Redline for N54 BMW engine?

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Redline does not appear to be LL01 stamped...is there data suggesting it is unwise to use this with OCIs of 7500 miles? My E90 is an early build 07 MY without stock oil cooler so temp/shear stability is a concern and my Indy has Redline nicely priced.
 
It's difficult to get excited about Red Line when Mobil 1 0w-40 is available locally @ $26.68/5qts. However, if you'll sleep better at night and get the fizz with it in the sump, then by all means, go right ahead...
 
Getting actual certifications is expensive, so a relatively small independent producer like Redline tends not to spend the bucks. It is of unrivaled quality, but as the other poster pointed out.......Mobil 1 is better than it needs be, cheaper, and readily available. Redline can only be incrementally better, if it is better.
 
Originally Posted By: srbarnes4ever
Redline does not appear to be LL01 stamped...is there data suggesting it is unwise to use this with OCIs of 7500 miles? My E90 is an early build 07 MY without stock oil cooler so temp/shear stability is a concern and my Indy has Redline nicely priced.

No issues whatsoever. More stable then M1 0W40, very low NOACK. As far as I heard that oil exchange heat much better.
 
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: srbarnes4ever
Redline does not appear to be LL01 stamped...is there data suggesting it is unwise to use this with OCIs of 7500 miles? My E90 is an early build 07 MY without stock oil cooler so temp/shear stability is a concern and my Indy has Redline nicely priced.

No issues whatsoever. More stable then M1 0W40, very low NOACK. As far as I heard that oil exchange heat much better.


The NOACK of Redline 0w-40 is actually higher than M1 0w-40 @ 9% vs 8.8% for M1 0w-40.
 
I doubt it has better heat transfer and specific heat than any other oil.

The NOACK is lower, but you can get the same low NOACK from Pennzoil platinum 5w-40 for $32.99 with a filter at AAP, which also carries LL-01.

The lack of oil cooler is a bit of a concern, but not sure that there is a compelling benefit over the PP/M1.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: srbarnes4ever
Redline does not appear to be LL01 stamped...is there data suggesting it is unwise to use this with OCIs of 7500 miles? My E90 is an early build 07 MY without stock oil cooler so temp/shear stability is a concern and my Indy has Redline nicely priced.

No issues whatsoever. More stable then M1 0W40, very low NOACK. As far as I heard that oil exchange heat much better.


The NOACK of Redline 0w-40 is actually higher than M1 0w-40 @ 9% vs 8.8% for M1 0w-40.

I was referring to 5W30 RL which is recommended for N54. I suppose to be more specific.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I doubt it has better heat transfer and specific heat than any other oil.

The NOACK is lower, but you can get the same low NOACK from Pennzoil platinum 5w-40 for $32.99 with a filter at AAP, which also carries LL-01.

The lack of oil cooler is a bit of a concern, but not sure that there is a compelling benefit over the PP/M1.

I said that is what I heard, that RL 5W30 runs on bit lower temp compare to BMW 5W30 (probably same as M1). I do not have oil temp. gauge in CC so do not know, nor I tried RL.
 
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: srbarnes4ever
Redline does not appear to be LL01 stamped...is there data suggesting it is unwise to use this with OCIs of 7500 miles? My E90 is an early build 07 MY without stock oil cooler so temp/shear stability is a concern and my Indy has Redline nicely priced.

No issues whatsoever. More stable then M1 0W40, very low NOACK. As far as I heard that oil exchange heat much better.


The NOACK of Redline 0w-40 is actually higher than M1 0w-40 @ 9% vs 8.8% for M1 0w-40.

I was referring to 5W30 RL which is recommended for N54. I suppose to be more specific.


Yeah, 6% vs 8.8%. Not a big difference though
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: srbarnes4ever
Redline does not appear to be LL01 stamped...is there data suggesting it is unwise to use this with OCIs of 7500 miles? My E90 is an early build 07 MY without stock oil cooler so temp/shear stability is a concern and my Indy has Redline nicely priced.


If the oil you are using corresponds to an appropriate weight for your engine (Heavy-30 {like German/Beligum Castrol, BMW 5w30}, lightweight 40 {M1 0w040}), then I think you'll be okay. You might need to bring up the product data sheets to compare the M1 to this oil, so you can compare the real numbers, not just the writing on the bottle.

As a boutique synthetic, you'll pay for it. But at least you're supporting the little guy.

If you choose this oil, you might consider getting a small dipstick pump so you can take regular oil-samples for analysis (particularly TBN numbers) to see how long the oil can be expected to last. Or, start with a 5000 OCI, then gradually increase as your UOA suggests, to a point where you feel comfortable.
On a longer OCI, you might like to change the oil filter mid-way to ensure full protection.

The biggest thing to look for is a Redline oil that has a HTHS of 3.5 or above (a characterisitic of LL01, ACEA A3/B3 oils). Also checkout some UOAs of the oil of your choice in other vehicles on longer runs to see if it has oxidation or bad breakdown.

If you're considering M1, I'd be careful. The stuff, while carrying LL01 certification, is known to shear down to a 30-weight, perhaps thinner than German Castrol quite early during an OCI. Following this, it thickens up again as it starts to break down. In a twin-turbo application, this is something to be *VERY* wary of about M1. It could be too thin to provide good protection if you spiritedly. Checking out some longer OCI UOA's, and you'll see this happening with the M1.
 
Originally Posted By: B320i
Originally Posted By: srbarnes4ever
Redline does not appear to be LL01 stamped...is there data suggesting it is unwise to use this with OCIs of 7500 miles? My E90 is an early build 07 MY without stock oil cooler so temp/shear stability is a concern and my Indy has Redline nicely priced.


If the oil you are using corresponds to an appropriate weight for your engine (Heavy-30 {like German/Beligum Castrol, BMW 5w30}, lightweight 40 {M1 0w040}), then I think you'll be okay. You might need to bring up the product data sheets to compare the M1 to this oil, so you can compare the real numbers, not just the writing on the bottle.

As a boutique synthetic, you'll pay for it. But at least you're supporting the little guy.

If you choose this oil, you might consider getting a small dipstick pump so you can take regular oil-samples for analysis (particularly TBN numbers) to see how long the oil can be expected to last. Or, start with a 5000 OCI, then gradually increase as your UOA suggests, to a point where you feel comfortable.
On a longer OCI, you might like to change the oil filter mid-way to ensure full protection.

The biggest thing to look for is a Redline oil that has a HTHS of 3.5 or above (a characterisitic of LL01, ACEA A3/B3 oils). Also checkout some UOAs of the oil of your choice in other vehicles on longer runs to see if it has oxidation or bad breakdown.

If you're considering M1, I'd be careful. The stuff, while carrying LL01 certification, is known to shear down to a 30-weight, perhaps thinner than German Castrol quite early during an OCI. Following this, it thickens up again as it starts to break down. In a twin-turbo application, this is something to be *VERY* wary of about M1. It could be too thin to provide good protection if you spiritedly. Checking out some longer OCI UOA's, and you'll see this happening with the M1.

Not true. SN version is very, very shear stable. I did several UOA, and after 5000 miles it sheared from 13.5 to 13.3.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: B320i
Originally Posted By: srbarnes4ever
Redline does not appear to be LL01 stamped...is there data suggesting it is unwise to use this with OCIs of 7500 miles? My E90 is an early build 07 MY without stock oil cooler so temp/shear stability is a concern and my Indy has Redline nicely priced.


If the oil you are using corresponds to an appropriate weight for your engine (Heavy-30 {like German/Beligum Castrol, BMW 5w30}, lightweight 40 {M1 0w040}), then I think you'll be okay. You might need to bring up the product data sheets to compare the M1 to this oil, so you can compare the real numbers, not just the writing on the bottle.

As a boutique synthetic, you'll pay for it. But at least you're supporting the little guy.

If you choose this oil, you might consider getting a small dipstick pump so you can take regular oil-samples for analysis (particularly TBN numbers) to see how long the oil can be expected to last. Or, start with a 5000 OCI, then gradually increase as your UOA suggests, to a point where you feel comfortable.
On a longer OCI, you might like to change the oil filter mid-way to ensure full protection.

The biggest thing to look for is a Redline oil that has a HTHS of 3.5 or above (a characterisitic of LL01, ACEA A3/B3 oils). Also checkout some UOAs of the oil of your choice in other vehicles on longer runs to see if it has oxidation or bad breakdown.

If you're considering M1, I'd be careful. The stuff, while carrying LL01 certification, is known to shear down to a 30-weight, perhaps thinner than German Castrol quite early during an OCI. Following this, it thickens up again as it starts to break down. In a twin-turbo application, this is something to be *VERY* wary of about M1. It could be too thin to provide good protection if you spiritedly. Checking out some longer OCI UOA's, and you'll see this happening with the M1.

Not true. SN version is very, very shear stable. I did several UOA, and after 5000 miles it sheared from 13.5 to 13.3.


My apologies, then.

Still, I was seeing a lot of reasonably recent threads here on BITOG during my research that indicated this (2011-2012 range)
 
Originally Posted By: B320i
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: B320i
Originally Posted By: srbarnes4ever
Redline does not appear to be LL01 stamped...is there data suggesting it is unwise to use this with OCIs of 7500 miles? My E90 is an early build 07 MY without stock oil cooler so temp/shear stability is a concern and my Indy has Redline nicely priced.


If the oil you are using corresponds to an appropriate weight for your engine (Heavy-30 {like German/Beligum Castrol, BMW 5w30}, lightweight 40 {M1 0w040}), then I think you'll be okay. You might need to bring up the product data sheets to compare the M1 to this oil, so you can compare the real numbers, not just the writing on the bottle.

As a boutique synthetic, you'll pay for it. But at least you're supporting the little guy.

If you choose this oil, you might consider getting a small dipstick pump so you can take regular oil-samples for analysis (particularly TBN numbers) to see how long the oil can be expected to last. Or, start with a 5000 OCI, then gradually increase as your UOA suggests, to a point where you feel comfortable.
On a longer OCI, you might like to change the oil filter mid-way to ensure full protection.

The biggest thing to look for is a Redline oil that has a HTHS of 3.5 or above (a characterisitic of LL01, ACEA A3/B3 oils). Also checkout some UOAs of the oil of your choice in other vehicles on longer runs to see if it has oxidation or bad breakdown.

If you're considering M1, I'd be careful. The stuff, while carrying LL01 certification, is known to shear down to a 30-weight, perhaps thinner than German Castrol quite early during an OCI. Following this, it thickens up again as it starts to break down. In a twin-turbo application, this is something to be *VERY* wary of about M1. It could be too thin to provide good protection if you spiritedly. Checking out some longer OCI UOA's, and you'll see this happening with the M1.

Not true. SN version is very, very shear stable. I did several UOA, and after 5000 miles it sheared from 13.5 to 13.3.


My apologies, then.

Still, I was seeing a lot of reasonably recent threads here on BITOG during my research that indicated this (2011-2012 range)

I am not sure when SN version hit the market. I used always Castrol 0W30 until they switched to Belgium made.
I did several UOA and saw many UOA of that SN version, and they are all shear stable. That is impressive, considering I drive direct injection car in the US, where sulfur content in gas is very high, which again, dilutes oil.
 
The SN version was a late bloomer, particularly in some markets. We were seeing the SM version up here as recently as last year, LOL!
 
Originally Posted By: boxcartommie22
red line 5w30 and 0w40 are both bmw LL-01 approved. states it on their wedsite.


No, they are recommended for applications calling for LL-01, they are NOT formally approved by BMW.
 
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Getting actual certifications is expensive, so a relatively small independent producer like Redline tends not to spend the bucks. It is of unrivaled quality, but as the other poster pointed out.......Mobil 1 is better than it needs be, cheaper, and readily available. Redline can only be incrementally better, if it is better.


I agree here.
Redline is my favorite brand of oil however m1 0w-40 is a tough act to follow as far as quality goes and once price is factored in there is no equal.

Originally Posted By: boxcartommie22
red line 5w30 and 0w40 are both bmw LL-01 approved. states it on their wedsite.


No it doesn't. It says "recommended for", not "approved".
Get it together man.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: boxcartommie22
red line 5w30 and 0w40 are both bmw LL-01 approved. states it on their wedsite.


No, they are recommended for applications calling for LL-01, they are NOT formally approved by BMW.
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Getting actual certifications is expensive, so a relatively small independent producer like Redline tends not to spend the bucks. It is of unrivaled quality, but as the other poster pointed out.......Mobil 1 is better than it needs be, cheaper, and readily available. Redline can only be incrementally better, if it is better.


I agree here.
Redline is my favorite brand of oil however m1 0w-40 is a tough act to follow as far as quality goes and once price is factored in there is no equal.

Originally Posted By: boxcartommie22
red line 5w30 and 0w40 are both bmw LL-01 approved. states it on their wedsite.


No it doesn't. It says "recommended for", not "approved".
Get it together man.


I've noticed this with some of the minor oil players. Some of them will suggest:
"Meets or Exceeds the following specifications for oils.... {e.g.} LL01, MB-XYZ.OO, VW-ASDF-XX" (and so on).
Now this is all well and good, but you just can't say without a manufacturer approval. I'm not sure if all the information about what each specification is even released to the public/oil companies, unless they signed onto this testing process. So you might not get what your engine is needing...

Worth considering before you put the stuff in the engine, if you intend to run it at factory intervals or in harsh conditions (Which the Euro specs seem to have in mind, IMO).
 
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Getting actual certifications is expensive, so a relatively small independent producer like Redline tends not to spend the bucks. It is of unrivaled quality, but as the other poster pointed out.......Mobil 1 is better than it needs be, cheaper, and readily available. Redline can only be incrementally better, if it is better.

Getting actual certification, meaning sending oil for certification is not expensive. I was part of that process, testing VW504.00/507.00 oil, and small producer send it after all tests to VW. That part is cheap, when it comes to that case, it was around 3,000 euros. RL and others are not doing it probably bcs there is something there that they think is beneficial to oil, but maybe is problem when it comes to certification.
 
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