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      08-01-2019, 03:57 PM   #23
Dackelone
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Originally Posted by gjm120 View Post
I'm changing my oil (128i) yearly. Try not to use the car for very short runs like going to the supermarket and I only put about 5,000 / year on the car.

Do I need to consider more frequent changes??? FWIW while under wtty BMW would only change it annually if mileage was low. (I know BMW isn't terribly concerned about my N52 lasting very long after the wtty expired)
Well... The best oil is fresh oil.

I remember talking to an old VW/Audi tech trainer years ago... someone asked him... Hey, I only drive my car ten miles to work each way... and less than 6K miles in a year. I only change my oil once a year. The VW/Audi trainer said IF it was his car... he would be changing the oil every month! True story.

This same Master Trainer(Jim Sartwell, his son's owned a famous VW Beetle tuning shop in the MD/DC area) also had a '69 Camaro... with only 200 miles on it. This was back in 1998. Jim liked to brag that his Camaro only had 200 miles. but he put them on a 1/4 mile at a time! He would drag race it and it still had it's original window sticker and protective plastic on the seats!!

Most drag racer's change their oil after each run. Oil is cheap, but a new engine isn't.

I think you should probably change your oil twice a year. Once in the Spring and once in the Fall. This is what most classic car owners do. You should also change the other fluids too like Brake, Coolant, Trans and Diff fluids too.

You want fresh oil in the engine over the winter months when you don't drive/run the car. All those short engine runs in the winter months... build up water in the oil... so that's why you should change the oil before using a car for the Spring/Summer. I know you don't store your car... but only driving 5K miles a year...

I would change the oil more than just once a year. But that's just me.

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      08-01-2019, 11:00 PM   #24
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Here's a comparison of the bottles I bought in 2018 and 2019:

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      08-02-2019, 02:39 AM   #25
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Now that is really weird...

On the US website the LL-01 standard is not listed.

CASTROL EDGE 0W-40 A3/B4 (US)

On the German website its the same thing (seems we still got the old design):

CASTROL EDGE 0W-40 A3/B4 (DE)

They dont even mention anything about Full Synthetic or Blend/HC anymore on the German website

On amazon, for example, it says "Teilsynthese" on the 5 liter jug and "HC-Synthese" on the 1 liter (so its blend), wtf?
The "english labeled" 4 liter jug still says Full Synthetic and seems to have the LL-01 spec listed. Guess thats why its much more expensive.

At least in the US you still get full synthetic, even though LL-01 spec is definately not listed anymore.


I just bought Motul 8100 X-max 0W-40. Not taking any risks with this untransparent mess at Castrols.

Last edited by TylerD; 08-02-2019 at 02:46 AM..
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      08-02-2019, 11:52 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dackelone View Post
Well... The best oil is fresh oil.

I remember talking to an old VW/Audi tech trainer years ago... someone asked him... Hey, I only drive my car ten miles to work each way... and less than 6K miles in a year. I only change my oil once a year. The VW/Audi trainer said IF it was his car... he would be changing the oil every month! True story.

This same Master Trainer(Jim Sartwell, his son's owned a famous VW Beetle tuning shop in the MD/DC area) also had a '69 Camaro... with only 200 miles on it. This was back in 1998. Jim liked to brag that his Camaro only had 200 miles. but he put them on a 1/4 mile at a time! He would drag race it and it still had it's original window sticker and protective plastic on the seats!!

Most drag racer's change their oil after each run. Oil is cheap, but a new engine isn't.

I think you should probably change your oil twice a year. Once in the Spring and once in the Fall. This is what most classic car owners do. You should also change the other fluids too like Brake, Coolant, Trans and Diff fluids too.

You want fresh oil in the engine over the winter months when you don't drive/run the car. All those short engine runs in the winter months... build up water in the oil... so that's why you should change the oil before using a car for the Spring/Summer. I know you don't store your car... but only driving 5K miles a year...

I would change the oil more than just once a year. But that's just me.

Dackel
Winter?!?! I slept late that day as missed it.

I'll probably shorten my interval -maybe not to 6 months - but more often than annually.
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      08-02-2019, 08:14 PM   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TylerD View Post
Now that is really weird...

On the US website the LL-01 standard is not listed.

CASTROL EDGE 0W-40 A3/B4 (US)

On the German website its the same thing (seems we still got the old design):

CASTROL EDGE 0W-40 A3/B4 (DE)

They dont even mention anything about Full Synthetic or Blend/HC anymore on the German website

On amazon, for example, it says "Teilsynthese" on the 5 liter jug and "HC-Synthese" on the 1 liter (so its blend), wtf?
The "english labeled" 4 liter jug still says Full Synthetic and seems to have the LL-01 spec listed. Guess thats why its much more expensive.

At least in the US you still get full synthetic, even though LL-01 spec is definately not listed anymore.


I just bought Motul 8100 X-max 0W-40. Not taking any risks with this untransparent mess at Castrols.
Different laws. Same oil. In the US, they are allowed to call it "full synthetic", it Germany, they can't, because it is largely Group 3 synthetic. (Hydrocarbon based)

If you want a real full synthetic, get the Motul, which is Group 4 and Group 5. (PAO and ester). If it is called a full synthetic in Germany, it's the real deal.
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      08-02-2019, 09:05 PM   #28
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At 70K just put in 7L of Liqui-Moly 5W-30 with a fresh filter. Hope that it is as good as advertised now that Mobil 1 no longer lists BMW LL codes. Plan is to continue to change every 10K miles like I've had success with using Mobil 1.
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      08-02-2019, 10:49 PM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech View Post
Different laws. Same oil. In the US, they are allowed to call it "full synthetic", it Germany, they can't, because it is largely Group 3 synthetic. (Hydrocarbon based)

If you want a real full synthetic, get the Motul, which is Group 4 and Group 5. (PAO and ester). If it is called a full synthetic in Germany, it's the real deal.
So is the BMW-branded synthetic the real deal?
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      08-03-2019, 05:03 AM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech View Post
Different laws. Same oil. In the US, they are allowed to call it "full synthetic", it Germany, they can't, because it is largely Group 3 synthetic. (Hydrocarbon based)

If you want a real full synthetic, get the Motul, which is Group 4 and Group 5. (PAO and ester). If it is called a full synthetic in Germany, it's the real deal.
Makes total sense!
Already got the Motul
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      08-03-2019, 08:46 AM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bmw1racer View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech View Post
Different laws. Same oil. In the US, they are allowed to call it "full synthetic", it Germany, they can't, because it is largely Group 3 synthetic. (Hydrocarbon based)

If you want a real full synthetic, get the Motul, which is Group 4 and Group 5. (PAO and ester). If it is called a full synthetic in Germany, it's the real deal.
So is the BMW-branded synthetic the real deal?
It is made by Shell. They largely use a process that uses natural gas, which would make it a Group 3, or hydrocarbon based.
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      08-03-2019, 10:46 AM   #32
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http://gasprocessingnews.com/feature...tural-gas.aspx

This article was written by Shell people so a bit of an advert, but, still an interesting read. I've seen elsewhere that GTL base oils are better than other group III oils and can be as good performing as group IV.

Interesting point of the terminology is that PAO's (Group IV) are made from ethylene gas which is a hydrocarbon but still called man made.

Bunch of useless information but fun none the less.
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      08-13-2019, 09:42 PM   #33
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I made the switch to Motul and haven't looked back.
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      08-21-2019, 12:21 PM   #34
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A couple of good oil options:

Liqui Moly

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...37ed2488d9d2a6

Motul

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...31a7b99992eff1
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      08-21-2019, 03:41 PM   #35
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So with the Castrol Edge I use 0w40

With the Motul and Liqui Moly should I use 5w40 (like the 2 links posted above)?
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      08-23-2019, 08:35 AM   #36
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According to EPA (USA national standards and regulations)

Quote:
Tier 3 program..... lowers the sulfur content of gasoline to a maximum of 10ppm beginning in 2017
(which is the same standard in EU).

reference
https://www.epa.gov/gasoline-standards/gasoline-sulfur

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dackelone View Post
Yes, the US market(LL1) has high amount of sulfur in the fuel. In Europe(LL4) the have little to no sulfur in the fuel. Hence the two Long Life ratings
I dug up some (old)PDF's on BMW approved oils... I've attached them bellow. Its been a long time since these pdf's have been released... so take them with a grain of salt.

Getting back to US vs EU oils/fuels... I don't know where I read it... but I am fairly sure that a LL4 rated oil(low sulfur for the EU market) meets/exceeds LL1 specs. And that is why you can use a LL4 rated oil for the US market. Again, I am fairly sure on that, but not 100% sure.

The best thing is to change your oil often. At least twice a year regardless of mileage. IF you don't drive that many miles in a year... it is even more important to change your oil. All those short drives and fuel getting into your oil does an engine no good. The BEST oil is FRESH oil!

Btw... BMW has said in the past that any viscosity oil with a LL(rating for your countries fuel type) can be used. Any 0w40, 0w30, 5w30 or 5w40 oils.

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      08-23-2019, 09:36 AM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by niceast View Post
According to EPA (USA national standards and regulations)


(which is the same standard in EU).

reference
https://www.epa.gov/gasoline-standards/gasoline-sulfur
It;s 10ppm by refiner average for the year. Any individual batch can be as high as 95ppm downstream of the refinery.

What are the odds of getting anything higher than 10ppm - hard to tell
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      08-23-2019, 04:24 PM   #38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fakemike View Post
So with the Castrol Edge I use 0w40

With the Motul and Liqui Moly should I use 5w40 (like the 2 links posted above)?
5W will flow in cold winter climates, but the 0W flows even better. If it doesn't get much below freezing, 5W will be plenty fine.
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      08-23-2019, 05:33 PM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by niceast View Post
According to EPA (USA national standards and regulations)


(which is the same standard in EU).

reference
https://www.epa.gov/gasoline-standards/gasoline-sulfur

The fuel are different from the US fuels. In Germany we have little to no sulfur in the fuel. You can see this by the white circular DIN stickers that must be displayed at every gas station pump.


Sulfur = Schwefl

Sulfur free = Schweflfrei


I always use 98 SuperPlus.. its equivalent to 93 octane in the USA.


Esso fuel pumps here in Bayern...
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      08-28-2019, 07:16 AM   #40
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I do not think drivers of BMW 1 series vehicles need to worry about using Castrol 0-40 or even Mobil 1 0-40 that used to carry the LL-01 rating but no longer do. Despite the fact that there are containers of at least the Castrol in circulation with the LL-01 on them. I believe the issue is that BMW changed the LL-01 rating for the turbo 4 cylinder engine and require the oil manufacturer to re-certify their oil to retain the LL-01 rating. So far Castrol and Mobil have not done that. But we do not drive vehicles with the B58 engine. So the same oil that BMW formerly said was OK for our engines should still be OK.

If I pushed the oil to maximum life I might feel differently. But I change it every 5,000 miles which is about 3 times a year. So I am not draining oil with all the additives gone. It's easier to change add lubrication margin by changing it more often than it is to try and use the latest and greatest oil. At least that is my theory.

If I had a B58, especially the 300+ hp version, I would be more cautious and find oil with the LL-01 rating.
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      08-28-2019, 08:42 AM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JimD View Post
I do not think drivers of BMW 1 series vehicles need to worry about using Castrol 0-40 or even Mobil 1 0-40 that used to carry the LL-01 rating but no longer do. Despite the fact that there are containers of at least the Castrol in circulation with the LL-01 on them. I believe the issue is that BMW changed the LL-01 rating for the turbo 4 cylinder engine and require the oil manufacturer to re-certify their oil to retain the LL-01 rating. So far Castrol and Mobil have not done that. But we do not drive vehicles with the B58 engine. So the same oil that BMW formerly said was OK for our engines should still be OK.

If I pushed the oil to maximum life I might feel differently. But I change it every 5,000 miles which is about 3 times a year. So I am not draining oil with all the additives gone. It's easier to change add lubrication margin by changing it more often than it is to try and use the latest and greatest oil. At least that is my theory.

If I had a B58, especially the 300+ hp version, I would be more cautious and find oil with the LL-01 rating.
I agree. I think that's valid reasoning.
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      08-28-2019, 09:48 AM   #42
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Valid point unless both Castrol and Mobil changed formulations.
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      08-28-2019, 11:55 AM   #43
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The new Penzoil Plat Euro 5W40 formula has LL-01, and has nearly the same viscosity specs as the Castrol 0W40.

It is also rated SN+ for prevention of LSPI. Although I don't think that is a concern on our 6 cyl engines.

https://www.pennzoil.com/en_ca/produ...inum-euro.html
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      11-17-2019, 05:36 PM   #44
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Here in my part of Canada, Castrol 0-30 (made in Belgium) and 0-40 (made in Germany) are both LL01 approved full synthetics. Recently switched from 0-30 to 0-40 only because of price. The 0-30 is only available in litres at about $14.00 and never goes on sale, while the 0-40 is available in 5 litre jugs and on sale is about 1/2 the price. Both weights are approved according to my owner's manual.
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