Originally Posted By: GenaFishbeck
Actually Russian Tech, there’s a couple ways you could go with this. We recommend Pennzoil Ultra Platinum or Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 and/or 5W-40 full synthetic motor oils which are all API SN certified.
Here’s why: In the 2001 BMW 330ci Owner’s Manual, we see that the oil specified is: “high performance synthetic motor oil that carries the API SH rating and is a 5W-30 or 5W-40 viscosity grade (both viscosity grades may be used for driving in all various ambient conditions).”
BMW owner's manuals were somewhat vague on this back then, so I can see where you could get confused and just dump any old API SH oil in and try to run 15K miles with it. In reality, BMW has back specc'ed his M54 engine to require an oil meeting the LL-01 spec, which the regular PP/PUP 5w-30 oils don't meet.
Granted, I wouldn't expect his engine to blow up even if he did run it.
Actually Russian Tech, there’s a couple ways you could go with this. We recommend Pennzoil Ultra Platinum or Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 and/or 5W-40 full synthetic motor oils which are all API SN certified.
Here’s why: In the 2001 BMW 330ci Owner’s Manual, we see that the oil specified is: “high performance synthetic motor oil that carries the API SH rating and is a 5W-30 or 5W-40 viscosity grade (both viscosity grades may be used for driving in all various ambient conditions).”
BMW owner's manuals were somewhat vague on this back then, so I can see where you could get confused and just dump any old API SH oil in and try to run 15K miles with it. In reality, BMW has back specc'ed his M54 engine to require an oil meeting the LL-01 spec, which the regular PP/PUP 5w-30 oils don't meet.
Granted, I wouldn't expect his engine to blow up even if he did run it.