[BavarianMW]

So heres the info im reading here and there from Motul and mobil's websites, no clear answers though. I know alot you think that 0W-40 is good, but i hear that straight weight oils arent the best choices. But then I read thing like how higher numbers mean better hot temp protection, so then why not oils like 15W-50......then i read that those arent recomended yet the companies say that they'r good for racing. This is why im confused. I live in a warm climate and wanted a very low viscous oil and i dont need the cold weather protection of 0W rated oils so i got 5W-20.......but i keep reading things like this and im not getting clear answers. What i want to know is, is 5W-20 a thin oil that lets the engine rev more freely yet provides excellent protection, is it more suited for hot temps and hot weather, and im confused about thicker oil and thinner oils, both claim to have protection in hot temps and this and that. Can someone please just make sense outa all this, cuz it seems like every grade provides the best hot/cold temp protection.....

"0W-20 is a leading edge viscosity grade uniquely designed to enhance the power output of vehicles equipped with high revolution engines, while providing a protection system for the most extreme driving conditions."


"Mobil 1 15W-50 is formulated with SuperSyn, an extra-high viscosity synthetic fluid, plus extra anti-wear additive to provide extra protection for severe service applications such as towing, hauling and racing. Mobil 1 15W-50 is recommended for high performance vehicles including turbocharged and supercharged engines where a thicker oil film is desired.

Mobil 1 15W-50 is also recommended for older valve train designs that may benefit from a higher level of anti-wear normally not required for newer generation vehicles. Mobil 1 15W-50 will also provide better anti-wear protection for higher valve spring tensions in certain racing engines."


This is from mobil 1:

http://mobil1.com/USA-English/MotorO..._1_5W-20.aspxt

This is from Motul:

On packaging, what does 15W-40, 5W-40, etc., mean?
These are SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) viscosity grades that class four-stroke engine oils in relation to their hot and cold viscosity characteristics.
These grades are defined as follows:
· a winter grade, followed by the letter W, 15W for example
· a summer grade, this figure comes after the winter grade, 40 for example
The smaller the winter grade number (0W, 5W, 10W, 15W, 20W, 25W) the more the oil remains fluid at low temperatures, and therefore the easier it is to start the engine in very cold weather.
The higher the summer grade number (20, 30, 40, 50, 60 the more the oil remains viscous at high temperatures (100°C), and therefore the more protection it provides to the motor during strenuous use. Present day engines are designed to operate with a hot oil viscosity of SAE 40. In winter, a cold grade of SAE 15W is ample to provide starting without problems. An oil of SAE 15W-40 is therefore suitable for temperatures ranging from -10°C to +40°C. (refer to the vehicle manufacturer's exact recommendations).

[scottp999]

In the US you would want to just forget about the numbers and find an oil that meets the BMW LL01 standard. LL04 does not seem to be available in the United States yet.

Both Castrol 0W-30 and Mobil 1 0W-40 are BMW LL01 rated. I could only track down 1 bottle of the castrol in my area so I went of the Mobil 1. From my reading the approved oils for LL01 have additives the car needs. Not sure that is a fact just what I have seen in other posts.

Mobil1 mentins turbo engines on the bottle and castrol mentions them on their web site.

[epiphone3]

+1. Just use a BMW LL01.

0W20 may be too thin for a BMW. There are no 0w20 weith oils that I know of that are BMW longlife rated. The 20 may cause you to lose protection when the engine gots hot.

Using oils that are too heavy, like 20W50 for example, may be so heavy that the engines oil system may not be able to supply enough pressure to maintain a protective film between bearings, etc.

Stick with 0W30, 0W40, 5W30, or 5W40 oils that are BMW LL01 or BMW LL04. By the way, I saw you say that 0W40 is a straight weight oil... it is in fact a multigrade oil.

[Rsquad911]

I've done extensive testing with motor oils in a lab. I can tell you this... Stay away form Castrol (North American ones at least) Castrol Edge in Europe is amazing.

Top 3 oils I'd recommend is Motul 300V or 8100, Shell Helix, Castrol Edge... Then Agip, Redline, AMS Oil and lastly Mobil 1

Motul 300V I've seen 15-25hp gain just by oil change alone (turbo charged rx-8) Motul is readily available and is affordable. Shell Helix... too expensive.... Castrol Edge... hard to find.

The base stocks used on the my top 3 picks are very very very good. They are all synthetic ester based a true 100% synthetic oil.

I used to be a fan of Mobil... But with recent formula changes... well you know how the story goes.

Oil formulations have (are) changed due to the new API SM rating and the EPA-mandated rules on cat life. This resulted in drastically reduced levels of ZDDP which is NOT a good thing.

The bottom line is that if the bottle has "API SM/SL" on it, its NOT the same good stuff as you've been using.

I went to a local auto store looking at various oils to see what was currently available. All of the Mobil 1 formulations were now the new SM, the Royal Purple was still SL (this may change). Look carefully at the bottles as that tells the tale.

if you can afford it go Motul 300V.... if not Motul 8100. never cheap out on oil and oil changes.... oil is cheaper than a new engine =O)

[epiphone3]

Originally Posted by Rsquad911

I've done extensive testing with motor oils in a lab. I can tell you this... Stay away form Castrol (North American ones at least) Castrol Edge in Europe is amazing.

Top 3 oils I'd recommend is Motul 300V or 8100, Shell Helix, Castrol Edge... Then Agip, Redline, AMS Oil and lastly Mobil 1

Motul 300V I've seen 15-25hp gain just by oil change alone (turbo charged rx-8) Motul is readily available and is affordable. Shell Helix... too expensive.... Castrol Edge... hard to find.

The base stocks used on the my top 3 picks are very very very good. They are all synthetic ester based a true 100% synthetic oil.

I used to be a fan of Mobil... But with recent formula changes... well you know how the story goes.

Oil formulations have (are) changed due to the new API SM rating and the EPA-mandated rules on cat life. This resulted in drastically reduced levels of ZDDP which is NOT a good thing.

The bottom line is that if the bottle has "API SM/SL" on it, its NOT the same good stuff as you've been using.

I went to a local auto store looking at various oils to see what was currently available. All of the Mobil 1 formulations were now the new SM, the Royal Purple was still SL (this may change). Look carefully at the bottles as that tells the tale.

if you can afford it go Motul 300V.... if not Motul 8100. never cheap out on oil and oil changes.... oil is cheaper than a new engine =O)

Thing that sucks is that there doesn't seem to be a Motul 300V that is BMW LL01 or BMW LL04 rated

I run Motul synthetic in my Sportbike and it seems to really like the stuff... I go riding on the track and it stands up to 200+ kilometers of 10,000+ rpms like a champ.

[BavarianMW]

Originally Posted by epiphone3

Thing that sucks is that there doesn't seem to be a Motul 300V that is BMW LL01 or BMW LL04 rated

I run Motul synthetic in my Sportbike and it seems to really like the stuff... I go riding on the track and it stands up to 200+ kilometers of 10,000+ rpms like a champ.

LL just means long life, i change my oil every 3k regardless of oil grades and whatever so unless your trying to get longevity out of your oil then the whole LL system means nothing

[De90man]

scottp999, love that you have a James Brown CD on your table:rocks:

Can I ask a nutty question?

Rsquad911, oil can give you a 15-25hp gain?

[BoostedInPhx]

BavarianMW your best bet at this time is to use the BMW oil or the Mobil 1 0w-40 (or the proper Castrol if you can find it) since these are the 3 oils approved by BMW for the 335I. These are BMW LL-01 rated. The "LONG Life" in the name is only part of the specification so don't assume because you change your oil every 3000 miles you don't need to meet this specification because there is more to the spec then long life. I think most of us agree 15000 miles is to long to go but 3000 mile changes may just be a waste of money. I am a 6 or 7k man myself. Each man to his own schedule. Surprisingly the oil at the dealer is not typically any more expensive then the Mobile 1. Rsquad911 brings up some good points about the newer oils and the amount of ZDDP they contain. This is more of a problem in older cars with flat tappet cams. The cam manufactures all recommend the addition of a break-in additive on new engines or rebuilt engines to prevent cam failure. This is a good reason to not do that first oil change to early. The cam problem should not exist in the 335I since it has roller cams. This link provides some insight to the reduced ZDDP levels. http://www.amsoil.com/dealer/techser...shaft_lube.pdf The recommendation to use oils rated for diesel operation is because they contain more ZDDP to protect the wrist pins on the end of the connecting rods which are also high pressure wear points.

scottp999's picture of the back of the Mobil 1 0W-40 bottle explains the rest. First this is the only Mobil 1 oil that meets BMW LL-01 and I don't believe it has been reformulated because of the API SM rating. You just need to read the label closely. First it is API SM,SL/CF and notice the bottom of the API doughnut is blank. The EPA said the catalytic converter must last longer but did not spec the amount of phosphorus/zinc (ZDDP) it could contain. The API SM does limit the amount of phosphorus/zinc the oil can contain but there is an exception and that is if the "S" gasoline rating is followed by a "C" diesel rating and then there is not a limit. Second it is recommended for diesel engines, indicated by the CF rating which is quit old (1994) and also the GM-LL-B-025 diesel rating. The last indication is the thing that is missing which is the GF-4 rating which also mandates the low phosphorus/zinc (ZDDP) levels to protect the cat converters. Give BMW more credit for their knowledge of engines and the oil they use.

Here is the link to a Castrol USA document that describes the Castrol Syntec European Blend that scottp999's picture showed. http://www.castrol.com/liveassets/bp...syntec_usa.pdf

[BavarianMW]

i still prefer Motul 300v and Royal Purple XPR in a 5W-30 weight though, thanks for your insight

[jon@themshop]

Originally Posted by BavarianMW

i still prefer Motul 300v and Royal Purple XPR in a 5W-30 weight though, thanks for your insight

Those are racing type oils. Try to find out if they have the detergency additives to keep engine parts clean for a street engine. Usually racing oils may have the best lubricity package and ability to resist up to hydrocarbons and heat but if it can't clean engine parts then there's no point.

[E90330iS]

Where can I get Mobil 1 0W-40??

[scottp999]

Originally Posted by E90330iS

Where can I get Mobil 1 0W-40??

Advanced Auto Parts

[E90330iS]

We don't have that at West Coast... anywhere else?

[TwinBoost]

Just to clear things up about Royal Purples XPR, It will void your warranty if used because the XPR Racing oils don't conform to API and ILSAC licensing requirements.