BMW 2001 E46 M3 - Still confused

[Elme]

Got my self a M3 and still confused about, what to use ( live i Denmark, where it will go as low as -10C or 14F).

I do time from time drive it a little hard, but nothing even close to track race.

Some say you cant use anything else than the famous TWS 10W60.
Others say, go a head and use 5W40 mobil-1 or even 0W40...

Im lost! Please help with input/insight.

 

[skyactiv]

I'd use Liquid Moly Synthoil Race Tech GT1 10W60. Don't overthink it.

 

[JC1]

I think I'd use 0w-40. What to the BMW forums recommend?

 

[Nickdfresh]

I'd use the 0/5W-40 in your climate...

 

[Elme]

The BMW forums always screams tws 10W60, or the world will explode. But pretty sure its just people who just repeats what they have heard from others who have heard from others who once was at a track day with Brian who once saw a guy who onwed a M3....

 

[RooflessVW]

I'd run the TWS. It has a pour point of -39 and it is recommended for year-round use by BMW.

You can, and others have, run Castrol 0W-40 during winter, but be easy on the big end bearings when it's warmed up. (No full throttle at lower rpm, etc.)

 

[FCD]

Castrol Edge or Mobil 1 0w40, maybe even 5w50? In Denmark i think you would be fine with a 10w60 synthetic though, Castrol TWS , Mobil 1 Motorsport Formula, Liqui Moly...

 

[dgunay]

I remember that I've seen good UOA results with 0w40

I would use 0w40 winter/daily and 10w60 summer/track.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: dgunay
I remember that I've seen good UOA results with 0w40

I would use 0w40 winter/daily and 10w60 summer/track.
My my, what will the thin oil groupies say?

 

[BrocLuno]

Is the 2001 BMW part of the bad bearing clearance group of engines? I'd think Mobil1 15W-50 would be entirely adequate for a non-track car

I think a lot of Beemer drivers want to think they work their cars hard, but that is hard to do in traffic. It's like a Sierra Club member thinking they are an outdoorsman when they buy a calendar for their office cubicle ...

So you bought a nice used Beemer. What you didn't tell us is how many miles/kilometers are on it? If it already has 80,000 or something there is enough wear that the clearances have opened up a half a thousandth so it is somewhat less critical

60 is only needed if the oil temps will be above 250~300*F for sustained periods. If all the driving you do is street stuff, and the cooling system is keeping the oil temps reasonable (~220*F ish), then a 50 at op temp will be about the same film depth (viscosity) and you'll be fine.

You already know from the Beemer forums the 10W is the recommended winter weight (from the 10W60 arguments ...), and since you are not really going to the low pour limit even for 15W, I am confident the Mobil 1 15W-50 will be a really good choice for you and your car

 

[Lolvoguy]

would Rotella T 15w40 work in this situation?

I run my bike and BMW in my sig on it. If OP isn't driving his car hard, and it has a decent amount of mileage, I'd say there's no problem with running it.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

You don't have to use BMW's special Castrol 10w60. As others have mentioned, Liqui-Moly 10w60 is good, and you might even have more choices in 10w60 over there than we get in the states.

Redline offers a 10w60, but even they say it isn't necessary, and they say most run fine on their 5w30 (Redline's oils are thicker than everyone else's, for a given grade). Redline BMW article

M1 0w40 will probably work, too.

 

[4WD]

+1
M1 15w-50 rides in some fast toys ...

 

[FCD]

Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
would Rotella T 15w40 work in this situation?

I run my bike and BMW in my sig on it. If OP isn't driving his car hard, and it has a decent amount of mileage, I'd say there's no problem with running it.

In Euorpe it's Rimula not Rotella, and it's also conventional and not synthetic, a 15w conventional oil is too heavy for -10c which is relatively usual in Denmark, and Rimula is pretty hard to find over the counter as it is designed for Big truck engines , also the only one that i know is gasoline rated ( SL ) is the 15w40 R4X and it has 1250ppm of zddp which may be harmful for the catalytic converter

 

[Popsy]

M1 5W50, best of both worlds. Easy to get online, although not cheap. Maybe Motul sport 5W50 too, but I haven't tried this one.

 

[dgunay]

I can't believe how people easily suggest using 15w oil for a car which has common bearing/crank problems, and which is really picky/hard on oil. I just thought I am reading comments on reddit for a second.

Stop suggesting conventional oil for a performance car requires fully syn. Rotella T5 15w-40 isn't even fully synthetic here in North America.

He lives in Denmark, assuming pretty cold place during winter. Why the heck would someone suggest 15w oil? Would you use 15w oil in the winter of Alaska? If you wouldn't, then don't recommend it to anyone.

@OP : You don't need thicker oil than 10w, 10w60 is perfectly fine for summer or trackdays. But since you mentioned that you don't go to track/autox, I doubt you really need 10w60. If I were you, as long as it's daily driven, I would use Mobil 1 0w40 or Castrol Edge 5w40.

 

[Jetronic]

Denmark is nothing like Alaska though! Greenland is, but that's not where this guy lives.

15w is good for use down to -20°C, the OP states a minimum temperature of -10°C.

15w40 will be as good a choice as 0w40 or 5w40 as far as viscosity goes. But you won't find one with an LL-01 rating.

 

[dgunay]

Originally Posted By: Jetronic
Denmark is nothing like Alaska though! Greenland is, but that's not where this guy lives.


You should do some research before commenting here. You will see that average winter temp is less than -10C in Anchorage, AK which is the most populated city in the province.

http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/united-states/alaska/anchorage/index_centigrade.htm

Of course average temp in Denmark is a little bit warmer, but the OP mentioned -10C degrees, so it is a great example to explain guys here in North America what type of weather circumstances are we talking about.

On paper, even 20w50 conventional is good for use down to -20C. Would you use that? I don't think so. 0w or 5w would be more suitable for his driving/weather circumstances, and I don't think you'd disagree with that.

 

[FCD]

The minimum temps you will see in Denmark are about -10c but commonly in winter the temperature varies between a couple degrees below zero celsisus and usually hovers around zero

 

[dgunay]

There is no reason to drag weather comparison between Alaska and Denmark into this topic. We are all well aware that Alaska will be colder.

It was the way to explain for people (live in US/Canada) who suggests 15w for a person lives in a cold climate. I kindly asked them would you use 15w in Alaska winter, and that's it. Let them find the answer.

I hope everything is clear now.