Is BMW LL 01 the toughest spec out there?

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JXW

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Having purchased a certified 328xi, 2010 vintage I realize the car had 15k intervals for oc. Most of these miles I guess are short trips for a low mileage lease and also in Michigan Temps.

My thoughts are the spec for this oil has to be amazing as those conditions and milage interval is incredibly tough.

Personally I don't believe in 15k interval so I wanted to ask the BITOG community for input specific to that standard.
 
Ahh Mercedes Benz 229.5 is equally as tough per Lubrizol comparison chart. BMW LL-01 is a 8/10 for wear protection vs 7/10 MB 229.5. But MB 229.5 scores a 10/10 vs 8/10 for the BMW LL-01 for sludge resistance. I know that Porsche C30 and A40 are definitely tougher.
 
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Originally Posted By: wemay
Looks like Porsche A30 and VW504 are the toughest overall.


I always thought those were the two toughest industry specs.
 
Actually, Lubrizol has a typo there. The spec is C30, not A30, but yeah...
smile.gif


http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...fic#Post3585110
 
Originally Posted By: bbhero
Ahh Mercedes Benz 229.5 is equally as tough per Lubrizol comparison chart. BMW LL-01 is a 8/10 for wear protection vs 7/10 MB 229.5. But MB 229.5 scores a 10/10 vs 8/10 for the BMW LL-01 for sludge resistance. I know that Porsche C30 and A40 are definitely tougher.


But isn't true that the same oils meet both Porsche VW MB and BMW spec?
 
Originally Posted By: JXW
Originally Posted By: bbhero
Ahh Mercedes Benz 229.5 is equally as tough per Lubrizol comparison chart. BMW LL-01 is a 8/10 for wear protection vs 7/10 MB 229.5. But MB 229.5 scores a 10/10 vs 8/10 for the BMW LL-01 for sludge resistance. I know that Porsche C30 and A40 are definitely tougher.


But isn't true that the same oils meet both Porsche VW MB and BMW spec?

Yes they do. Which means that oil is better then some specifications require. For example, meeting VW 502.00 specification is not particularly hard.
VW 504.00/507.00 have very low max. SAPS level, so if it meets that it will meet SAPS level for MB and BMW, since MB and BMW allow mid-SAPS in their diesels.
Do not forget, these requirements specify minimum what oil need to meet, not maximum.
 
Originally Posted By: JXW
Having purchased a certified 328xi, 2010 vintage I realize the car had 15k intervals for oc. Most of these miles I guess are short trips for a low mileage lease and also in Michigan Temps.
My thoughts are the spec for this oil has to be amazing as those conditions and milage interval is incredibly tough.
Personally I don't believe in 15k interval so I wanted to ask the BITOG community for input specific to that standard.


Short tripping is classed as severe service in my opinion and that means the OCI max limit should be reduced by half. Oddly enough Renault are one of the few manufacturers to define severe service intervals in a sensible manner, the others just list a Max figure and leave the rest to the owner.
The BMW, Merc and Porsche oil specs are very good, BUT nothing beats a Ferrari oil recommendation:
http://pureplus.shell.com/en/recommended-by-the-best/
 
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Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
Originally Posted By: JXW
Having purchased a certified 328xi, 2010 vintage I realize the car had 15k intervals for oc. Most of these miles I guess are short trips for a low mileage lease and also in Michigan Temps.
My thoughts are the spec for this oil has to be amazing as those conditions and milage interval is incredibly tough.
Personally I don't believe in 15k interval so I wanted to ask the BITOG community for input specific to that standard.


Short tripping is classed as severe service in my opinion and that means the OCI max limit should be reduced by half. Oddly enough Renault are one of the few manufacturers to define severe service intervals in a sensible manner, the others just list a Max figure and leave the rest to the owner.
The BMW, Merc and Porsche oil specs are very good, BUT nothing beats a Ferrari oil recommendation:
http://pureplus.shell.com/en/recommended-by-the-best/

What Ferrari requires from oil? What their specification states?
In some Ferrari engines they use Shell Helix 10W60. Does that means Castrol 10W60 is not good enough since Ferrari does not recommend? Or other 10W60?
Shell and Ferrari work for a long time together. However, that does not make Shell any better or worst oil then other ones.
 
Originally Posted By: edyvw

VW 504.00/507.00 have very low max. SAPS level, so if it meets that it will meet SAPS level for MB and BMW, since MB and BMW allow mid-SAPS in their diesels.
Do not forget, these requirements specify minimum what oil need to meet, not maximum.


Absolutely right; my cars require BMW LL-04 and MB 229.51, but I always make sure the engine oil used also meets the VW 504.00/507.00 specifications, thereby getting the best performing solution. Thankfully there are many available, so always a good choice!

Regards, lim
 
Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
Originally Posted By: JXW
Having purchased a certified 328xi, 2010 vintage I realize the car had 15k intervals for oc. Most of these miles I guess are short trips for a low mileage lease and also in Michigan Temps.
My thoughts are the spec for this oil has to be amazing as those conditions and milage interval is incredibly tough.
Personally I don't believe in 15k interval so I wanted to ask the BITOG community for input specific to that standard.


Short tripping is classed as severe service in my opinion and that means the OCI max limit should be reduced by half. Oddly enough Renault are one of the few manufacturers to define severe service intervals in a sensible manner, the others just list a Max figure and leave the rest to the owner.
The BMW, Merc and Porsche oil specs are very good, BUT nothing beats a Ferrari oil recommendation:
http://pureplus.shell.com/en/recommended-by-the-best/

Guess you work for shell ?
 
How did we get on Diesel oil specifications in an LL01 thread?

They may be more stringent specifications, but LL04/504/507/M229.51/C30 oils are not suitable in an engine designed for LL01/502/505/M229.5/A40.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
How did we get on Diesel oil specifications in an LL01 thread?

They may be more stringent specifications, but LL04/504/507/M229.51/C30 oils are not suitable in an engine designed for LL01/502/505/M229.5/A40.


BMW and MB specs are dual-rated. 229.51 and LL04 are gas/diesel. VW 504.00 is gas.
 
Dual rated for very low sulphur fuel only (petrol & diesel).

But if you have a bit of sulphur in your fuel, like some countries do with their petrol, then I believe you are better sticking to the High SAPS Specs like BMW LL-01, MB 229.5, Porsche A40, etc
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
How did we get on Diesel oil specifications in an LL01 thread?

They may be more stringent specifications, but LL04/504/507/M229.51/C30 oils are not suitable in an engine designed for LL01/502/505/M229.5/A40.

In EU those are not called diesel specs. but Low and Mid-SAPS specs. Problem is in the U.S. we have third world country gas so we need High-SAPS oils.
However, I think next year EPA will mandate 10ppm gasoline and then these specs. will make sense.
So these specs. are suitable, but problem is that technologically the U.S. is behind the curve here.
 
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