Engine oil VALVOLINE or RED LINE

They also have a race blend for better protection.

With Red Line you really have to look beyond the grade on the bottle. They will always recommend the thinnest kinematic viscosity oil because they have such a high HTHS.

Anyway, when I had my Passat 1.8T and sludge issues were the big fad, my oil of choice was Valvoline Synpower 5w40. It met 502 and was not a synthetic blend but rather a real synthetic.

I use valvoline because it's common and it does the job. My auto mechanics instructor also recommended it because he said most of the engines he'd taken apart that had run valvoline looked pretty crud free.

Redline appears to be more interested in using the best additive package to make the best oil, not having to use pre-tested additive packages that may be geared more toward fuel economy.

The zinc and phosphorus levels (ZDDP) is much higher in the redline. Iron per 1000 miles is much better. Viscosity retention and flashpoint are much better also.

I love red line, search for my UOAs... i've tried most of the top teir vw502 approved oils in the FSI (Motul xcess, motul specific, total energy), and they don't even come close to touching red line with regards to longevity / performance.

Strictly anecdotal, but at 56,000 I switched from the usual suspect Castrol to Valvoline Synpower. Engine starts more smoothly and observed mileage on highway has gone from approx 30 to approx 34 mpg.

4 qts Redline 5w40, 1 qt Redline w40 Race Redline blows away the competition... Lumps of ZDDP and Moly with the Race oil mix, fuel dilution pretty much disappeared, and viscosity/flashpoint are well within reason.

I would stick with a tested oil like Red Line 5w-40 or GC, but that's me.