Thanks for the introduction Howard.

A much debated and complicated issue is the quality of oils but, let me assure you...........You always get what you pay for!

Food for thought!

Below is an article written by John Rowland, Silkolene/Fuchs Chief R & D Chemist for 40 years.

Quote:

Costs of synthetics vary considerably. The most expensive are the “Ester” types originally only used in jet engines. These cost 6 to 10 times more than high quality mineral oils. The cheapest synthetics are not really synthetic at all, from a chemists point of view. These are in fact specially refined light viscosity mineral oils known as “hydrocracked”. These have some advantages over equivalent mineral oils, particularly in lower viscosity motor oils such as 5w-30 or other oils with a low “W” rating such as 5w-50 etc and they cost about 1.5 times more than good quality mineral fractions. We use several different grades of this base oil, where appropriate. This is the “synthetic” which is always used in cheap oils that are labelled “synthetic”. Yes it’s a cruel world, you get what you pay for!

Now, you may ask, why are these special mineral oils called “synthetic”? Well, it was all sorted in a legal battle that took place in the USA about ten years ago. Sound reasons (including evidence from a Nobel Prize winning chemist) were disregarded and the final ruling was that certain mineral bases that had undergone extra chemical treatments could be called “synthetic”. Needless to say, the marketing executives wet their knickers with pure delight! They realised that this meant, and still does, that the critical buzz-word “synthetic” could be printed on a can of cheap oil provided that the contents included a few percent of “hydrocracked” mineral oil, at a cost of quite literally a few pence.

So, the chemistry of “synthetics” is complex and so is the politics!

The economics are very simple. If you like the look of a smart well-marketed can with “synthetic” printed on it, fair enough, it will not cost you a lot; and now you know why this is the case. But, if you drive a high performance car, and you intend to keep it for several years, and maybe do the odd “track day”, then you need a genuine Ester/PAO (Poly Alpha Olefin) synthetic oil, such as PRO S or PRO R. This oil costs more money to buy, because it costs us a lot of money to make, very simply, you always get what you pay for!

Unquote:

This article is something that all car owners should read and understand before buying oil and I’ve posted this with Johns kind permission.

Cheers,

Simon Barnard

Simon,

I have a few questions.

1) What do you mean by "Shed" grade oil.

2) I currently use Mobil 1 in my BMW 328. What do you think of this oil and would you recommend it for my car which has done 100k.

3) I used standard mineral oil in my previous cars, Castrol GTX. Would I have seen any benefits from using a proper synthetic instead bearing in mind I have never owned a car with less than 70K on the clock.

4) What in your opinion is the best reasonably priced oil availible.

Simon,

What oil would you recommend for the E36 M3 3.2 Evo engine ?

I believe BMW currently specify 10w60 Castrol TWS, but this is very hard to find outside of the dealer network. Is this much different to Castrol RS 10w60 ?

Cheers,

Ian.

Peter,

By shed grades I mean oils only available there (Halfords Own etc) which are blended by the major oil companies to meet a specification say 10w-40 semi synthetic API SJ/SL but are made to a budget.

Quality additives like Viscosity improvers, detergents, dispersants, antiwear agents, friction modifiers, pour-point depressants, antioxidants, foam inhibitors and corrosion inhibitors are expensive and savings have to be made when working to a budget.

Ever bought paint in B&Q with Dulux on the can and then realised that it only covers half the area of the real thing from your local Dulux Trade Centre? It's never half the price of the real thing though usually 75%!

Mobil 1 is a good oil, I sell it but are we talking about 0w-40?

The recommended grades depend on whether you are looking for a Longlife oil (BMW LL) or you are changing your oil on a more frequent basis. 

The recommended range is very wide 0w-30 (LL01), 0w-40 (LL01), 5w-40 and 10w-40.

Other than the 10w-40, all others are Fully synthetics.

To make a simplistic comment about these oils, they could be used as follows:

0w's (LL01) Fully synthetic oils which have longer drain periods but are the most expensive (if your draining the oil in less than 6000 miles, you are wasting money)

5w-40 Fully synthetic oils that give better cold start protection than 10w because they circulate better being thinner 5w instead of 10w and will give a better protection when hot as a good Fully synthetic oils will be more resilliant to thinning down at high temperatures.

If good viscosity improvers are used in the formulation the oil will resist shearing and breaking down better.

10w-40 Semi-synthetic is good value for money and if drained at shorter intervals will be perfectly fine in your engine. You need to weigh up the costs/benefits based on your mileage and the way you drive the car.

Synthetic oils are without a doubt better, even in older cars as they last longer at high temperaures without "thinning down" and flow better at lower temperatures (cold starts) when around 70+ percent of the engine wear occurrs. Ester synthetics are the best as I will explain in another post.

As regards to value, you need to compare what I have said to a price list and you'll need to email me for one mailto:sales@opieoils.co.uk - sales@opieoils.co.uk .

Hope this helps

Regards

Simon

Howard,

I don't understand your dealers comments as the recommended oil has to DEXRON II which is certainly available.

Perhaps you could email me what it says in the handbook and I'll investigate further for you, I'll guarantee we have an oil for you.

Regards

Simon

Ian,

For M3 1992-95 and 1995-99

All year round.

The recommended oil is 5w-40 Fully Syn CCMC G5

Would recommend: (all BMW approved)

Fuchs Titan Supersyn SL 5w-40 Fully Synthetic

Siklolene PRO S 5w-40 Ester Fully Synthetic

Total Quartz 9000 5w-40 Fully Synthetic

I sell Castrol RS 10w-60 but it is very heavy being a 60, even hot-running engines do not need SAE 60 oil these days. (120-130C). SAE 60 is heavier than most SAE 90 gear oils. If an oil is too thick, it de-aerates slowly, leading to cavitation in the oil pump, or the bearings being fed slugs of air along with the oil.

Your handbook will give the recommended viscosity and I would confidently say that 10w-60 will not be mentioned.

Hope this helps

Regards

Simon

mmm-five

Ahhhhh a man talking my language who uses the best!

Esters, yes the best but very specialist and not used by very many manufacturers these days due to cost. Silkolene is an exception because of their excellent range of bike oils.

The Silkolene PRO S and PRO R range are IMHO the best you can buy for your money but, I hear you all asking........

WHY ARE ESTERS SO GOOD?

They assist the additive pack in a motor oil formulation because they are surface-active (electrostatically attracted to metal surfaces), so they help to reduce wear and friction.

They are fluid at very low temperatures and at high temperatures they are very chemically stable and have low volatility (don’t evaporate away).

They also help to prevent hardening and cracking of oil seals at high temperatures.

This is in essence what Magnatec pretends to be but is not. The process is called electrosyntec as patented by Silkolene.

Hope this helps

Regards

Simon

oilman wrote: Ian, For M3 1992-95 and 1995-99 All year round. The recommended oil is 5w-40 Fully Syn CCMC G5 Would recommend: (all BMW approved) Fuchs Titan Supersyn SL 5w-40 Fully Synthetic Siklolene PRO S 5w-40 Ester Fully Synthetic Total Quartz 9000 5w-40 Fully Synthetic I sell Castrol RS 10w-60 but it is very heavy being a 60, even hot-running engines do not need SAE 60 oil these days. (120-130C). SAE 60 is heavier than most SAE 90 gear oils. If an oil is too thick, it de-aerates slowly, leading to cavitation in the oil pump, or the bearings being fed slugs of air along with the oil. Your handbook will give the recommended viscosity and I would confidently say that 10w-60 will not be mentioned. Hope this helps Regards Simon

How much would you be able to supply the Silkolene PRO S 5w-40 Ester Fully Synthetic for ?

I'm due a service very soon, and would like to give it a try if it's not silly money. For the record, I don't use the 10w60 Castrol, but the 0w40 Castrol RS (Halfords again )

I don't actually have a handbook for the car/engine, as the engine is fitted in an E30 325i chassis

Feel free to PM me the price if you don't wish to post on the forum.

Thanks,

Ian.

Dave,

The simple answer is NO but........................

The league table of synthetics works something like this from good to excellent so as to speak

Hydrotreated Mineral Oils (HC hydrocracked)

Synthetic Hydrocarbons (POA polyalphaolefins)

Esters

This is the principle but a POA with an excellent VI impover added (to give good shear stability) will be pretty close. The edge is the fact that the ester is surface-active and the POA is not.

Mobil 1 is a good oil and that's why I sell it but it's not the same.

Cheers

Simon

Recommendations

If you would like recommendations, to speed up my response it would be most helpful if you could provide the following information:

Make

Model

Year

Engine size

Engine type (petrol/diesel)

Any Mods

Handbook recommendations are also helpful in the case of some models but not essential.

Thanks for your cooperation

Simon Barnard 

Hi Simon. Recomendation please?

BMW 323i, 1996, M52 B25 - 2494cc pertrol. Mods: supersprint exhaust, High flow inlet manifold, overbored throttle body, K&N panel with debaffled airbox and cold air ducting. I always run high fat fuels (optimax etc).

I use the car entusiastically when warm, a lot of high speed motorway work with the head temperature at about 95C. Occasional short journeys but the head is always up to operating temperature before journeys end.

FYI current oil shows 4bar @ 2000 rpm cold and 1.9 bar @ 2000 warm. Unsure of brand of oil, but from BMW dealer.

Sleeper.

The recommended specs are as follows:

BMW LL98 (Now replaced by LL01)

ACEA A2/A3

The choices you have are as follows:

0w-40 Fully Syn (LL01/98)

5w-40 Fully Syn (ACEA A2/A3)

10w-40 Semi Syn (ACEA A2/A3)

I have a fairly long list but you need to consider price against how often you change the oil to detemine the best solution.

Recommendation (based on meeting the above specs)

Castrol RS Power 0w-40 Fully Syn (LL01/98)

Mobil 1 0w-40 Fully Syn (LL01/98)

Fuchs Titan Supersyn SL 5w-40 Fully Syn (ACEA A3)

Silkolene PRO S 5w-40 Ester Fully Syn (ACEA A3)

Total Quartz 9000 5w-40 Fully Syn (ACEA A3)

Silkolene or Fuchs XTR 10w-40 Semi-syn (ACEA A3)

Castrol Performance 10w-40 Semi-syn (ACEA A3)

All the above are BMW Approved but personally I would use a 5w-40 Fully syn as it will give better protection than the Semi-syns but does not cost as much as the 0w's.

If you would like some prices, you'll need to email me.

Hope this helps,

Cheers

Simon

Eamo,

Would recommend you use "all year round" a 5w-40 fully synthetic meeting CCMC G5

Or for -20 to 20 degrees you can use a G5 10w-40 semi-syn (the cheaper option)

The fully will give better protection for reasons stated earlier on this thread.

Cheers

Simon

Check your PM's please.

Hi!

98' M roadster 85000 km (+/- 50000mls) I live in Portugal and in the summer temperatures rise up to 40ºC and I use the car very hard and on the ocasional track day. I change the oil every 6000 mls and I got a gruppeM induction and Superchips.

I use Castrol TWS 10W 60 for the summer which I buy from BMW

and   Castrol RS    0W 40   for the winter which I buy from local supermarket.

What do yu reckon?

Thanks in advance

Simon,

My '89 M3 has just had its engine re-built (+.030 re-bore, new pistons etc etc).

Would you recommend a different oil for the initial running-in period, or should I fill with a fully synthetic 5W-40 from the get-go?

Cheers,

SS7

Francisco,

I will seek advice on this one due to the summer temps.

The winter selection seems ok but I would still question the need for a 10w-60 any time of year.

I would bet money that there is an "all year round" recommendation.

I'll get back to you.

Cheers

Simon

I just posted this in the M Power Forum and thought it may be useful here as well!

The question was my views on Redline?

Redline.

It may be best that all Redline fans close their ears or look away at this point, you may not like what you read!

Some basics first.

A good oil must be quite low in viscosity even in the cold, so that it gets around the engine in a fraction of a second on start-up. On the other hand, it must also protect engine components (piston rings for example) at temperatures up to 300 deg C without evaporating or carbonising, and maintain oil pressure.

Unmodified thin oils simply can't manage this balancing act. The answer is to use a mixture of thin oil and temperature sensitive polymer, so as the thin oil gets even thinner with increasing temperatures as the engine warms up, the polymer expands and fights back, keeping the viscosity at a reasonable level to hold oil pressure and film thickness on the bearings.

All oils have a viscosity index which is the number indicating that rate of change in viscosity of an oil within a given temperature range. Higher numbers indicate a low change, lower numbers indicate a relatively large change. The higher the number the better. This is one major property of an oil that keeps your bearings happy. These numbers can only be compared within a viscosity range (10w-40 vs 10w-40) but here it the important thing...............

They do not give an indication of how well the oil resists thermal breakdown! (The oil film tearing or shearing)

This is all down to a very important additive called a Viscosity Index improver and it is critical that this is shear stable.

VI improvers like all other things in life vary in quality and this is down to cost and availability.

In other words, an oil can look great on paper and make impressive claims but, unless all the components are of high quality it will fail to perform under the most arduous conditions.

I asked John Rowland the Silkolene/Fuchs Chief R&D Chemist for 40 years to give me his opinion on U.S. oils (including Redline) for

another car club and below was his reply:

Quote:

Simon,

Redline and all U.S. oils. The main problem with these is that all American Oils have "low grade" Viscosity improvers in them. Good ones are just not available in the states due to the fact that they are just not required for the majority of American engines.

The consequence of this is, although the oils look good on paper with high VI indexes etc they have low grade inprovers so they have a tendency to "shear down" causing a lack of back pressure.

For example, the oil you are using may be a 10w-40 but could be operating when hot a 20!

JR

Unquote:

I was intrigued by Johns answer and wanted to know how he knew it was the case in the U.S. that good quality VI improvers were not available. His reply was as follows:

Quote:

We have found it is impossible to source shear stable VI improvers

in the U.S.A. even for ready money!

Unquote:

Bear in mind here that Fuchs/Silkolene is the largest independent Lube Oil Manufacturer in the World and has facilities in the U.S. 

So, there you have it, another expensive oil that is not all it's cracked up to be!

Mis-information abounds in the oil world and looking behind the marketing hype and claims is impossible unless of course you are a chemist and able to look deep into the oils make-up which neither you nor I can do!

This may be the time to tell you all something that you will probably not be aware of.

FUCHS, the parent company of SILKOLENE supplies 30% of all BMW's oils for factory fill. More than 5,000,000 litres per annum so it is probably fair to say that BMW trust them and.................your car has a 30% chance of arriving in this country with FUCHS oil in it!

Sorry If I've offended anyone but I promised to be frank and honest.

Cheers

Simon

91 M3 2.3 convertible - 100,000 miles - standard - used for pleasure use 3-5000 mils a year cost not an issue

Thanks in advance

Also car likely to stand during winter any recomendations re oil ??

Shoestring 7.

I'll presume that you have not put anything in it since the rebuild.

Do not, I repeat do not use semi or fully synthetic for 1000 miles.

You need the lowest grade mineral oil that you can find, a 10w-40, 15w-40 or even 20w-50 with an API of around SF.

You must do this as it is the only way to bed the engine in properly.

Cheers

Simon

Pebisit,

oilman wrote: Would recommend you use "all year round" a 5w-40 fully synthetic meeting CCMC G5 Or for -20 to 20 degrees you can use a G5 10w-40 semi-syn (the cheaper option) The fully will give better protection for reasons stated earlier on this thread.

Cheers,

Simon

Thanks Simon,

The engine hasn't run yet, so I'll be off to a 'shed' for some dino oil then!

SS7

Do you reckon I should the Castrol RS 0W40 all year around on my M roadster? Is it any good?

By the way why is BMW recommending (it says on the bottle) that Castrol TWS is THE oil for M5, M3, and Z8?

cheers

Francisco

Pebisit.

Would recommend "all year round"

ALL BMW APPROVED

Fuchs Titan Supersyn 5w-40 Fully Syn

Silkolene PRO S 5w-40 Ester Fully Syn

Total Quartz 9000 5w-40 Fully Syn

For prices, you'll have to email me: mailto:sales@opieoils.co.uk - sales@opieoils.co.uk

Cheers

Simon 

Fransisco,

BMW recommend "all year round" the following grades:

0w-30

0w-40

5w-40

So yes what you are using looks fine, I would question the change in the summer though as these are "all year round" recommendations.

Hope this helps.

Simon

Oh, I forget to mention.............

Quote:

This may be the time to tell you all something that you will probably not be aware of.

FUCHS, the parent company of SILKOLENE supplies 30% of all BMW's oils for factory fill. More than 5,000,000 litres per annum so it is probably fair to say that BMW trust them and.................your car has a 30% chance of arriving in this country with FUCHS oil in it!

Unquote:

They also supply other factory fills such as

VW/AUDI 15,000,000 plus

Merceded Benz 11,000,000 plus

And, you've never heard of them

Cheers

Simon

I would just like to take this opportunity to than Simon for the great advice, and great service that he provides.

I ordered two 5L bottles of Silkolene Pro S 5w40 oil, and it arrived the next day, as advertised.

I am also very pleased with the price that I paid. I won't go into exact details, but 10 litres of very good oil was delivered to my door for a good bit less money than you can get  8 litres of Castrol RS or Mobil 1 from Halfrauds.

I for one will be making future orders

Cheers,

Ian.

oilman wrote:   Redline and all U.S. oils. The main problem with these is that all American Oils have "low grade" Viscosity improvers in them. Good ones are just not available in the states due to the fact that they are just not required for the majority of American engines.

Why? Are the majority of american engines significantly different from european/janpanese engines?. Also what about all the japanese/european cars imported into the states, surely their requirements are the same as they would be for us.

 [/QUOTE]

Why? Are the majority of american engines significantly different from european/janpanese engines?. Also what about all the japanese/european cars imported into the states, surely their requirements are the same as they would be for us.

[/QUOTE]

Because "most" American engines are fairly crude/low tech V8's and the like that have low top RPM and are not as highly stressed.

Japanese and European cars imported to the states will be using European oils supplied by their Dealers and some retail outlets.

Cheers

Simon

Admins, is this important enough to warrant a sticky?

Cheers

Simon

B 7 VP wrote: Hi Simon, very Interesting info.Why do BMW reccomend a 10-60 for the 3.2 S 50 Engine, your comments suggest a 5-40 more suitable.Thankyou.

I'm not aware that BMW themselves recommend a 10w-60 in their handbook at all.

In fact I'm not aware of any OEM's that recommend a 10w-60.

Please check your handbooks and let me know.

Cheers

Simon

 Hi Simon, Thankyou for reply, and you are correct.!! H/book suggests choice of 10/30 , 10/40 , 15/40 . or extreme 5/20 , 5/30.Castrol TWS was used at the change which is a 10/60 .

 Can this grade of oil be detrimental to the working of this M Engine, in particular the Vanos defects, believed by many to be Oil related??.

What is your reccomendation for grade please.??

B 7 VP wrote:  Hi Simon, Thankyou for reply, and you are correct.!! H/book suggests choice of 10/30 , 10/40 , 15/40 . or extreme 5/20 , 5/30.Castrol TWS was used at the change which is a 10/60 .  Can this grade of oil be detrimental to the working of this M Engine, in particular the Vanos defects, believed by many to be Oil related??. What is your reccomendation for grade please.??

This has been a mystery to me for sometime.

NO repeat NO major OEMS that I know of recommend 10w-60 in their handbooks so why it's used I'll never know. There simply is no justification for it at all.

I wouldn't go thicker than a 50 and would even stick to a 40 out of choice, the recommended would be 5w-40 or 10w-40.

5w-40 all year and 10w-40 -20 to +20.

Bear in mind that all 10w-40's are semi, I only know of 1 decent one that is a fully and that's Fuchs Titan Unic Ultra 10w-40.

You will get better protection when the engine is cold from a 5w as its thinner than a 10w and circulates better. 5w's are also Fully syn so it will be more resistant to "shear" at high temperatures.

For prices email me mailto:sales@opieoils.co.uk - sales@opieoils.co.uk

Cheers

Simon

Hi Oilman....

I have a few questions;

1) I have an '87 model 635CSi with 147k on the clock. It does not burn oil (but it leaks a little bit...). I presently use a very ordinary 15-40W API SJ spec oil in it, which I aim to change with the filter every 3000 to 4000 miles (about 9 months motoring- it is a second car). I do a mix of short (~12 miles) and long (~100 + miles) driving. Q. would I see any real benefit from using a 'better' oil in this engine?

2) What oil do I need in my diff- and will it vary if it is LSD or not?  

3) I have heard tell that changing to some oils is a 'one time only' thing in that the additive package (?) in some oils can cause seals to swell etc. Going back to the original oil then causes leaks, burning oil down the valve stems etc. Is this an old wive's (or old petrolhead's) tale?

4) I have seen retro-fit bypass oil filtration systems advertised, and I am considering fitting one to my land rover (2.5 200 TDi). They claim improved filtration down to <3micron (c.f. ~10 micron with a conventional filter, vs typical film thickness in a shell bearing ~3micron), that they remove water, and that it is possible to use the same oil for about 50000 miles.

 I should have thought that the improved filtration might yield benefits, but that the additive package would be exhausted, and the oil would have sheared down well before then, but what do you think? Do such systems have anything to offer more performance oriented engines like those fitted to BMWs?

Thanks in advance

cheers

Brucey wrote: 1) I have an '87 model 635CSi with 147k on the clock. It does not burn oil (but it leaks a little bit...). I presently use a very ordinary 15-40W API SJ spec oil in it, which I aim to change with the filter every 3000 to 4000 miles (about 9 months motoring- it is a second car). I do a mix of short (~12 miles) and long (~100 + miles) driving. Q. would I see any real benefit from using a 'better' oil in this engine?

Of course your engine will benefit. If you have a leak then it won't make it better or worse but a better oil will always have better anti-wear additives etc and it's never too late to try a decent one and see how the car performs.

Brucey wrote: 2) What oil do I need in my diff- and will it vary if it is LSD or not?

I think it's 85w-140 but I'm not sure, I can get back to you next week but if you have your handbook, check it and send me an email please.  

Brucey wrote: 3) I have heard tell that changing to some oils is a 'one time only' thing in that the additive package (?) in some oils can cause seals to swell etc. Going back to the original oil then causes leaks, burning oil down the valve stems etc. Is this an old wive's (or old petrolhead's) tale?

Just about all "modern" oils are totally interchangeable so I wouldn't believe everything you hear down the pub. I know car fanatics who change their oil more often than their underwear, looking for the perfect oil!

Brucey wrote: 4) I have seen retro-fit bypass oil filtration systems advertised, and I am considering fitting one to my land rover (2.5 200 TDi). They claim improved filtration down to <3micron (c.f. ~10 micron with a conventional filter, vs typical film thickness in a shell bearing ~3micron), that they remove water, and that it is possible to use the same oil for about 50000 miles.

To be totally honest, I know less about this than you do but 50,000 miles, I don't think there is an oil out there that can claim more than 24,000 but I'd love to be proved wrong - now, would that oil be expensive!

Brucey wrote:  I should have thought that the improved filtration might yield benefits, but that the additive package would be exhausted, and the oil would have sheared down well before then, but what do you think? Do such systems have anything to offer more performance oriented engines like those fitted to BMWs?

I'm sceptical about all of this to be honest, the most durable oil film is ester, that's why it's used in the aviation industry, it's also the most shear stable with good VI improvers and I know for sure that the recommended oil change for ester is 10-12000 miles in a "supercharged engine", I can' imagine 50000 miles, its just incredible!

Sorry not to be of more help.

Cheers

Simon

  hi simon,

                            I'd just like to say what a fantastic service you are providing, many of my queries have been answered already on reading these posts and i'm going to be taking two unopened cans of castrol rs 10w 60 back and obtaining silkolene r 15w 50 for my m5.

could you suggest a suitable oil for our 96 land rover discovery 3.9 v8 petrol(also lpg converted) general driving conditions also towing a caravan, land rover state 6000 mile oil service intervals for some reason?

                                        cheers  mark

b7 eater wrote: Could you suggest a suitable oil for our 96 land rover discovery 3.9 v8 petrol(also lpg converted) general driving conditions also towing a caravan, land rover state 6000 mile oil service intervals for some reason?

The recommendation is 10w-40 Semi or Fully synthetic. I don't need to tell you which one is better, cheaper etc.

Cheers

Simon

Hi,

First off, my car is a 1994 M3 (i.e. 3 litre).

I've been recommended / suggested Quantum Synta Gold.  However, I was mainly put off when I went to G'n'S [1] to get some spark plugs, and on asking what oil I needed got the answer "well, synthetic probably, but it's up to the owner's preference".  Oh, FFS.  If I had a preference I wouldn't be asking you...

They have the exact spark plugs listed in my user manual, so I'm good with that, is the oil any good ?

Steve.

[1] Reading branch, it's tiny, I got too used to having the Heathrow one close to home.

Hi Simon,

I recently bought some Shell Helix Ultra, which was manufactured in May 2003. Can you advise on its shelf life please, as I won't be using it until the end of this year.

Shell Customer Service were stumped by this one!

Thanks

Caesar

SundayJumper wrote: They have the exact spark plugs listed in my user manual, so I'm good with that, is the oil any good ?

What grade is it and what does it say on the bottle?

Made under licence jobber I think for Audi. Is it BMW Approved or anything approved, VW spec?

Cheers

Simon

Pleased about the plugs though

Caesar wrote: Can you advise on its shelf life please, as I won't be using it until the end of this year.

Sorry mate, cant help.............................

Ha, Ha, only joking

Is it still sealed with a foil top? If so, it'll be fine.

Damn, why am I such a nice guy, I just did myself out of an oil sale

Cheers

Simon

hi simon,

                 just a note to thankyou, I received 10 litres of silkolene pro s 10w 50 24 hours after placing an order, you certainly know your oils!  and litre for litre worked out cheaper than castrol rs.

will be placing future orders, thanks again.   mark

This makes for interesting reading too as I have been recommending

PRO S 5w-40 to many of you. Wouldn't advocate 0w-20 though! 

http://www.silkoleneoil.com/techtip6.htm - http://www.silkoleneoil.com/techtip6.htm

Cheers

Simon

Simon,

Thanks for the reply. I've checked and although the screw tops are sealed, there's no foil once the tops are off.

Any further advice re shelf life?

Thanks

Caesar

Caesar wrote: Thanks for the reply. I've checked and although the screw tops are sealed, there's no foil once the tops are off. Any further advice re shelf life?

You do surprise me there. It should be ok for 12-18 months but with no seal, if it is exposed to a wide range of temperatures the additive pack may break down.

Cheers

Simon 

Simon,

My 2004 BMW 320i saloon drank 0.5 - 1 litre of oil in the first 3000 miles. What is the best oil to top this up with? Does it matter if a 5-40 is mixed with a 0-40?

Cheers.

It's always best to drain the old oil and start afresh with the new stuff.

Either look at continuing with a 0w-40 until the next service or change now.

I have 2 

Castrol RS Power 0w-40

Mobil 1 0w-40

Both are BMW LL01 approved

Email me for a pricelist: mailto:sales@opieoils.co.uk - sales@opieoils.co.uk

Weigh up the costs before you decide.

Cheers

Simon

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

smiljko325td wrote: 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

Would recommend the following:

Engine

10w-40 fully or semi-syn (-20 plus) ACEA A3/B3

5w-40 Fully syn (-30 plus) ACEA A3/B3

Gearbox

ATF Dexron II

Capacities, Engine 7L, Gearbox 1.2L, Diff 1.7L

Hope this helps

Cheers

Simon

Could you reccomend some oils?

Thanks!

smiljko325td wrote: Could you reccomend some oils? Thanks!

You'll need to email me as I can't put prices etc here so just drop me a note to mailto:sales@opieoils.co.uk - sales@opieoils.co.uk

Cheers

Simon

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 

justin wrote: 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

Hello,

I would recomend 5w-40 Fully Synthetic (for all year round use)

BMW Approved

Fuchs Titan Supersyn SL 5W-40 (Fully Syn)

Silkolene Pro S                5w-40 (Ester Fully Syn)

Please e-mail me for price list, mailto:sales@opieoils.co.uk - sales@opieoils.co.uk

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

cheers

Guy.

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.

Stuart,

In reply to your question BMW only recomend an LL01 approved oil for your car. Would suggest look at the following oils on our website.

Fuchs Titan Supersyn SL 0w-30 (fully syn)

Castrol Formula SLX       0w-30 (fully syn)

Castrol RS Power           0w-40 (fully syn)

Mobil 1                           0w-40 (fully syn)

You can e-mail us for prices at mailto:sales@opieoils.co.uk - sales@opieoils.co.uk

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

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

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....

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

Simon, I had an inspection II done on my 1990 535i SE Auto in november of last year. According to the print out BMW used Mobil Super S 10w40 which i understand to be a semi-synthetic.

I am due for an oil change in about 2k miles and would like to know which oil to replace the above with and also how long the oil will last before the additives break down in the engine going on the assumption that the car will barely do a couple of 1000 miles in the next year the mileage at present is 89k. As i work off shore for 6 month of the year the car will be standing in the garage for alot of the 6 months that im back (3 weeks on 3 weeks off).

I ideally want a good oil that will last a good while in the above conditions and also one thats good when putting the engine through its paces now and then without any adverse problems due to the car being mostly unused.

If you could give me actual Brand names and temperatures it would be gladly appreciated.

I don't expect the oil to be done for a good few months yet but would like to know in advance what to go for.

Thanks for a sterling service your offering to everyone.

Russ

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 mailto:sales@opieoils.co.uk - sales@opieoils.co.uk

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

Cheers

Guy

I have some clarification on use of 10w-60 for you.

BMW 10w-60 Recommendations

BMW has changed their engine-oil recommendation for all M cars equipped with the new S54 engine (E46 M3 coupe and convertible, 2001-on M coupe and M roadster) from the previous BMW High Performance Synthetic 5W-30 engine oil (made by Castrol), to Castrol TWS Motorsport 10W-60 Synthetic Engine Oil (also known as Castrol Formula RS 10W-60. . . the oil is the same, only the name has changed)

Presently, BMW recommends Castrol TWS Motorsport 10W-60 for all S54-equipped M-cars as well as all S62-equipped M5s and Z8s produced after 3/00, the factory recommends BMW High Performance Synthetic 5W-30 engine oil. The oil change interval of approximately 15,000 miles or once a year remains unchanged.

Cheers

Simon

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

The book says 5w-40 all year round but post the details of your car model and year engine size etc and I'll check.

As far as I am aware the 10w-60 is only applicable as above.

Cheers

Simon

What atf would you recomend in a 93' 525 auto with 135k and a fsh?, and as for the g/box filter would you buy aftermarket all original.

It had an insp 11 a year ago, and an oil change (engine) 3-4 weeks ago before I got it, but not the auto box.

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

Hi, Oilman

Sterling service so far, but here's one:

I have a 1982 E21 323i, which I serviced with Castrol's "Oil for older engines" - as the car had done 224k I thought this might be good policy, however, since then the oil warning light has been flickering faintly from startup to well past normal temperature.

Have I dropped a clanger using this oil? Have you any specific recommendations for engines of this age/mileage?

Many thanks on behalf of all,

Alec

Hi again Oilman,

If I understand correctly, you are saying there is a conflict between what BMW (UK) is saying and what the Factory is saying.  The former recommending Castrol TWS 10-60 for all S52 M5's, and the latter recommending Castrol SLX 0-30 for S52 M5's after Feb 2000.

Am I correct.  If so it seems pretty daft to me!!!

oilman wrote: I have some clarification on use of 10w-60 for you. BMW 10w-60 Recommendations   BMW has changed their engine-oil recommendation for all M cars equipped with the new S54 engine (E46 M3 coupe and convertible, 2001-on M coupe and M roadster) from the previous BMW High Performance Synthetic 5W-30 engine oil (made by Castrol), to Castrol TWS Motorsport 10W-60 Synthetic Engine Oil (also known as Castrol Formula RS 10W-60. . . the oil is the same, only the name has changed) Presently, BMW recommends Castrol TWS Motorsport 10W-60 for all S54-equipped M-cars as well as all S62-equipped M5s and Z8s produced after 3/00, the factory recommends BMW High Performance Synthetic 5W-30 engine oil. The oil change interval of approximately 15,000 miles or once a year remains unchanged. Cheers Simon

bm24v wrote: What atf would you recomend in a 93' 525 auto with 135k and a fsh?, and as for the g/box filter would you buy aftermarket all original. It had an insp 11 a year ago, and an oil change (engine) 3-4 weeks ago before I got it, but not the auto box.

I decided to list everything on this one for your information.

The recomendation for your car is as follows,

Lubricant report for:

BMW, 5-Series (E34), 525i, touring, 1992-1995

Manufacturer: Bayerische Motoren-Werke AG, Munich, Germany

Drive type: r.w.d.

Cilinder capacity: 2494 cc

Power output: 192 HP/141 kW at 5900 rpm

Engine, petrol, 4-stroke, water cooled, 2 valves/cyl.

Capacity 4.25 liter

Filter capacity: 0.25 liter

Check daily

           OEM recommendation

           Year-round               CCMC G5                                        SAE 5W-40

           Above -15                CCMC G4                                        SAE 15W-40

           From -20 to 20          CCMC G4                                        SAE 10W-40

           From -20 to 20          CCMC G5                                        SAE 10W-40

           From -20 to 10          CCMC G4                                        SAE 10W-30

           From -20 to 10          CCMC G5                                        SAE 10W-30

           Below 10                  CCMC G4                                        SAE 5W-30

           Below 10                  CCMC G5                                        SAE 5W-30

           Below 0                    CCMC G4                                        SAE 5W-20

           Below 0                    CCMC G5                                        SAE 5W-20

Lube group note

BMW also recommends: API SG or SH, SG/CD, SG/CE, SH/CE or SH/CD

BMW prefers usage of CCMC G5 or G5/PD2 approved oils in the following viscosities:

year-round     SAE 5W-X

above -20°C  SAE 10W-X

Transmission, automatic

Capacity 3.00 liter

Gears forward: 4/5

Gears reverse: 1

Check check for leaks

           OEM recommendation

           Year-round               Dexron IID                                       -

Differential, rear

Capacity 1.70 liter

           OEM recommendation

           Year-round               BMW differential oil OSP                 SAE 75W-90

The gear box is calling for a DexronII, we stock the Fuchs Titan ATF3000 which meets these specs, or the Fuchs Titan ATF4000 which exceeds them.

Hope this helps.

E-mail me for prices.

Cheers

Simon.

kidsinister wrote: Hi, Oilman Sterling service so far, but here's one: I have a 1982 E21 323i, which I serviced with Castrol's "Oil for older engines" - as the car had done 224k I thought this might be good policy, however, since then the oil warning light has been flickering faintly from startup to well past normal temperature. Have I dropped a clanger using this oil? Have you any specific recommendations for engines of this age/mileage? Many thanks on behalf of all, Alec

Alec,

BMW recomend a 5w-40 for all year round use. However with a car of this mileage you may wish to use something a bit thicker to help with pressure etc. say a 10w-40 What grade are you using at the moment?

If you were to go too thin you would find oil seeping out of seals and other strange places.

I would look at the,

Fuchs Titan Unic Plus 10w-40 fullysyn

or

Fuchs Titan XTR 10w-40 semisyn

Silkolene XTR 10w-40 semisyn

Castrol Performance 10w-40 semisyn

Total Quartz 7000 10w-40 semisyn

E-mail me for prices.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Simon.

Thanks, Simon.

Can't remember what grade this stuff is, but I wouldn't have gone for a thin oil.

Will contact you re your recommendations.

Alec

Hi again Simon,

My e-mail tells me that you have replied to my 2 posted queries but there seem to be no replies on the Forum.  How can this be??  Or do you think my questions are already answered elsewhere.

If so I am still none the wiser!!

To summarise, I have a March 2001 E39 5 litre S62 engined M5.  Your clarification on the oil to be used states that BMW (UK presumably) recommend Castrol TWS 10W-60 Motorsport oil, and the Factory (Germany presumably) Castrol 5W-30.  Main dealer workshop computers stipulate the use of TWS for cars built up to Feb 2000, and Dick Lovett say the correct oil is Castrol SLX 0W-30 for vehicles after that date.

So I have a choice of 3 different oils, each apparently the "recommended oil", one of which is significantly different in properties.

I would appreciate a reply, no matter how brief, even if you think I am being unbelievably thick in not understanding the issue.

Kind regards

STEPHEN

oilman wrote: bm24v wrote: What atf would you recomend in a 93' 525 auto with 135k and a fsh?, and as for the g/box filter would you buy aftermarket all original. It had an insp 11 a year ago, and an oil change (engine) 3-4 weeks ago before I got it, but not the auto box. I decided to list everything on this one for your information. The recomendation for your car is as follows, Lubricant report for: BMW, 5-Series (E34), 525i, touring, 1992-1995 Manufacturer: Bayerische Motoren-Werke AG, Munich, Germany Drive type: r.w.d. Cilinder capacity: 2494 cc Power output: 192 HP/141 kW at 5900 rpm   Engine, petrol, 4-stroke, water cooled, 2 valves/cyl. Capacity 4.25 liter Filter capacity: 0.25 liter Check daily              OEM recommendation            Year-round               CCMC G5                                        SAE 5W-40            Above -15                CCMC G4                                        SAE 15W-40            From -20 to 20          CCMC G4                                        SAE 10W-40            From -20 to 20          CCMC G5                                        SAE 10W-40            From -20 to 10          CCMC G4                                        SAE 10W-30            From -20 to 10          CCMC G5                                        SAE 10W-30            Below 10                  CCMC G4                                        SAE 5W-30            Below 10                  CCMC G5                                        SAE 5W-30            Below 0                    CCMC G4                                        SAE 5W-20            Below 0                    CCMC G5                                        SAE 5W-20   Lube group note BMW also recommends: API SG or SH, SG/CD, SG/CE, SH/CE or SH/CD BMW prefers usage of CCMC G5 or G5/PD2 approved oils in the following viscosities: year-round     SAE 5W-X above -20°C  SAE 10W-X   Transmission, automatic Capacity 3.00 liter Gears forward: 4/5 Gears reverse: 1 Check check for leaks              OEM recommendation            Year-round               Dexron IID                                       -   Differential, rear Capacity 1.70 liter              OEM recommendation            Year-round               BMW differential oil OSP                 SAE 75W-90     The gear box is calling for a DexronII, we stock the Fuchs Titan ATF3000 which meets these specs, or the Fuchs Titan ATF4000 which exceeds them.   Hope this helps.   E-mail me for prices.   Cheers   Simon.

Thanks for that Simon, thats very usefull/handy all that, I know whats what now, again thanks

A bit of explanation on oil selection and the reasons why.

Surely the thicker the oil the better!

This isn't always true - even when using a petroleum oil. Although it is true that heavier viscosity oils (which are generally thought of as being thicker) will hold up better under heavy loads and high temperatures, this doesn't necessarily make them a better choice for all applications.

On many newer vehicles only 0w-40, 5w40 or 10w40 engine oils are recommended by the

manufacturer. If you choose to use a higher viscosity oil than what is recommended, at the very least you are likely to reduce performance of the engine. Fuel economy will likely go down and engine performance will drop.

In the winter months it is highly recommended that you not use a heavier grade oil than what is recommended by the manufacturer. In cold start conditions you could very well be causing more engine wear than when using a lighter viscosity oil. In the summer months, going to a heavier grade is less of an issue, but there are still some things to be aware of.

Moving one grade up from the recommended viscosity is not likely to cause any problems (say from a 10w40 to a 10w50 oil). The differences in pumping and flow resitance will be slight. Although, efficiency of the engine will decrease, the oil will likely still flow adequately through the engine to maintain proper protection. However, it will not likely protect any better than the lighter weight oil recommended by the manufacturer.

Moving two grades up from the recommended viscosity (say 10w40 to 10w-60) is a little more extreme and could cause long term engine damage if not short term. Although the oil will still probably flow ok through the engine, it is a heavier visocosity oil. As such it will be more difficult to pump the oil through the engine. More friction will be present than with a lighter viscosity oil. More friction will be present than with a lighter viscosity oil. More friction means more heat. In other words, by going to a thicker oil in the summer months, you may actually be causing more heat build-up within the engine. You'll still be providing adequate protection from metal to metal contact in the engine by going with a high viscosity, but the higher viscosity will raise engine temperatures.

In the short run, this is no big deal. However, over the long term, when engine components are run at higher temperatures, they WILL wear out more quickly. As such, if you intend on

keeping the vehicle for awhile, keep this in mind if you're considering using a heavier weight oil than the manufacturer recommends.

The best advice is to is to stay away from viscosity grades that are not mentioned in your owner's manual.

Cheers

Simon

Met with one of your Members today and confusion still reigns over the use of 10w-60 in the M5.

The handbook states LL01 0w-30, 0w-40, 0w-50 (does not exist) or 5w-30, 5w-40 or 5w-50 from -30 to +30 degC.

Further clarification is required and we will get to the bottom of it but one area of concern is that Castrol TWS (RS) 10w-60 is not an LL01 (as confirmed by Castrol to the Member concerned) oil and is not likely to be as only 0w and 5w meet the LL01 specs and therefore is not a long drain oil for variable service intervals.

I must once again reiterate that the difference between say Castrol or any 0w-30 and a 10w-60 is vast in oil terms as they are viscosity wise at seperate ends of the spectrum.

Will keep you all posted but it seems that commercial forces are at work here and the original recommendations that I recieved concerning the use of the lower viscosity "longlife" oils holds true.

Cheers

Simon

Allow me to introduce myself.  I work for a specialist lubricant manufacturer, supplying industry all over Europe.  We don't manufacture 'standard' products nor indeed do we supply the general public, so I assure you I'm not after any personal gain.  Firstly I would like to say that SIMON offers a fantastic service here and after reading all of the posts here I agree with 95% of what Simon writes, I'm definetly not saying that he is 5% wrong, just on certain things everyone has their own slant, that's what makes the world interesting surely !

I agree that Esters or PAO oils are the best oils to use, no doubt.  There are certain other factors you must consider.  You can use too good an oil in your engine and actually cost yourself a lot of money, allow me to elaborate.......... Put the kettle on, slide in to your slippers and get comfy, please read on. 

You must remember that a lot of older cars will not always have been using Fully Synthetic oils.  Generally speaking Fully Synthetic oils have got the best all round packages, including detergents.  If you can be sure that your car has been running on FS oils all of its life then please stick with it.  FS oils will not damage any of your seals, whereas Mineral Oils will.  What actually happens is that the mineral oil will attack your seals, eating them away.  Then the mineral oil will actually carbonise and ironically can act as a seal, so very cheekily covering its own back so to speak.  If your car has been running on mineral oil and then you put a good Synthetic oil in your beloved engine, you will experience oil leaks.  Sound familiar to anyone?  This is because the detergent package in FS oils is so much better that it will actually clean away all the carbon deposits exposing the actual damage the mineral oil has done, resulting in leaks.  I'm not promoting mineral oil in any way shape or form, in fact we don't even supply it, i'm simply saying that if your car has been running on mineral oil think twice before you stick FS oil in your engine thinking your doing it a favour.  In my opinion you would be better switching to a good VHVI ( Very High Viscosity Index ) oil, which some people say can perform on a comparable level with Synthetics, but like anything else you can get good ones and bad ones.  I'm sure Simon could help further if you're confused or unsure. 

However, if your car has been running on fully synthetic since day one then stick with it.  I drive an M3 and use Fully Synthetic 5w/40 all year round, I don't think we suffer from extreme climate changes to need to switch grades in summer and winter.

Finally can I again promote the work Simon does here, I'm sure it can be time consuming and he definetly deserves a beer .

It was very nice to electronically meet you Simon, it isn't to often I meet someone that really knows their lubricants.  Don't suppose you know anywhere that sells Perfluorinated Polyether PFPE really really cheaply??  He he, didn't think so .  Thanks all, happy motoring.

Brian,

I am interested in your comments - I agree that Simon is douing a sterling job - I am the member he is referring to in his last post on the M5 issue!!

On the danger of going to an FS oil after mineral oils, does the same apply to upgrading from semi-synthetic (as my 1994 E34 540i and 1990 Z1 use)?? I was contemplating running them both on FS 0w-30 or 5w-40.

Kind regards

I've a 1994 E34 3.8 M5 with 122k and no mods, was advised that Castrol Magnatec was best suited to the engine/mileage. Especially as these engines seem to drink oil - handbook says roughly 1 litre per 1,000 miles - I normally get around 1,200 before needing to top up but worry that changing to a lighter oil would increase this usage.

Any suggestions?

Derek M5 wrote: I've a 1994 E34 3.8 M5 with 122k and no mods, was advised that Castrol Magnatec was best suited to the engine/mileage. Especially as these engines seem to drink oil - handbook says roughly 1 litre per 1,000 miles - I normally get around 1,200 before needing to top up but worry that changing to a lighter oil would increase this usage. Any suggestions?

Derek,

You should be using somewhere around 10w-40 or 5w-40. For all year round use, BMW recomend a 5w-40. However if you are concerned about high milage stick with a 10w-40 or 10w-50. You can go fully or semi synthetic.

Moving to a thinner grade oil should not increase oil consumption as long it is a good quality shear stable oil whith quite a high flash point. However high mileage engines can some times leak a little if moved to a thinner grade oil.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Ps. Belfast Brian welcome, its nice to have another oilman around!! We are few and far between. I hope we can do some work together on this forum.

Something that you all may find interesting and is definetly worth a read, click on the link http://www.motoroilbible.com - http://www.motoroilbible.com  . 

Also a few tips for people, companies manufacturing oil can be very cute with the way they advertise their oils.  If you want a Fully Synthetic oil and you are paying a Fully Synthetic oil price, make sure it is FS.  I know of companies that put things like ' a blend of synthetic oils ' etc on their packaging, this means semi-synthetic, so don't get caught out and pay too much.  Another thing is, in my opinion anyway, that people can panic too much about what grade of oil they are using, i.e. you will notice with most of Simons suggestions as to which oil to use you have a couple of options such as, 5w/40, 10w/40, 5w/50 etc  This is absolutely fine to do, in simple terms these are called multi-grade oils, lets use 5w/50 as an example.  The first part of the grading '5w' is an indication as to how the oil will flow in cold temperatures, the second part '50' is an indication as to how the oil will flow in hotter temperatures, this is a  very basic explanation.  If you have been using 5w/40 all your life and suddenly decide to change to 0w/50 for whatever reason, you won't have any problems at all.  Again in my opinion, and i'm going pretty controversial here, if you are burning off a lot of oil why not try a heavier oil like a 10w/60 ?  You are likely to be burning off oil because of loose seals, valve seals, valve guides etc  The oil is heating up, thinning out, escaping through the seals and flashing off, if you try a 'thicker oil' this may not happen.  Each engine has had a different life so its impossible to diagnose each problem, but by trying this ( providing you try it with a good 10w/60 ) you won't do any harm, if it doesn't work then it doesn't work, but I think you may be surprised.  Obviously you will have to measure other things when trying this, such as, has my fuel consumption went up?  Is my car starting just as well as before, or better?  Other things you could look at would be an oils industry test results, in particular in this instance its Viscosity at 100oC, again in this instance, the higher the test result the better.  Personally if my car was burning a lot of oil and I didn't have access to my companies oils I would try Castrol Formula RS 10w/60 ( I'm sure Simon can supply this ) , I'm not saying it will definetly work, but one fill will tell you and if the problem isn't solved you won't have done any harm and you will know to look in different avenues.

Finally, one piece of serious advice, DO NOT USE ENGINE OIL ADDITIVES.  When Engine Oil is produced it has a very specific mix of additives, putting after market additives in there will almost certainly do more harm than good, possibly breaking down the oil etc.

Holy mutha of fluk!  I can blab on a bit can't I!  Hope this helps, anyway.

Please advise on oil grade for this car:

BMW 316i, petrol, E36 1992, 82K. currently using 20w/50 but not sure if mineral/ss/fs.

Also, I drive quite often to southern europe especially in summers where temperatures can reach sometimes the 100s Cel.

Thanks

Rachid

Derek M5 wrote: I've a 1994 E34 3.8 M5 with 122k and no mods, was advised that Castrol Magnatec was best suited to the engine/mileage. Especially as these engines seem to drink oil - handbook says roughly 1 litre per 1,000 miles - I normally get around 1,200 before needing to top up but worry that changing to a lighter oil would increase this usage. Any suggestions?

I'm using Silkolene Pro R 15w50 in my '94 M5 and it's using less than 1L per 2000 miles. And I do about 30k miles a year. It's currently on 147k miles.

The two benefits of this oil are 1) it much cheaper (i.e. £23/gallon) than the two 'big name' rivals of Castrol RS/TWS (about £35/gallon) and Mobil 1 Motorsport (about £35/gallon), and 2) it's better (for my use of high mileages and track days) than Castrol RS/TWS and Mobil 1 Motorsport.

Thewidget wrote: Please advise on oil grade for this car: BMW 316i, petrol, E36 1992, 82K. currently using 20w/50 but not sure if mineral/ss/fs. Also, I drive quite often to southern europe especially in summers where temperatures can reach sometimes the 100s Cel. Thanks Rachid

Hi Rachid, I would say that if you are driving to southern Europe quite often then a 20w/50 would be fine, 20w/50 is generally recommended for engines working at hotter temps.  If I was being fussy I would say that you should maybe look at using a 10w/50, because obviously driving in the UK is colder, and using a 10w/50 would put your engine under less stress in colder weather.  With regards as to whether it is mineral / ss / fs, it is likely to be FS or SS.  Hope this helps.

Here are BMW's actual recommendations including temperatures for various viscosities.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Simon

BMW, 3-Series (E36), 316i, (M40),1991-1994
Engine OEM recommendation

Year-round Motor oil, BMW Longlife-98 SAE 0W-40
Year-round Motor oil, BMW Longlife-98 SAE 5W-40 
Year-round Motor oil, BMW Longlife-98 SAE 0W-30
Year-round Motor oil, BMW Longlife-98 SAE 5W-30

Above -15 ACEA A2-96 SAE 15W-40
From -20 to 20 ACEA A2-96 SAE 10W-40
From -20 to 10 ACEA A2-96 SAE 10W-30
Below 10 ACEA A2-96 SAE 5W-30
Below 0 ACEA A2-96 SAE 5W-20
Above -15 ACEA A3-96 SAE 15W-40
From -20 to 20 ACEA A3-96 SAE 10W-40
From -20 to 10 ACEA A3-96 SAE 10W-30
Below 10 ACEA A3-96 SAE 5W-30
Below 0 ACEA A3-96 SAE 5W-20

Oilman,

I thought it would be best to ask you.

I've got an MGF VVC (which I am selling at the mo), and am a member of a Rover forum too (Used to have a Coupe turbo). It seems that some are saying not to use a fully synthetic oil in a Rover K-series engine, but I cannot grasp why this is. I use Mobil 1 in the MGF and it has been fine, infact smoother and better than the semi-synth it had in previously.

can you shed any light, because I can't see any reason why a fully-synth would have a detrimental affect?

Not true, there are no disadvantages to using a synthetic, only benefits.

These engines are common in Caterhams etc and we recommend using synthetics for K series engines as they are superior.

Simon

Thanks for that!

Its just that some say that Powertrain who make the K-series engine recommend semi. I tink it could be a case of them saying use semi and that will be fine, but further done the line its become only use semi.

Can you please recommend the oil I should use for this car:

M5 1990 (E34), 3.6l petrol, no mods, approx 160k miles, engine rebuilt at 80k

The guy who sold it to me said to use Valvoline Sport which I can't find locally.  Tried Havoline something and it all blew out in a week.  Using Castrol GTX High Mileage at the moment and oil consumption is much lower then before.

Thanks

agremlin wrote: Can you please recommend the oil I should use for this car: M5 1990 (E34), 3.6l petrol, no mods, approx 160k miles, engine rebuilt at 80k The guy who sold it to me said to use Valvoline Sport which I can't find locally.  Tried Havoline something and it all blew out in a week.  Using Castrol GTX High Mileage at the moment and oil consumption is much lower then before. Thanks

BMW recomend for all year round use a 5w-40 full syntheic to the spec of ACEA A3. I would personally always go for a BMW approved oil.

The Castrol GTX you are currently using is just a multigrade mineral oil and you could do much better.

E-mail me for a list and prices of BMW approved oils for your car.

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

Cheers

Simon.

Simon

You may have answered a similar question already, but there's such a lot of info on this thread!

Planning on taking the e30 325i on a Better Driving Day next month, just wondering about brake fluid and whether its worth replacing it beforehand with something that might better cope with the extra heat, etc.?  Any suggestions on what?  Bear in mind that it won't be on the track for the other 364 days of the year!

Also, its an auto, so again, anything worth considering here?

Thanks in advance!

Dergside wrote: Simon You may have answered a similar question already, but there's such a lot of info on this thread! Planning on taking the e30 325i on a Better Driving Day next month, just wondering about brake fluid and whether its worth replacing it beforehand with something that might better cope with the extra heat, etc.?  Any suggestions on what?  Bear in mind that it won't be on the track for the other 364 days of the year! Also, its an auto, so again, anything worth considering here? Thanks in advance!

I would advise to check fluid levels but the existing ones should be fine in my opinion.

Cheers

Simon