I didn't want to comment on this and get everybody upset with us (jmturbocoopers), however there is a lot of miss information in the above information (not all of it). The worse part of the miss information is that it is what the oil manufactures, big box stores, and super cheep auto parts stores want us to know about oil. There is so much miss information finding out the truth about oil is one of the hardest things to do since the truth is so costly to the oil company’s and big box stores.


The reason we started looking for this information was because all of the core turbochargers we got back to rebuild from our customers were fully coked with oil. Meaning there was burnt oil inside the turbocharger and it was causing the turbo to fail. We would advise our customers of the problems with using conventional oil in a turbocharged car however they always claim to be using fully synthetic oils, expensive name brand oils, or the Mini cooper recommended brand of oil. Unfortunately the brand is not as important as the specification since all oil manufacturers make both high quality synthetic oils and low quality conventional oils.


The proper specification for oil that should be used in all Mini Coopers (S and Non S) since 2002 to 2013 is ACEA A3/B3. This is the only specification and most important one when buying oil for a Mini Cooper. If the oil doesn't have a ACEA A3/B3 it shouldn't be used in your Mini Coopers engine, and here is why. API spec oils were designed for early American cars and their rating system and testing have been out dated since the 80s. On top of that the API synthetic oils only have to be 1% synthetic to be called a “fully synthetic motor oil”. That is why the manufacturers are now specifying their own oils, especially now that there are a lot more turbocharged cars then there used to be which puts a lot more heat into the engine. The manufacturers realized that the API oils caused turbochargers to prematurely fail due to oil coking.


The real problems started when the big box stores figured out that they can spec a lower quality oil and still legally call it a “fully synthetic motor oil”. What they are actually doing is specifying there own blend of oil and calling it a “fully synthetic oil”. Meaning they choose how much synthetic oil they can put in your bottle of what is called “fully synthetic oil”. What you are actually getting is some form of conventional blended oil and there is no way for us to know the % of conventional to synthetic. So what was ending up happening was the customers would buy an off the shelf API spec “fully synthetic oil” and they were actually getting a conventional blend. What do they care they don't have any vested interest in your car, after all they are making 1, 2, or 3 more dollars off the sale of a bottle of a mystery blended oil. Have you noticed how many store brand oils have popped up in the last 10years with the label “fully synthetic motor oil”?


We (JM Turbo Coopers) don't trust our engines to a big box stores and huge suppliers of cheep auto parts. We don't use any API only spec oils in any of our cars, would you after knowing this? I don't think that they would have our best interest in mind and give us 100% fully synthetic oil when they are more concerned with their profit margin.


The ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers Association) do not allow false labellings and their testing and specifications are up to date. If it is a ACEA spec oil and it says it is fully synthetic then it really is 100% synthetic motor oil. If you want to use the expensive motor oil brands that is fine just make sure it has ACEA A3/B3 specification you can also use A5/B5 just make sure you change it ever 3 to 4k miles since it is micro cracked for better gas mileage. We recommend changing the A3/B3 every 4 to 5k, every 15k is just way to long. Also if it says “Meets or exceeds all ACEA specification oils” it is a marketing lie and it only means that it has not been tested, so do not use it in your car.


I tried to keep it simple but if you have any more questions please let us know.

 

So.

What oil then?

I picked the 0w40 for the Audi since it was (was?) the only oil that Audi would use to cover the 120K mile extended (recall) for the sludge issue on the 1.8T engines. They (Audi) recommended to save all your paperwork even if you change the oil yourself.

The VW/Audi 1.8T had a huge issue with oil coking, and they started out as being engines filled with non-synthetic oil and 10K oil changes... the engines coked/sludged up badly around 50K miles.. blocking the oil pickup and cooking the cam in the head..

The "Recall" was a updated larger (diesel) oil filter, and a stern warning to use only Audi/VW's dealer oil or Mobil 0w40 (in the states) (Other brands like euro-spec oils, Total, Castrol (Euro), etc.. were also included)..

Since then using 0w40 Mobil 1 never did me wrong, even at 140K miles I had cam cover off, as well as the oil temp sensor in the pan. Clean as a whistle with just that light golden color on the aluminum parts.

That car cooks the CRAP out the oil, and its even worse on the S4 twin turbo V6's where the turbos get little to no cooling from airflow behind the block.

===

Mobil 1 0W40.

Features & Potential Benefits
Specs/Approvals
Tech Details

Mobil 1 0W-40 synthetic motor oil meets or exceeds the requirements of:
API SN/SM/SL/SJ
ACEA A3/B3, A3/B4
Nissan GT-R

Mobil 1 0W-40 motor oil has the following builders approval:
MB-Approval 229.3
MB-Approval 229.5
BMW LONGLIFE OIL 01
VW 502 00
VW 505 00
PORSCHE A40

According to ExxonMobil, Mobil 1 0W-40 is of the following quality:
API CF
VW 503 01
SAAB
OPEL Long Life Service Fill GM-LL-A-025
OPEL Diesel Service Fill GM-LL-B-025
FIAT FIAT 9.55535 – M2
FIAT FIAT 9.55535 – N2
FIAT FIAT 9.55535 – Z2

<Meets Specs>

=====

Castrol Edge 5W-30 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil (1 Quart)
Exceeds tough industry standards, including API Service SM, SL, SJ and CF, ACEA A1/B1 and A5/B5, ILSAC GF-4, GM4718M, GM6094M and Ford WSS M2C929-

DOES NOT <MEET SPECS!>

====

QUARTZ 9000 5W-40

ACEA 2007 A3/B4 API SM/CF
NORM PSA PEUGEOT CITROEN B71 2296 Gasoline and Diesel
VOLKSWAGEN 502.00/505.00
BMW Longlife oil 01
MB 229.3 PORSCHE

<Meets Specs>

Total makes a great product, the problem is I have to mail order it to get it. So I stick with the Mobil 1 0w40. Oh, and the bottle says "full synthetic" not "fully synthetic" as other brands. I remember reading a long time ago in a galaxy far far away that there is a difference in the US between the two statements as you (JM Turbo Coopers) noted.