I am going to have my girlfriend's 1996 BMW 318ti for the following week. It has a 1.9L four cylinder engine with about 90k miles on it. The car is driven almost solely to work and back which is about 50 miles a day. Living in this part of Jersey we see max/min temperatures ranging from 5f - 100f. Since winter is coming and I now have a week to play with my girlfriend's car (which she's extremely protective about) I was wondering, what should I do? What would you do? I was thinking of seafoam the crank prior to an oil change, seafoam the brake boost and intake, mmo and fuel filter as well as a coolant flush. I've only got a week so unfortunately no arx. Also, any suggestions for oil are appreciated.
BMW 318ti Suggestions
- Thread starter Trees4Brkfst
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Forgot to mention that it does not seem to be burning any oil. Thanks everybody.
What would I do? Drive it. I would not do go crazy with a bunch of kooky cleaners. Is there a problem with the car?
Maybe change the oil and filter if it is time. Maybe change the coolant too. However, I would not do a flush.
Maybe change the oil and filter if it is time. Maybe change the coolant too. However, I would not do a flush.
Hi,
the official Handbook's recommendation for a synthetic is a 5w-40 "all year round"
An HDEO 15w-40 (a recommended viscosity) will be suitable for use in an ambient range from 10F to 100F+
As Winston has wisely said a change of conforming coolant is a good idea too
Doug
the official Handbook's recommendation for a synthetic is a 5w-40 "all year round"
An HDEO 15w-40 (a recommended viscosity) will be suitable for use in an ambient range from 10F to 100F+
As Winston has wisely said a change of conforming coolant is a good idea too
Doug
Thanks for all your comments. She has owned the car since 1999 or from about 30k miles. As for as the vehicle service history goes, nothing major and being a woman she took it to the dealer whenever it was due for service. Manual trans by the way.
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Castrol LMA DOT 4 is also very good, inexpensive, and easy to find (PepBoys).
JHZR2
Staff member
Trees,
than there should be no real issues, and you can be pretty sure that all the right fluids are in there. Id change them all out now so that they are done, and she can escape the dealer labor costs. That car ought tobe very trouble free, so just do that PM and all will be well!
JMH
than there should be no real issues, and you can be pretty sure that all the right fluids are in there. Id change them all out now so that they are done, and she can escape the dealer labor costs. That car ought tobe very trouble free, so just do that PM and all will be well!
JMH
Be sure to ask her first before you even open the hood. Some people, including women, are very protective of their cars and don't appreciate someone "helping them out".
Besides, if you don't know what you're doing and aren't a BMW specialist you could be doing more harm than good.
I'd just check the oil, water, and air. Then just drive it -- carefully. Always garage it and wash it before returning the car.
Besides, if you don't know what you're doing and aren't a BMW specialist you could be doing more harm than good.
I'd just check the oil, water, and air. Then just drive it -- carefully. Always garage it and wash it before returning the car.
Run the **** out of it
BMW engines like to be run hard, they are designed to sit at high rpms for long periods of time on the Autobahn. My good friend's dad has been a private BMW mechanic for the past 20-25 years and the cars that get "driven" have less issues and the engines are cleaner when torn down compared to those protective kinds that think 4k rpms is pushing it! My current BMW with the M50 and 130k miles sees 7,000 rpms a handful of times a day (has a chip in it since 6.5k is original redline) It runs great, burns a minimal amount of oil and still gets low 30mpg on the freeway
P.S. I have owned a 318ti...slow but agile
Williar, thanks for the advice, cooler heads always prevail. She is fine with my tinkering with the car. Matter fact, she is asking me to run an arx cycle on it soon. Not to worry the car will be washed, waxed and cleaned when it is returned.
windnsea00, my girl does indeed 'drive' the car the way it ought to be driven. I plan on taking very good care of it however, rest assured that I will take it out for a romp or two.
windnsea00, my girl does indeed 'drive' the car the way it ought to be driven. I plan on taking very good care of it however, rest assured that I will take it out for a romp or two.
JHZR2
Staff member
I have a 91 (E30) 318i... It has the M42 engine, which was the original, 1.8L version of that engine... Its a good engine, and the e36 model is a nice car... definitely worth taking good care of.
For motor oil, Id use Shell Rotella synthetic 5w40. Im using it in my 318i, and the results have been excellent, Ive been very happy. Protects well for our climate, and is good as a year-round oil, as it flows better in the cold and hot at startup. Oil analysis results have been great, and the oil is a great deal at walmart. Be sure to use Mahle filters, by the way.
I assume that it is manual transmission, and that the trans takes ATF. id suggest that you replace the fluid in the transmission and especially the differential. I currently have redline MTL in my transmission, and redline 80w-140 in my diff. Id suggest using Redline MTL in the trans and a 75w-90 or 140 diff oil, either redline or mobil 1. If the car is an auto trans, replace the fluid... Id suggest you go to BMW and buy the correct fluid as auto transmissions can be picky.
Flush the brake fluid. BMW suggests ONCE A YEAR! Try andget some ATE SL DOT 4 fluid, but if you cant source it conveniently, either buy from BMW, or get valvoline synpower.
Flush your coolant. Be sure to use the G-48 formulation, which is BMW BLUE. There is no cheapo substitute, so go to the dealer and buy two gallons... Flush it well, maybe twice, as mixing antifreeze chemistries isnt a good thing.
Check the tire tread depth since winter is coming and BMWs arent really good in the snow... and make sure theyre inflated properly for optimal MPG. Of course, also check brake pads...
Other than that... maybe an air and fuel filter, and youre good!
I wouldnt use a lot of cleaners... If anything, Id put a dose of techron in it as soon as you get it (maybe try and add it to a tank thats not full so its more concentrated), and then drive a while... Change oil as the last thing you do. LC and FP are smart in any car!
Good luck!
JMH
For motor oil, Id use Shell Rotella synthetic 5w40. Im using it in my 318i, and the results have been excellent, Ive been very happy. Protects well for our climate, and is good as a year-round oil, as it flows better in the cold and hot at startup. Oil analysis results have been great, and the oil is a great deal at walmart. Be sure to use Mahle filters, by the way.
I assume that it is manual transmission, and that the trans takes ATF. id suggest that you replace the fluid in the transmission and especially the differential. I currently have redline MTL in my transmission, and redline 80w-140 in my diff. Id suggest using Redline MTL in the trans and a 75w-90 or 140 diff oil, either redline or mobil 1. If the car is an auto trans, replace the fluid... Id suggest you go to BMW and buy the correct fluid as auto transmissions can be picky.
Flush the brake fluid. BMW suggests ONCE A YEAR! Try andget some ATE SL DOT 4 fluid, but if you cant source it conveniently, either buy from BMW, or get valvoline synpower.
Flush your coolant. Be sure to use the G-48 formulation, which is BMW BLUE. There is no cheapo substitute, so go to the dealer and buy two gallons... Flush it well, maybe twice, as mixing antifreeze chemistries isnt a good thing.
Check the tire tread depth since winter is coming and BMWs arent really good in the snow... and make sure theyre inflated properly for optimal MPG. Of course, also check brake pads...
Other than that... maybe an air and fuel filter, and youre good!
I wouldnt use a lot of cleaners... If anything, Id put a dose of techron in it as soon as you get it (maybe try and add it to a tank thats not full so its more concentrated), and then drive a while... Change oil as the last thing you do. LC and FP are smart in any car!
Good luck!
JMH
JHZR2
Staff member
out of curiosity, is this car new to her or has she owned it since brand new? How much history is known?
If not much, you might want to source ARx to add and then change oil a few times to ensure that the engine gets clean, and if its an AT, use some arx int he trans as well...
JMH
If not much, you might want to source ARx to add and then change oil a few times to ensure that the engine gets clean, and if its an AT, use some arx int he trans as well...
JMH
JHZR2
Staff member
youve got to do a little better for a high-tech BMW engine than supertech!
The M42, which came out in 90-91 was one of the highest tech engines that BMW had at the time, and shared a lot of technologies with the 8 series cars and BMW motorsports engines. The 1.9L version was the same engine, just enlarged slightly for torque... Its a good, high quality, high tech engine, and ought to get something better than the lowest end oil that wal-mart sells!
JMH
The M42, which came out in 90-91 was one of the highest tech engines that BMW had at the time, and shared a lot of technologies with the 8 series cars and BMW motorsports engines. The 1.9L version was the same engine, just enlarged slightly for torque... Its a good, high quality, high tech engine, and ought to get something better than the lowest end oil that wal-mart sells!
JMH
Search the UOA's and you will find my BMW has had superior results with Chevron Delo 400 15W-40. 10W-40 Castrol Syntec just didnt work as well in that engine.
Since you are looking at lower temperatures for winter starting, how about a 5w-40, like Mobil 1 SUV or Valvoline Synpower. The Valvoline 5W-40 was the BMW dealer oil for a while, but a 5W-30 (for CAFE) Castrol is the current dealer oil.
I just did an ARx treatment on mine at 130k and it really didnt need it. There was no visible crud in the filter at all.
Since you are looking at lower temperatures for winter starting, how about a 5w-40, like Mobil 1 SUV or Valvoline Synpower. The Valvoline 5W-40 was the BMW dealer oil for a while, but a 5W-30 (for CAFE) Castrol is the current dealer oil.
I just did an ARx treatment on mine at 130k and it really didnt need it. There was no visible crud in the filter at all.
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