Deviating from the LL-01 3.5 HTHS value for a BMW

[OVERKILL]

CATERHAM, you are probably going to have a field day with this.

This is NOT my M5, so let's get that out of the way, this is for my wife's 328i.

Currently the car has Redline 5w30 in it but I am not going to be buying more of that. I'm considering my "options" so to speak going forward with this car and whether I just bite the bullet and go with M1 0w40 like I had originally planned (at $10/L) or go with something good (and obviously synthetic), but less expensive. The availability of "euro" oils is quite limited here, and subsequently, so are my options.

So, possibly deviating from the 3.5 min HTHS, I could use something like SSO 0w30, which is $2/L cheaper than M1 0w40 (roughly).

Am I nuts? (don't answer that, LOL!)

 

[HTSS_TR]

I'm not HIM, but I think it depends on how she drives the 328i. If she is an easy driver, rarely get to redline and most trips ae shorter than 15-20 miles, then Amsoil SSO 0W30 may be good for her BMW.

I didn't do any UOA for my E430, but from the sound of the engine with thinner oil I think it is a good match. I had xW20 for 3 years in the E430, the last change I had 5 qt M1 0W20 and 2 qt 0W40. The engine is as quiet as was new, acceleration is more peppy than with M1 0W40, the bonus is better MPG.

 

[oliveoil]

I have been using PP 10-30 in my 98 M3, following the OLM, for a few years with good results. I also run GC 0-30 which seems to gice me a little better MPG. Actually you could run almost any 10-30, 10-40, and change it every 5K (leaving the huge filter inplace for 10K) and the engine will never know the Diff.

 

[Ndx]

Just use GC stock up ...on CanTire sales ... its approved for this application.

 

[IndyIan]

Come over to the HDEO side, young Overkill

Tractor oil is for everything...
Caterham called shell up and they said the HTHS is 4.0 for T6 5W40
http://205.243.146.146/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2227293#Post2227293
Plus its pretty cheap on sale at Cdn tire...

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Come over to the HDEO side, young Overkill

Tractor oil is for everything...
Caterham called shell up and they said the HTHS is 4.0 for T6 5W40
http://205.243.146.146/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2227293#Post2227293
Plus its pretty cheap on sale at Cdn tire...


LOL! That's super heavy! I was thinking of going lighter.

The engine isn't super clean, which is why I'm running the Redline right now (oil filter pics here shortly) and I'm looking at a good solid synthetic that I can run to 10K with a factory filter and hopefully clean this girl up slowly. This is also why I was considering a lighter "top tier" oil like SSO.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Ndx
Just use GC stock up ...on CanTire sales ... its approved for this application.


I'm not a fan of BP products. I'm sure they are excellent, but I just can't bring myself to use them. If I was going to hold myself to using an approved lube, it would be M1 0w40 in a heartbeat.

 

[Garak]

The Rotella, or how about Delvac Elite 0w-30, OVERK1LL?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Garak
The Rotella, or how about Delvac Elite 0w-30, OVERK1LL?


I can't see the Delvac being any cheaper than M1 0w40

The Rotella likely is however.

 

[JHZR2]

SSO is cheaper than M1 0w-40??!?

I ran SSO for about 14k in my saab and it did great and held up well. Saab requests an A3 oil if the LL spec is not met, and SSO was neither.

GC is a good option too, but really, if you can get RTS 5w-40 or 0w-40, Delvac 1, or Esso XD-3 0w-30, Id try for one of them. You Canadians are lucky and can pretty easily get these oils (I used to stock up on Delvac 1 when up in Ontario as it was easier than finding it in the states!).

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
SSO is cheaper than M1 0w-40??!?

I ran SSO for about 14k in my saab and it did great and held up well. Saab requests an A3 oil if the LL spec is not met, and SSO was neither.

GC is a good option too, but really, if you can get RTS 5w-40 or 0w-40, Delvac 1, or Esso XD-3 0w-30, Id try for one of them. You Canadians are lucky and can pretty easily get these oils (I used to stock up on Delvac 1 when up in Ontario as it was easier than finding it in the states!).


Yeah, SSO is about $2/quart cheaper, LOL!

 

[Old Mustang Guy]

Does BMW recommend 5w30 for the 328i? I was thinking only the M cars used thicker oil.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Old Mustang Guy
Does BMW recommend 5w30 for the 328i? I was thinking only the M cars used thicker oil.


They call for LL-01, which specifies a minimum HTHS of 3.5cP. Their own BMW-branded oil is a 5w30.

 

[rslifkin]

I'd personally run an HDEO in it. Most have plenty of HTHS to keep the thing happy, and neither one is overly expensive (just picked up a couple gallons of T6 5W-40 for $23 each last week).

Personally, I've found that the T6 5W-40 doesn't make the Jeep sluggish or anything, despite being a good bit heavier than the engine is spec-ed for (never started it below 2* F though), nor has it hurt gas mileage. Spec is whatever dino 10W-30 is cheapest, so probably HTHS of 3 or so, meaning I'm a good bit above that.

 

[Scum_Frog]

My vote is for M1 0W-40.

M1 goes on sale all the time at CTC. I just got an OC worth ( now in the Jetta) a few weeks ago at $8.49/L. Add to that my Canadian Tire money I had on hand and 5L came to under $30 bucks. You can't beat that!

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Scum_Frog
My vote is for M1 0W-40.

M1 goes on sale all the time at CTC. I just got an OC worth ( now in the Jetta) a few weeks ago at $8.49/L. Add to that my Canadian Tire money I had on hand and 5L came to under $30 bucks. You can't beat that!



I know, I just picked up a pile of it for the M5, LOL! But I'm thinking it may not be on sale by the time I go to change the oil in this car again. I just changed the oil on the weekend.

 

[JOD]

What's the realistic conditions the car will see? If the car is typically driven for 20 minutes or less, like most cars, I'd run any quality 5W30. Most likely, the oil is too thick most of the time anyway. OTOH, if she's taking a lot of extended highway trips and flooring it over mountain passes, well that's a different story.

 

[Nate_V8]

Why don't you just buy the M1 and get it over with? It's only a couple $$$ more, isn't your name "OVERK1LL"? You are always telling me not to cheap out.

I vote M1 but due to brainwashing.

 

[tudorart]

Amsoil 5W-30 ASM.
Reasons:
1. HTHS 3.2, slightly higher than 0W-30
2. garantees for 10k OCI (severe or not) with standard filter
3. good fuel economy from moly, boron and low HTHS
4. one of the best detergencies
5. unless you're towing or doing over 100mph you shouldn't need an A3 in that BMW

Other good options for about 8k OCI would be RL 0W-30 and Amsoil XL 5W-30 both at 3.3cP HTHSvis.
Shouldn't Petro Canada have some nice blends that are not HDEOs but rather SN? I think they make the best stocks as far as grIII synthetics go. Not sure how they price it there but should be competitive.

 

[deven]

That beast can handle M1 0w30 for 10K miles in a heartbeat. If I am not mistaken its a naturally aspirated in-line 6(N52) so it would be a piece of cake.