Your Oil Questions answered

Simon,

I have just acquired an E39 2001 (March) model year M5.  I cannot get any consistent answer about the oil I should use.

Most main dealers say Castrol TWS; but the last Oil Service was done by Dick Lovett in Bristol using Castrol SLX, stating that Castrol TWS was only recommended for M5s up to February 2000.

Munich Legends (Barney) recommends Castrol RS, but isn't this just the retail version of TWS??

Help!

STEPHEN BERRY

I've just got some more Mobil 1 5W-40 to add to my supplies as I was in France on holiday. It is still cheaper than UK retail prices and some trade prices, the best bit is now that it comes in a 5 litre format - still not enough for my engine's capacity, but an extra litre for the same price is good!!

HI Simon:

Once again thank you for the service provided.

But... what about all S50 B30/32 (3.0 and 3.2 Evo) lot? Should we use TwS? or RS (0W40)?

 

Cheers

Francisco

 

Russ

I think the best oil for you all year round is a 5w-40 fully synthetic.

Here are a few BMW approved oils that we supply.

Total Quartz 9000 5w-40 (fully syn)

Fuchs Titan Supersyn SL 5w-40 (fully syn)

Silkolene Pro S 5w-40 (ester fully syn)

All these oils are perfectly happy in temperatures ranging from -30 to +30.

E-mail me for prices at sales@opieoils.co.uk

Tech Specs here: http://www.opieoils.co.uk/lubricants.htm

Cheers

Guy

edowen wrote: Hi Simon, it's ex-rx8 ed here!   I'm confused - as the 2000 M5 manual definiately says 10-60 oil.... When I spoke to BMW they reccomended Castrol TMS I think - is that 10-60?   I've popped you an email, but I'd be interested to know what I should be topping up with....

 

Ed, sorry you sold your 8!

I believe that the Dealers are putting it in S54 models but this is an odd one as just about all the beemers produced in the last 12 years call for 5w-40 all year round.

Have you spoken to BMW HQ?

Cheers

Simon

 

For those of you that enjoy a good old read, this is heavy going but well worth it!

Building a good oil.

 

It is impossible to make a good 5w-40 or even 10w-40, using only mineral oil. The base oil is so thin, it just evaporates away at the high temperatures found in a powerful engine that is being used seriously. Although there are chemical compounds in there to prevent oil breakdown by oxygen in the atmosphere (oxidation) they cannot adequately protect vulnerable mineral oil at the 130 degC plus sump temperatures found in a hard working turbocharged or re-mapped engine.

 

The answer to this is synthetics. They are built up from simple chemical units, brick by brick so as to speak; to make an architect designed oil with properties to suit the demands of a modern engine.

 

The synthetic myth

 

The word “synthetic” once meant the brick by brick chemical building of a designer oil but the waters were muddied by a court case that took place in the USA some years ago. The outcome was that the right to call heavily modified mineral oil “synthetic” was won. This was the marketing executives dream; the chance to use the word “synthetic” on a can of oil without spending much extra on the contents!

 

Most lower-cost “synthetic” or “semi-synthetic” oils use these “hydrocracked” mineral oils. They do have some advantages, particularly in commercial diesel lubricants but their value in performance engines is marginal.

 

TRUE synthetics are expensive and in basic terms there are three broad catagories, each containing many types and viscocity grades:-

 

PIB’s (Polyisobutanes)

 

These are occasionally used as thickeners in motor oils and gear oils, but their main application is to suppress smoke in two-strokes.

 

The TWO important ones are:

 

ESTERS

 

All jet engines are lubricated with synthetic “esters” and have been for more than 50 years but these expensive fluids only started to appear in petrol engine oils around 20 years ago.

Thanks to their aviation origins, the types suitable for lubricants work well from

 -50 degC to 200 degC, and they have an added benefit. Due to their structure, “ester” molecules are “polar”; they stick to metal surfaces using electrostatic forces. This means that a protective layer is there at all times, even during that crucial start-up period. This helps to protect cams, gears, piston rings and valve train components, where lubrication is “boundary” rather than “hydrodynamic”, i.e. a very thin non pressure-fed film has to hold the surfaces apart.

Even crank bearings benefit at starts, stops, or when extreme shock loads upset the “hydrodynamic” film.

 

Synthetic Hydrocarbons or PAO’s (Poly Alpha Olefins)

 

These are, in effect, very precisely made equivalents to the most desirable mineral oil molecules. As with “esters” they work very well at low temperatures and equally well at high temperatures, if protected by anti-oxidants. The difference is, they are inert and not polar. In fact, on their own they are hopeless “boundary” lubricants, with less load carrying ability than a mineral oil. They depend entirely on the correct chemical enhancements.

 

It is a fact that “PAO’s” work best in combination with “esters”. The “esters” assist load carrying, reduce friction and cut down seal drag and wear, whilst the “PAO’s” act as solvents for the multigrade polymers and a large assortment of special compounds that act as dispersants, detergents, anti-wear and anti-oxidant agents, and foam suppressants.

Both are very good at resisting high-temperature evaporation, and the “esters” in particular will never carbonise in turbo bearings even when provoked by anti-lag systems.

So, in conclusion, Ester gives the best protection and Ester/PAO combinations have great benefits because they work well together. They are more expensive but worth it if you wish to do the best for your engine.

Cheers

Simon

 

Simon,

I was just looking for some advice.

I have just purchased a :-

    Make : BMW

    Model : 330d Sport

    Year : Jan 2004

    Engine Size : 2993

    Engine Type : Diesel (Turbo)

    Gearbox : Automatic

    Mods : None

    Current Mileage : 10k

Firstly what oil would you recommend for this engine ... the best quality.

Secondly, I really want to look after this car/engine and basically hold onto it for at least 5 years and expect to do around 20k miles per year.  In my opinion BMW have stretched the limits now, with services only occurring every 15k.  I therefore plan to do an additional oil change every 7-8k, and imagine this will "look after the engine better".

Do you think this is worthwhile ?

Again what Oil would you recommend ?

I don't want to cut corners as I'm doing additional Oil Changes ... I'm just trying to really look after the engine and ensure trouble free motoring.

Your comments are much appreciated.

 

Cheers.

hi can anybody help i just bought a 94 m3 gonna give it a oil change what do they like ? i had a m5 on a 90 but some b*stard stole it 3 weeks ago i had just given that a oil change and i used mobil 1 but later found out that its crap any help would b good thanx 

  

Edited by justin

Could you reccomend some oils?

Thanks!

Hi Simon!

 I can't get any info about my 1991 325 td(e36 m51 diesel engine).

The car has 235000 on the clock and doesn't burn any oil but leaks a little. I just got this car and I don't have a handbook.

Which oils would you reccomend for the engine,manual gearbox(it says atf only ) and for the diff.

I would much appriciate if someone could tell me the capacities.

thanks