After always using Castrol GTX 20w50 for the first couple of oil changes in my old BMW I’ve ventured into using HDEO because of high zinc/phos content and cheap price after learning these old straight 6s like a healthy dose. I’ve used M1 15w50, Delo cj4 15w40, frankenbrew, and current fill is Valvoline VR1 20w50 with MOS2 going for 5k OCI with good results so far.
Bearing in mind the formulations are ever changing, it’s become hard to find alternatives that I feel comfortable using since I daily the car and drive pretty aggressively depending on how late I am and LOTS of short tripping (1 mile or less) to school and back to my apartment. Also do 270+ mile trips to New Orleans and back to Lafayette often to see the fam and girlfriend, which is the bulk of my OCIs.
I’ve been on the Valvoline bandwagon lately and I’m thinking of using Maxlife 20w50 if I can get my hands on it locally, but I’m leary of new SN plus rated oils due to super low zinc/phos content related to LSPI which I don’t care about because I don’t know if that is an issue with old bmw straight 6s. I’m wondering if I should really be worried about all this unless I’m participating in an auto X event where a performance oil would be ideal. I can get Chevron Supreme 20w50 at cost from for like $3.30ea and M1 15w50 for $5.99. I typically run 3k oci’s out of principle since it’s an old engine and I’m trying to clean it up (it’s working so far) but I would definitely go 5k in M1 barring I have some issue of overheating, then I would change early.
Bearing in mind the formulations are ever changing, it’s become hard to find alternatives that I feel comfortable using since I daily the car and drive pretty aggressively depending on how late I am and LOTS of short tripping (1 mile or less) to school and back to my apartment. Also do 270+ mile trips to New Orleans and back to Lafayette often to see the fam and girlfriend, which is the bulk of my OCIs.
I’ve been on the Valvoline bandwagon lately and I’m thinking of using Maxlife 20w50 if I can get my hands on it locally, but I’m leary of new SN plus rated oils due to super low zinc/phos content related to LSPI which I don’t care about because I don’t know if that is an issue with old bmw straight 6s. I’m wondering if I should really be worried about all this unless I’m participating in an auto X event where a performance oil would be ideal. I can get Chevron Supreme 20w50 at cost from for like $3.30ea and M1 15w50 for $5.99. I typically run 3k oci’s out of principle since it’s an old engine and I’m trying to clean it up (it’s working so far) but I would definitely go 5k in M1 barring I have some issue of overheating, then I would change early.