. They will need to remove the dashboard and correct the alignment of the ducts.

They are trying to get out of doing this as you might not want to pay for removing the dashboard as it was their fault in the first place.

Thanks for the suggestion. I also felt the same. My next service is due soon. I will insist for proper diagnosis. Now the air conditioner is also not cooling the cabin as expected after changing the evaporator coil.
Thanks again..

[sreenivass]

Need a little advice folks. My 2013 Vento TDI HL is due for service, I realized 45K service includes R (Replace) for Brake Fluid, Coolant and "Lock cylinder lubricants", this is aside from inspection of various things and oil change and fluid top up.

Please note my car has run only less than 49K total and about 11K in the last 3-4 years. This was bought used and I have not done any major service so far.

I'd change the Engine Oil, Oil filter, Air filter, Diesel Filter and Cabin filter. Got most parts from boodmo and ' Mol Dynamic Gold 5W30' from a wholesaler. Interestingly Castrol guy near me has not responded, but Mol dealer responded to my query. Tried sourcing Servo Techno Ol Plus, not available at many pumps. Shell is easy to source, does not have 505 01 conformant oil. Motul, Meguin, et al seem to be much more expensive. Can't find Lucas any where. Hence ended up with Mol oil manufactured in May 2020.

Now the question is: What does this replace mean. Is it expected to drain the coolant and Brake Fluid and fill fresh ones?

I could do with replacing part fluid/ coolant with 1 liter each. Would that suffice? The only problem I faced if at all is, the handbrake sign kept coming on whenever there was a fast pass over speed breaker or uneven roads. It stays for some time and seem to go off automatically. There is a possibility, the service guys topped up Brake fluid (< 100 ml) with DOT 3 instead of DOT 4/ 4+.

Bought all filters from boodmo, all OEM recommended except oil filter by Purolator.

I am likely to get this serviced by one of those at home providers like gopitstop, go bumpr or getmechanic, etc.. I would appreciate any recommendations or experiences.

[hserus]

Drain and replace. The fluid has a specific life that's age based not just based on the number of km run.

You can look at Mobil X1 ESP 5w30 for your engine oil, it has the newer VW spec. Also Amsoil European Car Formula 5w30.

Don't use brake fluid / coolant etc that are not VW spec ones, VW engines are very finicky about this. And don't top up one grade of fluid with another grade.

Originally Posted by sreenivass

Now the question is: What does this replace mean. Is it expected to drain the coolant and Brake Fluid and fill fresh ones?

I could do with replacing part fluid/ coolant with 1 liter each. Would that suffice? The only problem I faced if at all is, the handbrake sign kept coming on whenever there was a fast pass over speed breaker or uneven roads. It stays for some time and seem to go off automatically. There is a possibility, the service guys topped up Brake fluid (< 100 ml) with DOT 3 instead of DOT 4/ 4+.experiences.

[sreenivass]

Thanks for the response @hserus. Do you know how much Brake Fluid does TDI 1.6 take? I learn 6 liters of coolant refill (NOT concentrate) would be required, meaning 2.4 Liters of concentrate plus 3.6 Liters water.

I purchased 5 Liters of Mol Dynamic Gold 5W-30 already. This is VW 505 01 conformant.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by sreenivass

Thanks for the response @hserus. Do you know how much Brake Fluid does TDI 1.6 take? I learn 6 liters of coolant refill (NOT concentrate) would be required, meaning 2.4 Liters of concentrate plus 3.6 Liters water.

I purchased 5 Liters of Mol Dynamic Gold 5W-30 already. This is VW 505 01 conformant.

Your manual will have the amounts of brake fluid and coolant. You will wind up requiring slightly less as not all the fluid and coolant will drain out.

VW compatible coolant is not a concentrate, in general it is a premix. If it is a concentrate use distilled water not tap or mineral water.

[sreenivass]

Unfortunately it has not. Let me ask around if anybody knows.