BMW/Castrol 10W-60, 4500 miles, 2008 Z4 M Coupe

[David in Sugar Land]

First Blackstone report. Break-in oil change at 1200 miles, then this first 4500 mile duration. Fuel dilution is due to city driving and traffic on way to work, apparently. Next report planned at 10,200 mile mark. =

 

[addyguy]

Do the newest BMW's need the 10W-60 oil? I thought it was only 'older' ones that had bearing problems? Anyway, for that few total miles, doesn't look too bad at all.

 

[Brettasaurus]

 Originally Posted By: addyguy

Do the newest BMW's need the 10W-60 oil? I thought it was only 'older' ones that had bearing problems? Anyway, for that few total miles, doesn't look too bad at all.

This is the 3.2L I6 from the old E46 M3, correct? I had a 2001 that had a rebuilt bottom end under warranty with about 30,000 miles on it and it ran the same oil. Great engine and it sounded amazing once I put a Borla cat-back on it. Very nice car and the UOA looks fine IMHO.

 

[JoeFromPA]

Wow that engine broke in fast.

 

[[RT] ProjUltraZ]

maybe try some Redline 10W-40?

 

[Trajan]

 Originally Posted By: [RT

ProjUltraZ]maybe try some Redline 10W-40?

Not in a M model.

 

[ourfamo4]

Since the S54 introduction in 2001, all of the current M specific engines are designed to use a 10w60 weight oil. This is a requirement by BMW to keep these engines under warranty.

 

[Audi Junkie]

 Originally Posted By: Trajan

 Originally Posted By: [RT

ProjUltraZ]maybe try some Redline 10W-40?

Not in a M model.

Why not? Do tell. The World is watching.

 

[JoeFromPA]

These engines, IMHO, would do better with a very robust 5w40 for daily driving and, of course, the 10w60 or similar when being taken to the track. That being said, the latest castrol 10w60 is one of the finest oils I've seen, insofar as it's specs are concerned.

 

[Trajan]

 Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie

 Originally Posted By: Trajan

 Originally Posted By: [RT

ProjUltraZ]maybe try some Redline 10W-40?

Not in a M model.

Why not? Do tell. The World is watching.

Perhaps if you look at the post right above yours? I know, I know. Another bimmer owner who isn't using your dino. tsk tsk.

 

[Audi Junkie]

HT/HS visc is what matters, not the label visc, doh. If you knew anything about oil, you'd know Redline 10w-40 has the necessary HT/HS visc, lol.That's why he recommended it! I also happened to know for a fact, that the awesome PTG M3 Racer uses NOT the speced TSW Motorsports 10w-60, rather Syntec 5w-50. I guess they forgot to ask some first-timers what oil they should use. Maybe you should contact them and explain how the "specs" work.

 

[Trajan]

So you will of course explain just what does a race car, one that is NOT using dino oil according to the Redline site, has to do with the UOA of a Z4M that is using factory approved oil.

 

[Trajan]

BTW, you do know that the approved oil for a BMW Z4M also covers HT/HS? I do. And why are you throwing up a car that uses syth when you are so adamant that dino is fine. To quote a certain Mr. Hillary. "So the advice I give to all BITOG readers is to use a lubricant of the correct viscosity that is specified by the Manufacturer and Listed by them as Approved – especially when under any form of Warranty." "You are best to use an oil specified as correct for your engine. BMW's engine lubricant requirements are well known, and these have been confirmed in service! The people that know which lubricant specifications are best are the people that designed, produced and warranted the engine you have." I'm sure that if you search, you find that using an oil specified as correct for your engine is a recurrent theme of his. Now I don't know the man, and I'm pretty sure that if he got into technospeak I wouldn't understand it. But that's ok. I don't really need to as I don't work in the industry. But I have always said that it's best to use the mfg specified oil for the motor The fact that someone of his qualifications says the same thing confirms I'm doing it right. You'll just have to accept that.

 

[OVERKILL]

 Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie

HT/HS visc is what matters, not the label visc, doh. If you knew anything about oil, you'd know Redline 10w-40 has the necessary HT/HS visc, lol.That's why he recommended it! I also happened to know for a fact, that the awesome PTG M3 Racer uses NOT the speced TSW Motorsports 10w-60, rather Syntec 5w-50. I guess they forgot to ask some first-timers what oil they should use. Maybe you should contact them and explain how the "specs" work.

How does retaining the warranty on a car by running the oil spec'd for it relate to a race car run on a circuit with no warranty of any kind?

 

[MBCLK]

isnt this car supposed to be using a BMW LL spec oil like GC or Mobil 1 0W40? is this Castrol oil a BMW LL spec'd oil?

 

[Trajan]

Yes, the oil DSL is using is spec'd LL01 oil. GC and the M1 are LL01. I've used both. But that S54 puts out alot of power for its size,(3.2L, 330HP), compared to my 3.0L,(225HP). Those oils probably couldn't handle what the S54 throws at it. That being said, there may be some benefit to running either of those two. AEHauss for one runs lighter weight oil in his Ferrari w/o any problems. Eh, maybe the M could get away with using those oils. Not something to try under warranty IMHO. Out of warranty though? Speaking only for myself, I'm not brave enough.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Blackstone: "The oil measured in the SAE 50 range" "Flashpoint 350f" Redline: "Flashpoint 478f" "HT/HS 4.7cP" "Best choice for high-performance engines that see street/strip or track activity. Features a thicker oil film at operating temperature than a petro-based 20W-50" http://www.redlineoil.com/whitePaper/motoroils.pdf Oh yeah, the BMW oil is definately better.

 

[unDummy]

Someone look up SAE J300 for me. Take a look at the visc requirements for 40, 50, and 60. Makes me wonder if the thick oil is a band-aid for inadequate oil cooling, psi, or sump size. BTW, excellent UOA for a young engine. Imagine the fuel dilution if driven equivalently in a cooler climate up north, eh? Noone remembers the AEHass thin oil papers? Whats the sump size and factory recommended OCI here?

 

[Craig in Canada]

 Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie

Why not? Do tell. The World is watching.

Warranty. I don't care what the specs are of the oil you're proposing, warranty would be a significant concern for me if it were my MY2008 M.

 

[OVERKILL]

 Originally Posted By: unDummy

Someone look up SAE J300 for me. Take a look at the visc requirements for 40, 50, and 60. Makes me wonder if the thick oil is a band-aid for inadequate oil cooling, psi, or sump size. BTW, excellent UOA for a young engine. Imagine the fuel dilution if driven equivalently in a cooler climate up north, eh? Noone remembers the AEHass thin oil papers? Whats the sump size and factory recommended OCI here?

AEHass doesn't track his cars. That's a significant piece of information. While driving around with 5w20 in a car spec'd for 5w50 might work fine most of the time, you take that car on the road course and all bets are off. In regard to the band-aide, thing, you are not the first to suggest that, so it may have some substance to it.